How does a average user use the Benchmarks to buy a PC from a normal store?

[darvon]

Hello, I posted this in Perf before I saw the Genera category and I am reposting it with addendums here.

I would like to understand how a non-builder (simple PC user) uses Performance Test to buy a new PC. Assume I am buying a PC from BestBuy.

Example: Me.

My existing system has an overall score of 225. I want something faster.

1) Will my local Best Buy have ratings for the systems they sell? Is there another way to get the ratings? I think that if I buy (rather than use the trial version) the software, then I get access to a ratings list. HOWEVER, I think a sample is shown on the website with the TOP 20 systems and the BOTTOM 20 systems.

Looking at that page, I do NOT find system information. I find component information. When I go into BestBuy, I am looking at a HP Pavilion 530a, or a Dell Sequoia 7000x or some such name. THAT is the system information I would use to purchase. I think, upon googling that the top rated system MIGHT be an Eon17. How can I easily purchase a system from listing of an assembly of components?



2) I read that Passmark is configured to be run from a USB drive, so I can use it to benchmark in the store. As best as I can figure out, it is configured to BE INSTALLED from a USB drive, which would require both permission from the store and admin access, something I doubt they would do. Am I misunderstanding something here? Is there someway that would reasonably be acceptable to Best Buy that I am missing? Please explain. Is that also a function of purchase version rather than trial? If so a little tutorial on exactly how to do it, and if a normal store is actually going to allow you to do this would be useful.



I would love to use a benchmark to buy a system. Please help me with instructions on how a normal user could do so at a normal store like Best Buy. I think those might be useful to MANY other normal users.

Thank you

[David (PassMark)]

Yes, if Bestbuy let you, then you could run the benchmark in store. I have no idea what their policy on this might be.

Otherwise you can download baseline results from within the software itself. From the Baseline menu, select Install baseline from web. Then do a search.

For example a search for, Pavilion , turned up 6832 sets of results.

It would help if you had the correct model number. HP claim the model "HP Pavilion 530a" you quoted doesn't exist. But you get the idea.

There is also no such computer called a "Dell Sequoia 7000x".

Otherwise look up the spec for the machine you like on the Bestbuy site. Then compare the CPU, etc.. with the charts here.

[darvon]

So the purchased version of the software has access to a database with System Level names and ratings?

That was counter-intuitive from the Top 20/Bottom 20 sample on your website.

Is there a way to put a runnable app on a USB with the Trial, or does it require the Purchase version?

[David (PassMark)]

You can do searches for existing baseline results in both the trial and paid for software. There are extra options, for more detailed searches, in the paid for software however.

Have a look under the 'Baseline' menu.

Yes, you can install to USB for a trial period with the trial software. See also,

Q.

How can I setup PerformanceTest to run from a CD or USB memory stick under Windows?

[Bogdez-bone]

David (Pass Mark)
First how do I post a question here? And I'm an average pc user, trying to find out how do I understand your bench test raitings?? I'm looking at a Amd 6300 6 core with a bench rating of 6,125 and a Amd 8320 eight core processer with a rating of 8,011. But I don't know what that means...?? Sorry I'm asking because I'm not a pc geek. Just looking for a decent pc not costing 1200 bucks or more.

[David (PassMark)]

First how do I post a question here?

You just did.

But I don't know what that means

Bigger numbers are better. The bigger the number the faster the CPU.

[kooliuypilsa]

So the purchased version of the software has access to a database with System Level names and ratings?

Phenq

Just looking for a decent pc not costing 1200 bucks or mo

[David (PassMark)]

Even with the free software you can do some searching (under the Baselines menu). Not all systems have sensible names however as many are home built.

[Pagedude]

I run Passmark Performance test (purchased version) from my USB Thumbdrive,
I first installed PT on my home computer, then from within that under the File menu installed it onto a clean blank USB Flash drive (smallest one I could find was a 4GB and it's still almost empty).
I run it on my computer and Save that benchmark (to the USB drives PerformanceTest\Baselines folder
I can now plug that in the computer I'm looking at to purchase (say at BB) and open that drive and Performancetest folder and click on the D:\PerformanceTest\PerformanceTest64.exe file to open the program (on the example computer). Then under the Manage Baselines dialog box, even on the Simple Search tab, I can change the Search String (from the default CPU search) to the User's Description option, and then search by Make and Model number.

Or use the Advanced Search Tab, and select each of CPU, Graphics Card, Drive search options using the Select Model feature(PT9 versions), then the top Your CPU model option (OR Video Card or Drive ) and then click the Search Now button and get a pretty refined set of results to look at the equivalent Performance scores.