How to Benchmark A:M Renders at the Computer Store

If you are interested in a new computer and want to know its performance, if you want to collect more benchmark data for Steve Sappington, or if you just simply want to see how fast that super MegaBucks PC at the store can perform (to convince your wife that it'll save you more time), here's a way that I just figured out how to do it. Animation:Master is a cool program. It actually doesn't require installation in order to run, just the program files and the CD-ROM. Can you tell where I'm taking this? Buy a cheap, USB 2.0 flash drive. My A:M 12.0 (Windows) folder is about 75 MB (with all of my textures and plug-ins), so you'll probably only need 128 MB or less. Copy your A:M folder ("\Program files\Hash Inc\V12.0" on Windows, "/Applications/Animation Master 12.0" on Mac) to your USB flash drive (UFD). Make sure that "gdiplus.dll" is included with your Windows version. Take your UFD and A:M CD-ROM with you to the local computer store. Find your dream machine. Step over the puddle of drool (perhaps your own) and plug in the UFD and insert the CD-ROM. Either copy the A:M folder onto the computer or just fire up A:M right from the UFD. Open "Toys" project and render frames 98 and 99. Record the system specs and render times in a simple text file on the UFD. Pull the UFD, eject your CD-ROM, and move on. (Be sure to delete the A:M folder from the computer if you copied it.) I came up with this idea while trying to guess render performances on a possible new notebook PC (I'm looking at a the upcoming Clevo-base D900K).