Instead of purely stressing the CPU like Prime95, it simulates a more realistic workload that a CPU is likely to have. This tool is geared more toward engineers, IT professionals, and enthusiasts (as indicated by the various download options). The cheapest version is AIDA64 Extreme, which will run you about $50 for three PCs while the Business and Engineer versions go for $200. Unlike the other tools on our list, AIDA64 is not free to use. A word of caution with Prime95: It has a somewhat negative reputation of putting unnecessary stress on the CPU. The large FFTs really punish your CPU, while the blended tests push RAM usage. The small fast fourier transforms (FFTs) can be a good way to see if there are any issues. You can run different “torture tests” depending on what you’re trying to stress. Though Prime95 is not originally made to stress test the CPU, the strain in using the processor’s floating point and integer capabilities make it an excellent way to see what your CPU is capable of. It was developed as part of the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search (GIMPS), in which the processor is used to find large prime numbers. Prime95 is one of the most well-known free CPU stress tests out there. Here’s the list of four favorite CPU stress tests. This is how you can accidentally kill AMD’s best CPU for gaming The best processors for gaming: AMD and Intel face off Intel thinks your next CPU needs an AI processor - here’s why

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