Standard Edition
Standard look. Default and NVMe SSD presets, themes (Dark, Flower, DarkRed). Ideal for most users.
Download →
CrystalDiskMark – Free Disk Benchmark for Windows
CrystalDiskMark is a simple, free disk benchmark for Windows. Test sequential and random read/write on SSD, HDD, and NVMe drives.
What is CrystalDiskMark?
CrystalDiskMark is a free, lightweight disk benchmark utility for Windows. It measures the read and write speed of your storage devices—including SSDs, HDDs, NVMe drives, and even USB flash drives or network drives—by running standardized tests and displaying results in MB/s, GB/s, IOPS, or latency (μs).
First released in 2007 by Crystal Dew World (CrystalMark Inc.), it has become one of the most widely used tools for comparing drive performance, checking if an upgrade was worth it, or troubleshooting slow storage. The program uses Microsoft DiskSpd under the hood for reliable, repeatable results. You can choose the test size (from 16 MiB to 64 GiB), number of runs, and use presets such as Default or NVMe SSD to match your hardware.
No installation is required if you use the portable ZIP version: just extract and run. CrystalDiskMark is available in Standard, Shizuku, and Aoi editions—all share the same benchmark engine and differ only in the user interface and themes.
Benchmarks help you verify that a new SSD or NVMe is performing as advertised, compare before and after a Windows or driver update, and identify whether slow file copies or long load times are due to the drive or something else. Many tech sites and YouTube channels use CrystalDiskMark in their reviews, so you can compare your numbers with published results when using the same test size and profile.
What Can You Benchmark?
CrystalDiskMark works with almost any storage that Windows can see as a drive letter or path.
Internal SSDs & HDDs
SATA SSDs, SATA HDDs, M.2 NVMe, M.2 SATA. Select the drive letter (C:\, D:\, etc.) and run. Use NVMe SSD profile for M.2 NVMe drives.
USB Drives
USB flash drives, external USB HDDs/SSDs. Use a small test size (e.g. 64–256 MiB) so the test finishes in a reasonable time. Run without admin if the drive doesn’t appear.
Network Drives
Mapped network shares (e.g. Z:\). Run CrystalDiskMark without administrator rights so the network drive shows in the drive list. Results reflect network + server storage speed.
RAID & Other
Software RAID, storage spaces, or any volume Windows exposes as a disk. Benchmark the volume as a whole to see combined performance.
Why CrystalDiskMark?
Trusted by millions to check storage performance. Lightweight, no install required (ZIP), and highly accurate.
Accurate Benchmarks
Sequential and random read/write tests with configurable block size, queue depth, and threads. Powered by Microsoft DiskSpd.
Multiple Modes
Peak, Real World, and Demo profiles. Test sizes from 16 MiB to 64 GiB. Support for NVMe SSD presets and mix read/write.
Many Languages
Wide language support so you can use CrystalDiskMark in your preferred locale. Themes and zoom for comfortable use.
Free & Safe
Free for personal use. Optional installer or portable ZIP. Digitally signed. No adware when using the official download.
How to Run a Benchmark (Quick Start)
Get your first result in under a minute. For a full walkthrough, see our step-by-step guide.
1
Select drive
Choose the drive you want to test (e.g. C:\, D:\) from the dropdown. For network drives, run without administrator rights.
2
Pick test size
Default is 1 GiB. Use a smaller size (e.g. 64 MiB) for USB sticks or slow drives to avoid long waits.
3
Choose profile
Use Default for most cases. For NVMe SSDs, switch to the NVMe SSD profile for more relevant queue/thread settings.
4
Click All
Click the "All" button to run all tests. Results appear when each test finishes. Copy or save as image to share.
Understanding Benchmark Results
What do SEQ, RND, and the numbers mean? Here’s a short overview.
Sequential (SEQ)
Sequential read/write measures speed when data is read or written in large, contiguous blocks. This reflects performance when copying big files (e.g. videos, installers). Results are usually in MB/s or GB/s. High sequential speed is typical for NVMe and SATA SSDs; HDDs are much lower.
Random (RND) 4K
Random 4 KiB tests measure performance when reading or writing small blocks in random order. This is closer to everyday use: opening programs, loading games, and OS activity. Results can be shown in MB/s, IOPS (operations per second), or latency (μs). SSDs excel here; HDDs are slow at random 4K.
Q1T1, Q8T1, Q32T1, Q32T16 — what do they mean?
Queue depth (Q) and thread count (T) define how many commands are sent at once. Q1T1 = one command, one thread (simple case). Q8T1 = 8 commands in queue, 1 thread. Q32T16 = 32 commands, 16 threads (stresses the drive more, typical for NVMe). Higher queue/threads can yield higher MB/s and IOPS on SSDs and NVMe.
In CrystalDiskMark, "MB/s" means 1,000,000 bytes per second (decimal). For more details and FAQ, see our FAQ page.
What Do Good Numbers Look Like?
Rough expectations (Default 1 GiB). Actual results depend on drive model, SLC cache, and system.
SATA SSD
SEQ1M: often 500–560 MB/s read, 400–520 MB/s write. RND4K Q32T1: tens of thousands of IOPS. If you see far lower numbers, check SATA link speed, drivers, or background usage.
NVMe SSD (PCIe 3/4)
SEQ1M: from ~2 GB/s (PCIe 3) to 5–7+ GB/s (PCIe 4). Use the NVMe SSD profile. RND4K Q32T16 can reach hundreds of thousands of IOPS. Thermal throttling can lower sustained write after the cache fills.
HDD
SEQ1M: typically 100–200 MB/s for 7200 RPM drives; lower for 5400 RPM or 2.5". RND4K is low (under 1 MB/s or very low IOPS). That’s normal for HDDs; they’re not designed for random small I/O.
Who Uses CrystalDiskMark?
From home users to IT pros and hardware reviewers—here’s who benefits from disk benchmarks.
-
✓
Gamers and power users — Check if your SSD or NVMe is delivering the speed you expect after an upgrade or new build. Compare before/after when adding RAM or changing drivers.
-
✓
IT and system builders — Verify storage performance on new machines, test USB or network drives, and document baseline numbers for troubleshooting.
-
✓
Hardware reviewers and journalists — CrystalDiskMark is a standard tool in reviews for SSDs, laptops, and prebuilt PCs. Results are comparable across different sites when the same test size and profile are used.
-
✓
Anyone troubleshooting slow storage — If your PC or external drive feels slow, a quick benchmark can show whether the drive itself is underperforming or something else (e.g. CPU, driver, thermal throttling) is the bottleneck. See our troubleshooting guide for common fixes.
Test Types and Profiles
CrystalDiskMark offers several test profiles and configurable options so you can match the benchmark to your use case.
Default
Sequential 1 MiB (Q1T1, Q8T1) and Random 4 KiB (Q1T1, Q32T1). Good for a general overview of any drive.
NVMe SSD
Optimized for NVMe: Sequential 1 MiB / 128 KiB with higher queue depth, Random 4 KiB with Q32T16. Use this for M.2 NVMe drives to see their full potential.
Peak / Real World / Demo
Peak stresses the drive for maximum numbers; Real World is more representative of typical usage; Demo runs a shorter test. You can also add Mix (read+write) tests in the Standard edition.
Test size can be set from 16 MiB up to 64 GiB. Larger sizes take longer and may better show sustained write speed after the drive’s cache is full. For quick checks, 64 MiB or 256 MiB is often enough.
Common Questions
Quick answers; more in the FAQ and Troubleshooting pages.
Is CrystalDiskMark safe to use? ▼
Yes. Use a trusted source for the installer or ZIP; the official builds are digitally signed. The program only reads and writes test data on the drive you select; it does not modify system files unless you choose the system drive and run tests on it (which writes test files there).
Do I need to install it? ▼
No. The ZIP (portable) version does not require installation. Extract the folder and run the executable. The installer version adds Start Menu and optional desktop shortcuts and can be uninstalled via Windows Settings → Apps.
Why are my results lower than reviews? ▼
Results vary with test size, profile (Default vs NVMe SSD), background apps, drivers, and thermal throttling. Ensure you use the same test size and profile as the review (e.g. 1 GiB, NVMe SSD profile for NVMe). Close other programs and run a few times; take the typical value.
Can I benchmark the system drive (C:)? ▼
Yes. CrystalDiskMark can test C: or any drive. Testing the system drive will write temporary test files there; that’s normal. For more accurate “peak” numbers, some users prefer testing when fewer system processes are active (e.g. clean boot or after a restart).
What’s the difference between Standard, Shizuku, and Aoi? ▼
The benchmark engine and accuracy are the same. Only the user interface and themes differ: Standard has the classic look (Dark, Flower, DarkRed); Shizuku and Aoi offer character-themed UIs and different visual styles. Choose whichever you prefer.
Why People Choose CrystalDiskMark
Simple, trusted, and widely used for over 15 years.
-
1
No account, no signup — Download and run. No registration or login required.
-
2
Portable option — ZIP version runs from any folder; no install needed.
-
3
Industry standard — Tech reviewers and forums use it; easy to compare your numbers with others.
-
4
Backed by DiskSpd — Uses Microsoft’s DiskSpd for reliable, reproducible results.
-
5
Multiple editions — Standard, Shizuku, and Aoi; same engine, different look.
-
6
Wide Windows support — From Windows XP to 11, x86, x64, ARM64.
Tips and Best Practices
Close heavy applications — Browsers, games, and backup software can affect results. For consistent numbers, close unnecessary programs and avoid running other disk-heavy tasks during the benchmark.
Use the right profile — For NVMe SSDs, select the NVMe SSD profile so queue depth and threads are set appropriately. For USB or slow drives, use a small test size (e.g. 64 MiB or 128 MiB) so the test doesn’t take too long or time out.
Run as administrator when needed — If the benchmark fails with “access denied” or similar, try running CrystalDiskMark as administrator. Exception: for network drives, run without admin rights so the drive appears in the list.
Don’t over-benchmark SSDs — Benchmarking writes a lot of data and uses write cycles. Running it occasionally is fine; running it constantly can shorten SSD life. For USB flash drives, use small test sizes.
Save or copy results — Use the Copy button or save as image to keep a record or share with support when troubleshooting. Note the test size and profile used so you can repeat the test later.
Choose Your Edition
Same benchmark engine; different looks. Pick Standard for a classic UI, or Shizuku/Aoi for themed editions.
Shizuku Edition
Alternative character-themed UI with multiple Shizuku themes. Same benchmark accuracy as Standard.
Download →
Aoi Edition
Aoi-themed interface with light/dark variants. Perfect if you prefer this visual style.
Download →System Requirements
| OS | Windows XP / Vista / 7 / 8 / 8.1 / 10 / 11, Windows Server 2003 / 2008 / 2012 / 2016 / 2019 / 2022 / 2025 |
| Architecture | x86, x64, ARM64 |
Not supported: Windows 95/98/Me/NT4/2000. Installer and x64 build do not support Windows XP/2003 (NT5.x).
Ready to Benchmark?
Download the latest CrystalDiskMark 9.0.2 (Standard, Shizuku, or Aoi). Portable ZIP or installer available.
Download Now