The respected system benchmarking and analysis tool SiSoft Sandra has been updated to the 2013 version bringing not only support for Windows 8 but a raft of other enhancements. Of course, support for the latest version of Microsoft’s operating system is only to be expected, so it’s interesting to look elsewhere to see where updates have been made. Users of one of the commercial version of the program can take advantage of a new update notification system which provides details of available updates for drivers and BIOSes.
SiSoft Sandra is a valued benchmarking utility and the 2013 release includes changes to the way benchmarking is carried out. It is always possible that a particularly low or high benchmark result comes about as a result of a problem with a piece of hardware. A new Device Performance Certification compares the benchmark results for different devices with other Sandra users to determine average results, making it possible to weed out results which are unusual one-offs.
Important changes have been made to memory testing which not only means that the latest memory technologies are supported, but also that different architectures are tested in the most appropriate way. Support for Windows 8 means that there is a new modern interface to explore, and this extends to users of older version of Windows – as SiSoft point out, ‘love it or hate it, it is here to stay’.
As with previous releases, Sandra is available in five different versions starting with the free Lite edition through Business all the way up to Enterprise. The free version of the program is severely limited when compared to any of the paid-for editions, but it is still a valuable tool for anyone who takes a serious interest in their computer.
You can find out more and download a free copy of the program by paying a visit to the SiSoft Sandra 2013 review page.
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