GPU Test: Graphics Card Benchmark in Your Browser

Render a heavy 3D shader at rising load levels and measure the frame rate your graphics card holds at each step.

Your graphics card draws everything you see in games, 3D apps and increasingly in the browser itself. If it is not being used, is overheating or is running far below its usual speed, games stutter and 3D sites crawl. This GPU test gives you a quick, repeatable way to measure graphics performance without installing anything.

The test renders a demanding animated shader across the whole test area at five increasing load levels. At each level it measures the frame rate your graphics hardware can hold, then combines the results into a single score. It also tells you which graphics device the browser used, so you can spot software rendering or the wrong GPU on a dual-graphics laptop.

How to run the GPU test

1. Plug laptops into power and close other games and 3D apps.
2. Choose Quick, Standard or Long. Longer levels give steadier numbers.
3. Press Start GPU test and keep the tab in front while it runs.
4. Watch the frame rate as each level gets heavier.
5. Read your GPU score and the frame rate list, and compare with your saved history.

How the GPU test works

A heavy shader

A shader is a small program that runs on the graphics card for every pixel. The test uses a fractal-style shader with a loop whose length grows at each level, from 16 steps to 384. At the top level, every pixel runs hundreds of calculations on every frame, which pushes most graphics chips hard.

Measuring frame rate

For each level the test draws frames continuously for the chosen time and counts how many complete. To stop the browser from queueing frames ahead, it waits for each frame to finish before counting it.

The score

The score combines frame rate, the amount of work per pixel and the number of pixels drawn at every level, then compares the total with a fixed RigLab baseline. Larger windows mean more pixels, so compare runs at the same window size.

Understanding your results

Fixing low GPU scores

• Turn on hardware acceleration in your browser settings and restart it.
• Update your graphics driver from the manufacturer’s website.
• On laptops with two GPUs, set your browser to use the high performance graphics in system settings.
• Clean dust from vents and fans, and make sure the device has airflow.
• Close apps that also use the GPU, such as video editors or other games.
• Check that your display is connected to the graphics card rather than the motherboard on desktop computers.
• Retest after each change so you know which fix made the difference.

Browser GPU tests versus game benchmarks

This test uses WebGL, the same graphics interface that browser games and 3D sites use. It is a good health check and ideal for before and after comparisons, but games use different engines, textures and features, so the score will not predict an exact frame rate in a specific game. What it reliably shows is whether your graphics hardware is being used and whether it is performing consistently.

Is it safe to stress the GPU?

Yes. Graphics cards are designed to run at full load for hours in games. The test only lasts seconds per level. Fans may spin up and the device may warm up, which is normal.

Integrated versus dedicated graphics

Integrated graphics are built into the processor and share system memory. They use little power and handle everyday tasks and light games well. Dedicated graphics cards have their own memory and far more processing units, which is why they score much higher in demanding tests. Many laptops include both and switch between them to save battery. Browsers often start on the integrated chip, so a gaming laptop can score like an ultrabook until you assign the browser to the high performance GPU. The renderer name shown after each run tells you which one was used.

Tracking performance over time

Your last eight runs are saved. A steady decline over weeks usually points to dust build-up or ageing thermal paste rather than the graphics card itself.

Related tests

If the test cannot start, the WebGL test shows whether WebGL is available and which renderer is active. The FPS test measures smoothness with many animated objects, the refresh rate test confirms your display’s Hz, the CPU test measures the processor, and the PC benchmark combines everything into one score.

Frequently asked questions

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