When a PC crashes under sustained load, BurnInTest can put its hardware under repeatable stress to help expose stability problems. PassMark’s Windows tool tests the CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage, either individually or in a combined run.
Which components can BurnInTest exercise?
BurnInTest applies a workload to key hardware areas to check how the system behaves while they are active. Its test coverage includes the processor, graphics hardware, memory, and storage. Running a focused test can help narrow an investigation to one component; a combined run puts several parts under load at the same time.
- CPU: stress the processor during a test run.
- GPU: exercise the graphics hardware.
- RAM: test system memory under load.
- Storage: stress drives and check their operation.
A sustained stress-test run
Choose the component tests that match the problem being investigated, then run them long enough to exercise the system beyond a brief everyday session. A combined run can reveal trouble that appears only when several components are busy together. For a more targeted check, test one area at a time and compare how the system behaves across runs.
Interpreting test results
BurnInTest is aimed at reliability and load testing: the focus is whether hardware continues to operate during stress, and whether errors appear. That makes the results relevant when tracking unexplained crashes or instability, as well as when checking a system after hardware work. A successful run shows that the tested components completed that workload; it does not guarantee that every fault will appear under every test condition.
Pros
- Tests CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage
- Runs component tests individually or together
- Designed to expose reliability problems under sustained load
System requirements: Windows 10, Windows 11 · 64-bit only · 4 GB RAM · DirectX 12 for 3D graphics · DirectX 11/OpenCL for GPGPU tests · 550 MB free disk space (plus free space for the Disk test) · Additional hardware for certain tests
Can BurnInTest test several components at once?
Yes. It can stress components individually or run multiple component tests together.
What hardware does BurnInTest test?
It tests the CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage.
Is BurnInTest for benchmarking or stability testing?
Its focus is stressing hardware to check reliability and system stability.
