CPU vs Volume Shader
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
CPU
This app provides detailed insights into your device's hardware and real-time diagnostics. It also offers tools to optimize storage by compressing media and cleaning contacts, along with a comprehensive suite for testing device sensors and network functions.
- Comprehensive device hardware insights
- Real-time diagnostics and sensor testing
- Video and image compression
- Duplicate contact cleanup
- Junk mail and spam message filtering
- Network diagnostics tools
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CPU-X is an all-in-one device information, hardware monitoring, and system diagnostic tool for iPhone and iPad. It provides real-time insights into device performance, temperature, hardware status, and network conditions with a clean and efficient interface. All data is processed locally on your device. No data is collected or uploaded. 1. Comprehensive Device Information: Device model and system information, CPU architecture and performance details, GPU information, memory (RAM) usage, storage usage and available space, battery health and charging status, device temperature monitoring (CPU and battery temperature), network configuration and connectivity status, sensor availability and access status. 2. Real-Time System Monitoring: CPU usage monitoring, memory usage tracking, storage analysis, network speed and latency testing, system status overview. 3. Device Temperature Monitoring: CPU temperature monitoring, battery temperature monitoring, charging temperature tracking, thermal load and performance impact analysis. 4. Widgets and Quick Access: Home screen widgets, real-time device status widgets, battery CPU and storage shortcuts, quick system overview panel. 5. Display and Refresh Rate Tools: High refresh rate detection (60Hz, 120Hz, ProMotion), screen refresh rate testing, display performance analysis, picture in picture support for floating monitoring view. 6. Advanced Device Diagnostic Tools: Sensor testing including accelerometer gyroscope magnetometer barometer altimeter device motion and pedometer, connectivity testing including GPS compass Bluetooth NFC iBeacon, audio and haptics testing including microphone speaker vibration and haptic feedback, display and touch testing including brightness multi-touch and screen color test, camera testing including camera and flash test, network tools including ping traceroute DNS lookup speed test and network scanner. 7. Privacy Protection: CPU-X does not collect store or transmit any personal data or non-personal data. All information remains fully local on your device and under your control. Contact: For feedback or support contact miaozhi.ai@gmail.com
Volume Shader
Explore complex 3D fractal visualizations rendered natively on your iPhone or iPad. Test your device's GPU performance and check system states like thermal and battery.
- Native Metal GPU rendering
- Mandelbulb ray marching
- Device performance testing
- System state monitoring
- Interactive 3D exploration
- Touch, haptic, and speaker checks
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Volume Shader is the viral Volume Shader BM GPU test, built natively for iPhone and iPad. The Mandelbulb ray march runs in Metal on your iPhone or iPad. WHAT YOU CAN DO • Run Volume Shader BM at Simple, Standard, Advanced, or Extreme • Use Standard + 30 seconds when you want a score you can compare • Drag to rotate, pinch to zoom, and pan. Explore does not save a score. • Time CPU and memory on the same device • See GPU, memory, display, storage, and thermal state • Walk a display, touch, haptics, speaker, and battery checkup HEAT AND BATTERY This is a real GPU workload. The device can get warm and the battery will drain faster while a test is running. Extreme asks for confirmation. The app stops itself if iOS reports a critical thermal state. ADS Volume Shader is free and shows labeled native ads on Test, Device, and Checkup. Ads sit below the main content on those screens. They do not overlay the GPU test or fullscreen checkup steps. You can report an ad from the AdChoices icon on the ad. PRIVACY No account. Tests, history, and checkup marks stay on this device. Nothing is uploaded. If you tap Share, iOS’s share sheet sends only what you chose to the app you pick. Ads use the ads SDK described in the privacy policy. Support: https://volumeshaderbm.com Privacy: https://volumeshaderbm.com/privacy-policy/
Screenshots
Verdict
CPU and Volume Shader both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 100% of Volume Shader's written reviews are positive against 61% of CPU's. Volume Shader also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 5 days vs fortnightly). CPU's advantage is ratings volume (111 vs 3) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.0). On price, rating, ads and monetization model 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 sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Volume Shader asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for CPU against 4.7 for Volume Shader. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: CPU has 111 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 61% of CPU's written reviews are positive against 100% of Volume Shader's.
CPU ships an update fortnightly, Volume Shader every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | CPU | Volume Shader |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (111 ratings) | 4.7 (3 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 61.1% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 111 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 — better | 18.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 170 MB | 10 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | CHENGDU MIAOZHI TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD. | Shahid Ali |
Customer experience
CPU
Volume Shader
In-app purchases
CPU
- Lifetime Premium$5.99
Volume Shader
No in-app purchases
