GPUScore: Sacred Path

Basemark Oy is known for its benchmark utilities, providing powerful performance assessment tools for various platforms. A daring project came out of its development program: a cross-platform graphics testing tool that goes by the name of GPUScore: Sacred Path.

The utmost feature of Sacred Path is its capability to employ the exact same workload on all the GPU devices, regardless of the platform. In other words, it allows you to compare graphics performances of devices from different categories (e.g smartphones, desktops, laptops) and operating systems, which is particularly useful to GPU vendors and manufacturers.

Its developers mention that it is a one-of-a-kind project, providing two official benchmarks that submit the results of the analysis to the Powerboard 4.0 online platform, allowing the quick comparison of the system performance on two or more systems with a similar or different configuration. There are multiple test types, as shown below.

The so-called Official benchmark relies on a 2540×1440 (QHD) resolution and evaluates the graphic performance of the host system without frame skipping. GPUScore: Sacred Path displays game-like content on any platform it is launched, offering support for Vulkan, Metal and DirectX 12. Should you have any issues with running the tests, you are advised to update the graphics driver and install any updates of the operating system.;

The Official VRS benchmark runs exactly the same content as the Official one, but additionally it also uses the Variable Rate Shading (VRS). Needless to say, VRS support from the device and the graphics driver is required to be able to run this test.

Next, there is the custom benchmark, which allows you to change the default settings of the Official. You can tamper with the render resolution, the workgroup size and customize the vertical sync, the graphics API and device.

Last but not least, there is the experience mode, which allows you to have a look at the benchmark’s workload by skipping frames to make the entire content run smoothly. This mode uses your display’s resolution.

Regardless of the test you run, the results are immediately available in the designated tab of GPUScore: Sacred Path and uploaded to the Powerboard online platform for comparison and rank check.

GPUScore: Sacred Path can be launched on both mobile and desktop platforms and, more importantly, it runs the same workload on all the environments, allowing the comparison bertween different GPU-equipped devices even if they run different operating systems. Being a cross-platform benchmark can make it easier to understand performance issues and ranges.