UK-based SiSoftware has released SiSoftware Sandra Lite 2014, a major new release of its system information, diagnostics and benchmark tool for Windows PCs.

The 2014 version adds official support for Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2, but also includes a number of new benchmarks as well as updating commercial-only features such as device performance certification validation for benchmark results.

In addition to extending support to Windows 8.1, Sandra Lite 2014 also debuts a new theme for Windows 8/8.1 users, which comes with high-DPI support icons. The Modern UI-based theme is also available in a similar form for earlier versions of Windows too. Also promised is updated hardware support for both current and future hardware.

SiSoftware Sandra Lite 2014 debuts a new theme for Windows 8 users.

New benchmarks include Scientific Analysis benchmarks for both graphics architectures and CPUs. These utilise three common algorithms using multiple floating-point precisions and cover multiple interfaces and instruction sets. Also added is a new Memory Latency benchmark.

Updated benchmarks include a graphics-based Financial Analysis benchmark and updated overall score benchmark that provides a weighted average of existing benchmarks covering CPU, software performance, memory and cache bandwidth, file system/storage and graphics performance.

Some of these new features have already been introduced to SiSoft Sandra 2013 through Service Pack updates, but have been further refined and enhanced for the 2014 release in line with user feedback.

Users of the commercial version of Sisoftware Sandra 2014 also gain updated Device Performance Certification validation, which helps users verify the benchmark scores obtained are correct based on other user scores.

SiSoftware Sandra Lite 2014 is available now as a free-for-personal-use download for PCs running Windows XP or later. Some features are disabled in this version – users must purchase a commercial license to access them.