If you enjoy running older benchmarks to see how your new system might have stacked up had it been around during the heyday of games past, then you might want to get a few more runs in of 3DMark11 in the next few weeks. Half way through January, UL Benchmarks (previously Futuremark) will be officially ending support for a number of its benchmarks, 3DMark11 being the most prominent.
Other benchmarks which are set to reach end of life status include 3DMark Cloud Gate, 3DMark ice Storm (PC, Android, and iOS), PCMark 7, and Powermark. They will no longer be sold by UL, or on platforms like Steam, nor will they receive any future updates. They will also not be guaranteed to work with UL's online services and benchmark leaderboards, not will they be eligible for customer support.
The last day when you can expect any kind of support with these benchmarks is January 14, 2020. After that date these applications will no longer function as they do now.
Not all is lost though. While support for these older benchmarks will end, you'll still be able to download them from UL's legacy benchmark site. There you can find even older tests like 3DMark05, 06, Vantage, and more.
Instead, UL Benchmarks is suggesting that users move over to its newer benchmarks which have expanded features, more complex graphical and CPU tests for PCs, laptops, and phones, and updated support and leaderboard access. It recommends 3DMark Time Spy and Night raid for most, though those on smart devices can use 3DMark Sling Shot instead.
For those looking for more of a system-wide benchmark, there's always PCMark 10 and PCMark 10 Battery Life Profile test for those wanting to check their system's battery life capabilities.
