VolumeShader_BM: 3D GPU Benchmark & Stress Test
Stress test your smartphone or PC graphics card with the authentic Mandelbulb raymarching shader. Measure live FPS, 1% lows, frame times, and thermal throttling in your browser.
How to Test & Benchmark Your GPU in 3 Steps
Select Complexity Level
Pick Standard (5 Iterations) for the classic viral benchmark score, or push your device with High or Extreme to test maximum GPU power.
Run the 30-Second Test
Click Benchmark (30s). Rotate the 3D Mandelbulb volume and observe the real-time frame rates and frame latency on the canvas.
Analyze FPS & Thermal Throttling
Review your Average FPS and 1% Lows. If FPS drops sharply after 20 seconds, your mobile processor is experiencing thermal throttling.
The Science of Volumetric Raymarching & GPU Stress Testing
VolumeShader_BM is widely regarded as one of the most punishing shader tests in computing. Unlike traditional 3D rasterization that draws hollow polygon meshes, volumetric raymarching evaluates continuous mathematical fields inside a 3D volume.
What is VolumeShader_BM and Why Did It Go Viral?
Originally derived from computer graphics shaders and popularized across TikTok and hardware communities, VolumeShader_BM renders a real-time Mandelbulb—a three-dimensional fractal analog of the famous 2D Mandelbrot set. Because calculating 3D fractal surfaces requires tens of millions of mathematical operations per frame, mobile phones produce shockingly low frame rates (often 10 to 25 FPS), making it a viral sensation for testing device power.
Mandelbulb Mathematics & Raymarching Physics
In standard video games, a graphics card draws flat textured triangles. In contrast, our volume shader shoots a simulated ray of light from the camera through every screen pixel:
- Iterative Distance Estimator: At each step along the ray, the shader loops through the 8th-power spherical formula: $v \leftarrow v^8 + c$.
- Volumetric Light Absorption: The shader integrates density and scattering along the ray path, calculating light extinction and shadow falloff.
- Exponential Math Load: Increasing the iteration depth from 5 to 8 or 12 increases the shader's mathematical complexity exponentially, placing pure compute pressure on the GPU's ALU execution units.
Interpreting Your FPS Scores & Mobile Throttling
Because smartphones lack cooling fans, their aluminum bodies act as passive heatsinks. When running VolumeShader_BM for 60 seconds, notice whether your FPS stays constant or drops by 30% to 50%. A sudden drop illustrates dynamic thermal throttling, where mobile firmware reduces processor clock speeds to prevent hardware overheating.
GPU Benchmark Performance & Tier Matrix
Reference guide of expected frame rates on Standard Complexity (5 Iterations) across common hardware tiers:
| Performance Tier | Expected FPS | Hardware Example | Visual Smoothness | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Godlike | 60+ FPS | NVIDIA RTX 4080/4090, Apple M3/M4 Max | Flawless 60/120Hz sync | Desktop Tier-1 powerhouse |
| Great | 35 - 59 FPS | Apple iPhone 15/16 Pro, Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 | Smooth motion, minor drops | High-end flagship device |
| Fair | 20 - 34 FPS | Apple iPhone 12/13, Mid-range Android (Dimensity 8200) | Playable, noticeable micro-stutter | Standard everyday device |
| Low | 10 - 19 FPS | Older phones (iPhone X, Snapdragon 700 series) | Significant frame lag | GPU heavily constrained |
| Extreme Lag | Below 10 FPS | Budget smartphones, basic Intel HD graphics | Slide-show rendering | Severe hardware compute limits |
Frequently Asked Questions
VolumeShader_BM operates every graphics execution core on your processor at 100% capacity. Modern mobile phones use their glass and metal casing to dissipate heat. This is normal behavior, and device thermal protections prevent any hardware damage.
Click and drag with your mouse, or swipe with your finger on touchscreens to orbit around the 3D fractal. Use your mouse scroll wheel or pinch with two fingers to zoom in and out.
The iteration count controls how many times the Mandelbulb math formula is evaluated per ray step. Low (3) renders a softer shape with high FPS. Standard (5) is the universal benchmark. Extreme (12) renders hyper-fine fractal crevices and requires desktop-grade graphics cards.