PCAudioLabs Pro Audio CPU Benchmarks & Comparisons
These Pro Audio CPU Benchmarks & Comparisons will help inform how a CPU will perform under certain workflows and stress tests.
Pro audio CPU Benchmarks allow PCAudioLabs to discern how a CPU will perform under certain operational settings for pro audio and video production. It does not, strictly speaking, convey the full performance of a CPU or a completely built and configured pro audio PC. It is one part of a greater whole.
Generally speaking, a CPU with a higher clock speed will lead to better performance at lower buffer settings, which should lead to better low-latency performance. This, however, is also dependent on audio hardware, and the overall configuration of a system, including the software being used, and the build quality of the PC.
We utilize our Rok Box line of pro audio PCs to perform these tests. Configurations vary depending on the tests being performed.
Our Benchmarking process makes use of DAWbench test sessions, as well as testing under Maxon Cinebench, and Passmark Performance Test.
These tests are run in Cuckos Reaper, which is the current DAW in which the DAWbench test templates are built in which to be run.
We test using two methods. First, the number of Reaxcomp Multiband Compressors we can instantiate on a 48-track session at 44.1kHz and 96kHz before CPU overload/crackling at various buffer sizes (typically 64 samples - 512 samples) -- this is an Audio streaming test. This allows us to test round-trip latency on our configurations.
The second test utilizes Virtual Instrument Polyphony testing. We open a test session, loaded with Native Instruments Kontakt instances and instruments, and then unmute tracks, increasing the load on the CPU, instantiating 20 notes of Polyphony until the CPU overloads.
Please note that these tests are baselines only. They do not strictly mean that your PC will perform the same. You will be using a mix of various plugins, tracks, and other factors, all of which can change the results on your pro audio PC.
We will update our findings as new CPUs are released and tested.
This page was updated on April 3rd, 2024.
These test templates can be found at DAWbench.com.
DAWbench CPU DSP (Digital Signal Processing) Benchmarks
These tests will test the performance of a CPU with several plugins instantiated. Up to 320 Reaxcomp multiband compressors may be instantiated in this test. We test at 16 sample buffer size settings (the lowest available to an audio interface, often used when live-tracking audio) and 1024 sample buffer size settings (a common audio interface setting for mixing/mastering).
We perform these tests at 44.1KHz and 96KHz.
DAWbench DSP Tests - 44.1KHz
DAWbench DSP Tests - 96KHz
DAWbench CPU VI (Virtual Instrument) Benchmarks
These tests are run using multiple instances of Native Instruments Kontakt with various samples loaded in each instance and several MIDI tracks sending MIDI data to those instances. We unmute MIDI tracks one by one and note the CPU load, which will go up as more tracks are made active. We run these tests at 44.1KHz and 96KHz, with a maximum voice polyphony of 9600 in the DAWbench test sessions.
It is important to note that everyone's workflow will be different; no two producers are likely to use the exact same Virtual Instrument configuration. These numbers are for reference only and are to be used as a baseline for the performance of a CPU.
DAWbench VI Tests - 44.1KHz
DAWbench VI Tests - 96KHz
