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2 Video Card Tests To Troubleshoot Annoying Video Problems

Posted on 13 January 2011. Tags: annoying, Card, Problems, Tests, troubleshoot, Video

class="align-left" style="border: 0px none; margin-left: 20px; margin-top: 5px; float: right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/330108_video_card.jpg" alt="video card test" width="240" height="180" />So you’re trying to play a new video game with awesome graphics and special effects, but for some reason the game either crashes or the graphics are very “laggy” – it’s more like watching a movie in slow motion than a high quality video game.

Sometimes the cause of this is that your system may not have the CPU power to handle everything that’s required of the game. However, other times it just boils down to the fact that your video card may not be able to handle it. It’s not always easy to determine which the problem is, but one thing that is easy enough is performing a video card test. If it is, you may decide to upgrade or class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/overclock-ati-video-card-ati-overdrive/">overclock your current card, as Matt described earlier. There are a lot of free apps available for doing a stress test of your video card. Matt previously covered one called class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/test-graphics-card-stability-furmark-gaming/">Furmark that does a pretty good job.

id="more-62563"> /> Before you make any decision as to whether or not to replace your video card, here are a few more excellent apps you can run that will perform a video card stress test and help you determine whether that is what is currently limiting your gaming experience.

Video Card Stability Test

The real test of any video card is its ability to handle multiple, highly detailed moving 3D objects at the same time. One of the most popular free applications that you can use to benchmark your video card as well as give it a stress test is the class="vt-p" href="http://download.cnet.com/Video-Card-Stability-Test/3000-18512_4-10418474.html?tag=mncol;1">Video Card Stability Test.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/vcard1.jpg" alt="video card test" width="510" height="647" />

There are two main functions of this app – taking a baseline of your video card compared to the performance of similar cards, or performing a stress test (stability test) over an extended period of time in order to push your video card to its limits, and monitor whether the 3D graphics skip, lag or freeze. When you click on “Benchmark,” the application will rotate a huge 3D image of the Earth and display the frames-per-second that your video card is able to produce.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/vcard2.jpg" alt="video card stability test" width="501" height="638" />

Once the bar graph at the right reaches the top, the test is over and you’ll see the FPS score of your video card compared to other leading video cards such as the ATI Radeon family or GeForce cards.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/vcard3.jpg" alt="video card stability test" width="454" height="304" />

When your benchmark test is finished, the score shows up in the top pane of the main window. The next feature of the software is running the stability test. You can get started with that by just clicking on “Start” in the right panel.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/vcard4.jpg" alt="video card stability test" width="511" height="336" />

The stability test is a never-ending test (until you click stop) that lets you monitor how your graphics card handles the two rotating 3D images. The software utilizes what’s called VertexShader and PixelShader to push your video card. You’ll see the top 3D globe start off small and then slowly zoom in and then zoom back out. This varies the load on your graphics card over time to perform a good stress test.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/vcard5.jpg" alt="video card benchmark" width="508" height="646" />

The longer you let the software run, the better because you’ll also be able to test video card memory limits whether at some point the rotating graphics start to lag or freeze. If you see the test eventually bring your video card to its knees, then you know that your card is the problem.

Real-Time HDR IBL

Another very cool application that you can use to test your video card (even though it wasn’t specifically written for that purpose) is a free app called class="vt-p" href="http://www.daionet.gr.jp/~masa/rthdribl/#Download">Rthdribl. Strange name – but it stands for Real-Time High Dynamic Range Image-Based Lighting. This is a graphics rendering tool that displays some of the most amazing 3D graphics with many moving objects that are sure to wow you.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/vcard6.jpg" alt="video card benchmark" width="575" height="471" />

When you first run it, you’ll see a world of floating “planets” that look like marbles. You can manually rotate around the scene with your mouse by using the controls displayed on the screen. Frames per second are displayed in the upper left corner.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/vcard7.jpg" alt="video card benchmark" width="575" height="473" />

With the mouse, you can pause the action and then zoom right into the center object. Through the menu system you can change skin, change focus and modify a bunch of other view settings. You can also change the model itself by opening a new model file – such as the skull.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/vcard8.jpg" alt="" width="575" height="473" />

If you really want to push your video card, just maximize the display to full screen and keep an eye on that FPS in the upper left corner. It’ll drop quite a bit (or might even crash if your card can’t keep up).

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/vcard9.jpg" alt="video card test" width="575" height="394" />

If you plan to upgrade your card, make a note of this FPS value when you’re running this 3D movie app in full-screen. After you’ve upgraded, run the app again and note the improvement, this will tell you whether you got your money’s worth with the upgrade.

If you’re experiencing any graphics issues with any new games you buy, keep these two apps on hand so that you can run a quick video card test and check the FPS rating you’re achieving with your current card. At the very least, this will help you cross off the video card as the source of your problems, and they’re a great way to benchmark the performance of your graphics card.

Have you tried either of these apps? How did your graphics card perform? Share your own insight and tips in the comments section below.

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Top 5 Websites with Fun and Insightful Psychological Tests

Posted on 05 September 2010. Tags: Insightful, Psychological, Tests, Websites

style="border: 0px none;margin-left:20px;float:right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/brain1.png" alt="psychological tests"/>I intend to open up to you the corners of the internet that can help tap into the darkest corners of your own mind. Last month, I brought you href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/twist-mind-optical-illusions-web/">the best optical illusions on the web, which tested how your mind manipulates your perceptions, and now I bring you some of the web’s best psychological tests. These tests may reveal to you the deepest parts of your own subconscious, which may horrify and astound you — but at least taking the tests will be fun.

There aren’t silly pop psychology tests that have no basis in fact; they’re legitimate psychological tests that are either backed by significant research or are actually parts of ongoing studies that are using your results to obtain more data. They’ll help you dig into your mind and explore your subconscious, memorization abilities, personality, and much more.

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BBC’s Tests

The BBC has a surprisingly href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/index_surveys.shtml">large collection of free psychological tests online. The subjects that they cover really run the gamut: you can find out href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/memory/">how good your memory is, whether href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/synaesthesia/see/">you experience synesthesia, what href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/sex/">sex your brain is, and much more.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/bbcmemory.png" alt="psychological tests"/>

Many of the tests are parts of ongoing studies, so rest assured that the results you’re getting are coming directly from professional psychologists and researchers.

Cognitive Fun

href="http://cognitivefun.net/">Cognitive Fun is an excellent website with tons of unique psychological tests. Many will test your reaction time and memorization abilities, and you’ll also find the classic href="http://cognitivefun.net/test/2">Stroop color test on the site.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/cognitivefunstroop.png" alt="online psychological tests"/>

One of the site’s best features is that you can register an account and save your stats on all of the site’s tests. Then you can compare your results to those of everyone else who took the tests.

Jung Typology Test

The href="http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp">Jung Typology Test reveals your personality type using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), a well-established personality test first published in 1962.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/jungtypology.png" alt="online psychological tests"/>

Results of the test will provide you with four letters that summarize your personality type (don’t worry, it also explains, in detail, what those letters and your particular type actually mean). You’ll also find out what famous people had your personality type.

Project Implicit

href="https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/demo/selectatest.html">Project Implicit is an excellent Harvard study that may reveal your subconscious biases regarding race, gender, religion, and more. It does this by requiring you to distinguish between different images and words and group them into correct categories.

For example, in href="https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/Launch?study=/user/education/race/race.expt.xml">the race test, you have to distinguish between faces of European and African origin and good words (like “joy” and “love”) and bad words (like “agony” and “terrible”). Then you have to group bad words and images of European American faces together and good words and images of African American faces together (and vice versa). class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-52442" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/projectimplicit.png" alt="" width="350" height="282" />To get accurate results, you have to sort quickly. Based on whether or not you make mistakes when grouping images, the test purports to reveal whether you may have a subconscious preference for faces of European or African origin. The results of this test and others on Project Implicit may astonish and unsettle you.

Face Research

The href="http://www.faceresearch.org/">face research tests also primarily use images of faces. Here, however, you are making choices like whether faces look healthier, more trustworthy, or more attractive.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/faceresearch.png" alt="psychological tests"/>

To participate in the tests you have to either href="http://www.faceresearch.org/register">register an account or href="http://www.faceresearch.org/register?guest">login as a guest. These tests could reveal how you subconsciously assume things about the people you’ve just met based only on very subtle changes in their faces.

Conclusion

Psychological tests are both fun and can reveal a lot about us. If you want more information behind the results that you’re getting from these tests, consider checking out some href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-psychology-websites-to-help-educate-yourself/">informative psychology websites. In all of your pursuits to better understand yourself and the workings of your mind, I wish you luck.

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NOD32 4.0 Detection and Removal Tests. Part 1

Posted on 09 July 2010. Tags: Detection, NOD32, Part, Removal, Tests

Let’s see how Nod32 4.0 deals with an infected computer! Is it any better than 3.0? Find out!

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On-demand scanner tests – AdAware

Posted on 08 July 2010. Tags: Adaware, Ondemand, Scanner, Tests

Another tut/review of a me removing malware

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Intel X25-M Postville 80GB & Windows 7 (RC) installation and some tests – PART 1/2

Posted on 07 July 2010. Tags: 80GB, Installation, Intel, Part, Postville, Some, Tests, Windows, X25M

(Part 1 of 2) Today I tested and installed my brand new Intel X25-M Generation 2 – Postville – (SSDSA2MH080G2C1) ssd. This video shows how fast Windows 7 x64 installs and how it reacts. It’s a first video, so do not expect many applications to come by. On gathering.tweakers.net you can read about the former tests (CrystalDiskMark under Windows XP) and lot’s of pictures. And please visit www.ssdworld.net !

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Panda Cloud Antivirus Beta 4 v0.08.83 Tests

Posted on 03 July 2010. Tags: Antivirus, Beta, Cloud, Panda, Tests, v0.08.83

I wanted to test out some of the improvements made to Panda’s Cloud AV beta and here are the results. Enjoy!

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Malwarebytes 1.31 Prevention Tests Part 1

Posted on 03 July 2010. Tags: 1.31, Malwarebytes', Part, Prevention, Tests

We all know how awesome Malwarebytes is for removing malware already present on a PC, but is malwarebytes a good solution for preventing malware infestations? Find out!

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Norton Internet Security 2009 Prevention Tests

Posted on 02 July 2010. Tags: 2009, Internet, Norton, Prevention, Security, Tests

Will Norton Internet Security 2009 protect your computer from all forms of malware? Find Out!!!

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Threatfire Review and Tests Part 2

Posted on 02 July 2010. Tags: Part, Review, Tests, Threatfire

I put PC Tool’s Threatfire to the test. Does behavior analysis protect you from zero day threats while not overloading you with popups? Find out!

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Comodo 4 Internet Security Review and Tests Part 1

Posted on 02 July 2010. Tags: Comodo, Internet, Part, Review, Security, Tests

Can Comodo Internet Security 4 really keep your PC virus free? Find out as I pit Comodo Internet Security 4 against 10 pieces of malware (viruses). Stay tuned for part 2 which will demo the latest version of Defense+ and the Comodo Sandbox…

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Boot Up Tests: New 13″ MacBook Pro vs. Old Dell Inspiron E1505

Posted on 01 July 2010. Tags: Boot, Dell, E1505, Inspiron, Macbook, Tests

[Please note that I am comparing my "Old PC" to my new MacBook Pro.] In this video I will be comparing the boot up time difference between my 13″ MacBook Pro (Runnng Leopard) and my Dell Inspiron E1505 (Running Windows Vista.) This video will have two parts: The first part will consist of the boot up difference between the Mac’s and the Dell’s OS. The second part will consist of Windows Vista booting on both the Mac and PC. Computer Specs: 13″ MacBook Pro: -2.26 GHz Intel Core Duo -2GB RAM -160 GB HDD @ 5400 RPM Dell Inspiron E1505: -1.73 GHz Intel Core Duo -1 GB RAM -80GB HDD @ 5400 RPM Twitter: www.twitter.com

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Shut Down Tests: New 13″ MacBook Pro vs. Old Dell Inspiron E1505

Posted on 30 June 2010. Tags: Dell, Down, E1505, Inspiron, Macbook, Shut, Tests

[Please note that I am comparing my "Old PC" to my new MacBook Pro.] In this video I will be comparing the shut down time difference between my 13″ MacBook Pro (Runnng Leopard) and my Dell Inspiron E1505 (Running Windows Vista.) This video will have two parts: The first part will consist of the shut down difference between the Mac’s and the Dell’s OS. The second part will consist of Windows Vista shutting down on both the Mac and PC. Computer Specs: 13″ MacBook Pro: -2.26 GHz Intel Core Duo -2GB RAM -160 GB HDD @ 5400 RPM Dell Inspiron E1505: -1.73 GHz Intel Core Duo -1 GB RAM -80GB HDD @ 5400 RPM Twitter: www.twitter.com