Primate Labs has released Geekbench 7, a major update to its cross-platform benchmarking software that fundamentally changes how we evaluate processor performance. This shift matters because the new multi-threaded suite excludes single-threaded workloads like HTML5 browsers, aiming to better reflect real-world usage rather than rewarding raw core counts. Users comparing scores against previous versions should note that direct comparisons are invalid due to these methodological changes.
New baseline and workload changes redefine cross-platform performance metrics
The software now spans Android, iOS, Windows, macOS, and Linux, ensuring broad compatibility across devices. Primate Labs replaced the Intel Core i7-12700 baseline with an AMD Ryzen 7 7700, which serves as the reference processor normalized to 2,500 points. This baseline shift underscores the significant overhaul in how Geekbench 7 establishes its performance metrics.
Geekbench 7 introduces a suite of new CPU workloads to test modern computing tasks. The update adds AV1 encoding for screen sharing, Opus audio compression, and live caption generation using OpenAI Whisper. It also features a new Game Physics test based on the Jolt Physics engine alongside expanded Photo Editor and Photo Library workloads.
GPU benchmarking receives a substantial overhaul with new tests for ML image upscaling, face tracking, video background blurring, RAW image processing, colour grading, path tracing, and fluid simulation. CUDA joins OpenCL, Vulkan, and Metal as a supported compute API. Preliminary data shows a GeForce RTX 4070 averages around 236,094 points using CUDA, compared to 163,749 with OpenCL and 170,245 with Vulkan.
Geekbench 7 is available now for personal use at no cost. Geekbench 7 Pro is currently discounted by 20% through August 6 as part of the launch promotion. This pricing structure allows users to access the new benchmarking tools immediately while offering a temporary incentive for professional licenses.
We looked at Geekbench 6 earlier while tracking performance trends, but the new baseline makes those scores obsolete for direct comparison. The release marks a clear pivot toward real-world performance metrics and expanded GPU compute support. Users should update their testing routines to account for the new workload definitions and baseline standards.
Geekbench 7 delivers a comprehensive update to cross-platform benchmarking with new workloads and API support. The exclusion of single-threaded tasks from multi-threaded scoring aims to provide more accurate real-world performance indicators. The software remains free for personal use, with a limited-time discount available for the Pro version.
Source: NotebookCheck
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