CPU Runner vs Basemark GPU
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
CPU Runner
This app provides comprehensive system monitoring for your device. It offers detailed hardware data, CPU and GPU information, memory usage, network traffic, disk space, battery status, and even a decibel meter. A Today Widget allows for real-time monitoring of key metrics.
- Detailed hardware data
- In-depth CPU and GPU information
- Memory and network traffic monitoring
- Disk space analysis
- Battery health and status
- Real-time decibel meter
- Today Widget for quick monitoring
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CPU Runner is a real-time diagnostics tool for iPhone and iPad. Built for developers debugging app performance, IT support diagnosing devices, and curious users who want to know what's actually happening on their hardware. No tracking. No fake numbers. Only public iOS APIs. FIVE LIVE MODULES CPU - Per-core load via host_processor_info - Overall load with thermal-state badge (Nominal / Fair / Serious / Critical) - Single-core and multi-core benchmarks with progress tracking - 24-hour history Device - Chip identifier, iOS version, kernel build - Memory breakdown: active / inactive / free / wired / compressed - Memory pressure indicator - Storage, resolution, ProMotion refresh rate, color gamut, boot time - Shareable summary card GPU - Metal device family and capabilities - Raytracing, function pointers, dynamic libraries support - Argument buffer tier, R/W texture tier, max threadgroup memory - FMA throughput benchmark in GFLOPS Network - Live download and upload throughput (app-attributed, honestly labeled) - Cellular radio: 5G, LTE - NWPath flags: expensive, constrained, IPv4/IPv6 - Local IPv4 address - Latency to a configurable host - 24-hour history with CSV export Battery - Charge level, state, Low Power Mode - 24-hour battery curve - Deep link to Settings for battery health 11 HARDWARE TESTS For technicians and curious users: - Display: solid colors, gradients, grids, SMPTE color bars - Multi-Touch: up to 11 simultaneous touches with force readout - Touch Coverage: paint the screen to find dead zones - Haptics: all 8 feedback types - Speaker Tone: sine waves with L/R channel routing - Microphone: live input meter - Motion Sensors: accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, attitude - Barometer: altitude and atmospheric pressure - Proximity Sensor - Camera: front/back preview with torch - GPS / Compass: coordinates, altitude, heading, accuracy HOME SCREEN WIDGETS - CPU Load (small and medium) with per-core bars - Memory Pressure with category breakdown - Device Info: chip, RAM, free storage, uptime HONEST DESIGN CPU Runner does NOT: - Pretend to "clean RAM" or "boost CPU" - iOS does not expose those APIs, and apps that claim to are misleading users - Read battery health or cycle count - these are gated behind private APIs - Measure system-wide network throughput - only app-attributed traffic is available - Track you. Nothing leaves your device. All measurements come from documented public Mach, Metal, Network, and UIKit APIs. OPTIMIZED FOR IPAD Multi-column NavigationSplitView, sidebar navigation, gorgeous in landscape. REQUIREMENTS iOS 17 or later. Some metrics (per-core CPU, hardware sensors) require a real device - simulators return synthetic values.
Basemark GPU
This app provides a multi-platform 3D graphics benchmark for comparing the performance of smartphones, tablets, notebooks, and PCs. It offers a game-like workload and allows users to submit scores to a web service for global comparison.
- Multi-platform 3D graphics benchmark
- Compares smartphones, tablets, notebooks, and PCs
- AAA quality game-like workload
- Global performance comparison via web service
- Accurate frame rendering for reliable results
- Experience Mode for full graphics viewing
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Basemark® GPU is a multi-platform, multi-API 3D-graphics benchmark. It enables a comparison of the graphics performance of different smartphones and tablets. You can even compare the performance to Notebooks or PCs. The desktop version runs an AAA quality game-like workload by default, but also offers a test identical to the mobile version in this app. Basemark GPU also allows the user to compare their device to others around the world. For that, this free version of the benchmark always submits test scores to the Basemark Power Board web service. If you need a Basemark GPU license for a commercial usage please contact us. To circumvent VSync limitations on mobile devices, we render each benchmark frame off-screen and display only a miniature image of each frame on the screen. This way we can make sure that no frame is dropped, and the results are accurate. If you want to see the graphics in full glory, please choose Experience Mode.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: CPU Runner at 4.5 against Basemark GPU's 3.6. CPU Runner also leads on review sentiment (88% vs 50%) and ratings volume (83 vs 7). Basemark GPU's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (14.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. CPU Runner sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Basemark GPU asks for nothing beyond the download.
CPU Runner holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 3.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CPU Runner has 83 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of CPU Runner's written reviews are positive against 50% of Basemark GPU's.
CPU Runner ships an update every 2 months, Basemark GPU every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and June 5, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | CPU Runner | Basemark GPU |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (83 ratings) — better | 3.6 (7 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 88.0% of reviews — better | 50.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 83 — better | 7 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months — better | Every 3 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 14.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 3 MB | 644 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 传胜 贾 | Basemark |
Customer experience
CPU Runner
Basemark GPU
In-app purchases
CPU Runner
- Remove Ads.$0.99
Basemark GPU
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is CPU Runner free?
Is Basemark GPU free?
Which has better reviews, CPU Runner or Basemark GPU?
Do CPU Runner or Basemark GPU have ads?
Which is updated more often, CPU Runner or Basemark GPU?
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