3DMark Steel Nomad, UL’s latest non-raytracing benchmark and cross-platform successor to the popular Time Spy and Time Spy Extreme benchmarks, is expected to release this month, according to a post that a developer shared on 3DMark’s discussion forum on Steam last week. Per a blog post that UL published in December, this will be a free update for all 3DMark users.
The word from UL_Jarnis:
- “We’re nearly there, but there’s a slight delay for Steel Nomad and Steel Nomad Light. The launch is shifting from the end of Q1 to the start of Q2, and is now probably in April 2024.”
- “Getting things right for fair cross-platform comparison when working with feedback from multiple industry partners sometimes takes longer than expected.”
- “Unlike with games, patching benchmark tests after launch in a way that affects scoring is really undesirable, so we’re taking extra care to have a test that will stand the test of time.”
UL on its Steel Nomad benchmarks:
- Steel Nomad
- Steel Nomad will be our recommended benchmark for measuring the non-raytraced gaming performance of high-end computers running Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- Steel Nomad Light
- Steel Nomad Light will be our recommended benchmark for measuring the performance of Lightweight devices, such as Windows laptops with integrated graphics, Windows-on-Arm devices, Apple Silicon Macs, iOS, and Android devices.
Preview shots:
UL noted in December:
3DMark Steel Nomad will launch in the first quarter of next year for devices running Windows and Windows-on-Arm on Steam, the Epic Games Store, or direct from UL Solutions. Steel Nomad and Steel Nomad Light for macOS and Linux, and Steel Nomad Light for Android and iOS devices, will launch later in 2024.