3DMark 2016 Holiday Beta hits the web with new VR benchmark

Futuremark published a new holiday beta version of its upcoming 3DMark 2016 benchmark suite, you can give it a try via Steam. Unfortunately, the new DirectX 12 "Time Spy" benchmark isn't part of this beta release, but it does give you the opportunity to check out the new interface as well as the new VRMark virtual reality benchmark. Another change is that 3DMark is now modular, allowing you to install and update benchmarks independently, without having to download the whole suite.

Join the Holiday Beta and experience an interactive preview of VRMark, our upcoming virtual reality benchmark. In this exclusive preview, you can move freely within one of VRMark's test environments. Get up close to four classic 3DMark scenes in VR with Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. But don't worry if you don't have a headset. The VRMark Preview works with your monitor too. The VRMark preview is for entertainment only. It does not produce a score.

3DMark grows bigger every year with new tests. Since launch, we've added Fire Strike Ultra, Sky Diver, and the API Overhead feature test. With more tests coming soon, we've created a new UI for 2016 that's faster, more flexible and more intuitive. The new Home screen shows the recommended benchmark for your system. No more guessing which benchmark is right for your PC. You can install and run other tests from the Benchmarks screen.

We've also rebuilt the internals of the 3DMark app. You can now download, install and update benchmarks independently. This makes the initial download much smaller. And it means you can choose to install only the tests you need. Say goodbye to massive downloads with every update.