MemtestCL

Most memory testing refers to RAM but some utilities are dedicated to checking the GPU memory. MemtestCL is specifically designed for verifying the memory of OpenCL-enabled graphics cards by stressing both memory and core.

The application does not require to be installed as simply extracting the contents of the archive and double-clicking the executable should launch the console-driven interface.

Console-based interface

Some users may feel overwhelmed by this aspect but there is nothing to worry about because, even so, MemtestCL is not difficult to operate. All the commands are shown in the first screen, allowing you to decide on the next step to take.

Among the options available there is the possibility to specify the RAM clock speed or the core/ROP clock speed. There is also an example of how the commands should be added in the console.

The application relies on different test patterns that have already been checked by the developer. Some of them have been customized for the application while others are based on Memtest86 program.

The test routines check for the correct operation of the graphics card’s memory and logic and should prove to be efficient in showing that the hardware component does not produce “silent errors”. This sort of errors can render the results of a computation useless without the user knowing about it, because they do not trigger a visible error.

MemtestCL is not the most user-friendly utility for testing the GPU for soft errors but it isn’t to difficult to use either. It helps determine if the graphics hardware operates correctly under the given conditions.