Following the results of a recent poll, we will enable hardware, global, and world record points for five benchmarks in 2014. The following benchmarks will be added to the HWBoints (="benchmarks with points at hwbot") suite: Cinebench R15, HWBOT Prime, UCBench 2011, Catzilla 720P, and Catzilla 1440P

The choice for Cinebench R15 and Catzilla 720p is simply following the results from the poll. These two benchmarks were with respectively 62% and 42% the most requested by the community.

HWBOT Prime and Catzilla 1440p were 3rd and 4th on that list, and each have additional argumentation to include in the suite. HWBOT Prime is our in-house open-source benchmark, and has passed the test of being ready for competitive environment during the Country Cup. Its cross-platform nature will provide a good foundation for future projects.

Catzilla 1440p is the highest preset of the new Catzilla benchmark. You can compare it to Fire Strike Extreme in 3DMark. Even though the preset can only be unlocked by paying a licensing fee (a mere USD $5), we want to include it in the HWBoints suite as well. Primarily because of the poll result. Secondarily because we want to be very clear in our support for this new 3D benchmark. Catzilla is the best alternative to the 3DMark series since Aquamark, and it is important to our hobby and community that we have a wider variety of benchmarks. Note: Fire Strike Extreme is also pay-only, and has points enabled.

Last but not least, we also include a benchmark that was not included in the poll. UCBench 2011 has been around for a while, and has been accepted by many as a decent benchmark. With over 10,000 submissions it has been tested thoroughly, and it already has hardware points enabled.

We will enable points for the benchmarks in early January, depending on the schedule of the New Year's parties and CES. Feel free to check out the updated benchmark verification rules pages to check for errors and feedback if necessary. Until then, Happy Holidays everyone!