FINAL FANTASY XIV: Dawntrail Official Benchmark

See just how well FINAL FANTASY XIV will run on your computer. This official benchmark software uses actual maps and playable characters to assign a score to your PC and rate its performance. A character creation tool is also included, allowing you to view a playable character as they will appear in-game.

  • Includes Female Hrothgar

    In conjunction with the newest expansion, a female option for the Hrothgar race is now included in the benchmark's character creator. Any characters that you create in the benchmark may be carried over to the full release of Dawntrail. See here for more information.
    ※ To create a Hrothgar character in the full release, you must have registered a product key for FINAL FANTASY XIV: Shadowbringers to your service account.

  • Graphical Update

    Dawntrail will feature the game's first graphical update. You can experience some of the upcoming visual enhancements in the benchmark. Learn more about the graphical update.

  • High Definition 4K Support

    In addition to the standard 1920x1080 / 1280x720 pixel display, the benchmark also supports a 4K (3840x2160) display. Enjoy every crisp detail of the gorgeous realm of Eorzea.

  • 5.1 Channel Surround Sound

    High-quality surround sound completes the experience, wrapping players in the stirring music and the atmospheric effects of FINAL FANTASY XIV.

  • Multilingual Support

    Features Japanese, English, German, and French.

Version 1.1 Updates (3 June 2024)

The following changes have been made:

  • The character models for each race have been fixed or adjusted.
  • Limb darkening, an effect which darkens all four corners of the screen, has been removed from the character creation tool.
  • The lighting has been adjusted for all environments available in the character creation tool.
  • An additional lighting option has been added to the default environment (Aetherial Background) in the character creation tool.
    This can be toggled via the clock icon in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. The "Lighting 1" option uses the current lighting which features a subtle blue tint, while "Lighting 2" removes the blue tint to better reflect the color of a character's skin and hair.
  • Ambient lighting has been adjusted in the character creation tool and benchmark cutscenes.
  • To improve graphical quality, the "Texture Filtering" option has been removed from the "Graphics Settings 4" tab in the Settings menu.

Warning:
- This software is not a trial version. Please be aware that you cannot play FINAL FANTASY XIV using this software.
- You must read and agree to the terms and conditions before downloading the software.

Downloading and Running the Software

  • Download the ZIP file.
    Click on the download link below, agree to the Software License Agreement, and download the file.
  • Uncompress the ZIP file.
    Uncompress the downloaded file and specify a destination to save the unzipped files.
  • Execute the EXE file.
    Execute the uncompressed file – ffxiv-dawntrail-bench.exe.
  • Select the language to display, read through the Software License Agreement, and use the software.

FINAL FANTASY XIV: Dawntrail Official Benchmark Software Overview

Operating System Windows® 10 64 bit, Windows® 11 64 bit

* This benchmark is not available on Mac OS.

System Requirements Graphics card and drivers compatible with DirectX® 11.
(DirectX® 9 is not supported. Drivers must be updated to the latest version.)
Minimum resolution of 1024x720.
File Name ffxiv-dawntrail-bench_v11.zip
File Size Approx. 3.97GB

If you receive a Microsoft .NET Framework update notice when attempting to launch the benchmark, your Microsoft .NET Framework may be out of date. Please follow the link below to download and install the latest version of the Microsoft .NET Framework.
Microsoft .NET Framework Web Installer

Using the Benchmark Software

Starting the Benchmark

Executing the ffxiv-dawntrail-bench.exe file will bring up a splash page, followed by the Software License Agreement window.

* If your PC does not fulfill the system requirements to run the benchmark, the program will close. A notification will prompt you to adjust screen resolution or other settings if necessary. Please review the aforementioned Official Benchmark Overview to determine whether your PC fulfills the system requirements.


Software License Agreement

  • You can change language settings at the upper-right corner of the window. The language selected will be used in the benchmark launcher window and the benchmark score display.
  • By default, the agreement window will appear every time you launch this software. Check this box and click the Agree button if you wish to skip this window and jump directly to the benchmark launcher the next time you use the software.
  • Read the Software License Agreement. If you agree to all the terms and conditions, click the Agree button.

Launcher

Once you accept the terms of the Software License Agreement, a launcher window for the benchmark will appear. Here you can adjust various settings for the cutscenes used to measure system performance.

  • Displays your most recent benchmark score along with a timestamp.
  • Click the banner to view the official FINAL FANTASY XIV site in your default browser.
  • Visit the product page.
  • Download the free trial version of FINAL FANTASY XIV.
  • Scores can be posted on the Lodestone or on social networking sites. You may use the provided text, or revise it to your liking. The cutscenes must play in their entirety and generate a score for this feature to be available.
  • Displays system specifications including your version of Windows, CPU, and GPU. Also displays the graphics and resolution settings to be used upon starting the benchmark.
  • The language setting can be changed for both the launcher window and the cutscene overlay. This setting is shared with the Software License Agreement window.
  • Characters created via the character creation tool can be selected to appear in benchmark cutscenes.
  • Check this box to see cutscenes play in a loop. The cutscenes will play back only once by default.

    * If set to repeat, the maximum framerate will be limited to 60FPS in order to reduce stress on your system. You can end playback at any time by clicking X or pressing the ESC key. Please note that you will not receive a score when looping playback.

  • Creates a report containing your score and system specifications. The report will be saved as a txt file in the same folder as the "ffxiv-dawntrail-bench.exe".
  • The Software License Agreement will be displayed once again. If you chose not to show the agreement on startup, you may review it again here.
  • Change the graphics settings at which you would like to benchmark your system.
    • Five graphics presets are available: Maximum, High (Desktop), High (Laptop), Standard (Desktop), and Standard (Laptop).
    • Selecting "Save as Preset" will allow you to save up to three custom graphics settings. You can also include a comment when saving preset settings, which will display as a description to the left of the dropdown menu.
    • Players who have already installed FINAL FANTASY XIV may choose to import their graphics settings. After selecting "Import My Settings," the "My Settings" option will appear in the preset dropdown menu.
    • Selecting "Default" will restore all default settings and delete all saved presets.
    • Four monitor resolutions are available: 1024x768, 1280x720, 1920x1080, and 3840×2160. Other resolution options may be available depending on your monitor.
    • High graphics and resolution settings will place more stress on your system.
    • Disable the logo and score display for a full, unobstructed view of the benchmark scenes. Please note that your computer performance will not be scored while this setting is enabled, and no results screen will be shown. This setting will also prevent scoring when enabled alongside the option to allow looped testing without a frame rate cap.
    • To use NVIDIA DLSS graphics upscaling requires a graphics card which supports the feature.
  • Start cutscene playback and measure your system's performance.

    * The cutscenes are approximately 6 minutes in length. Results will not be displayed if playback is stopped before completion.

  • Closes the benchmark software.
  • Visit the official NVIDIA site.

Viewing the Benchmark

During the cutscenes, you can view your score, the specifications of your system, and a frame rate performance graph.

  • Indicates fluctuations in frame rate. Higher graph lines indicate a higher frame rate.
  • Displays system specifications including your CPU and GPU.
  • Displays current benchmark score. Increases based on the performance of your system.

Results

When the cutscenes end, the launcher will reappear and display your benchmark results.

  • Your system will receive one of eight ratings depending on your score. Please refer to the table at the bottom of this page for further details.
  • Total loading time between all cutscenes.
  • Your system's overall score.

Automatic Screenshots

Each time the benchmark is run, a total of six screenshots will be taken automatically at predetermined times and saved in a screenshots folder found in the same location as the benchmark software.
If no score is being calculated, or the screenshots folder does not exist, then the automatic screenshot feature will be disabled. Screenshots will also not be taken if you select the option to allow looped testing without a frame rate cap.


Character Selection

This benchmark will not only gauge your computer's performance running FINAL FANTASY XIV, but also allow you to use the game's character creation tool. Appearance data can be saved for use when creating characters in the retail version. You may choose to have your character appear in place of the default Hyur male viper in the benchmark cutscenes.

* This benchmark and included character creation tool can be used without a Square Enix account or a connection to the game's servers.

* Data from the character creation tool will be saved to the following folder: My Games/FINAL FANTASY XIV - A Realm Reborn (Benchmark).

* To use a Viera or Hrothgar character in the full release, you must own a license for FINAL FANTASY XIV: Shadowbringers.
Character appearance data saved using this benchmark software can only be used on the PC on which the Windows version has been installed.

  • You may choose to have a character appear in place of the default Midlander viper in the benchmark cutscenes.
  • You can include a comment when saving character data in the benchmark.
  • Click to launch the character creation tool.
  • Select from 29 sets of gear for your character.

    * Gear cannot be changed when selecting the pre-made Midlander male.

  • Click to select the character you wish to use.
  • Click to return to the launcher without changing settings.

Character Creation

When launching the character creation tool, you may choose to create a new character or load existing character data. This data can also be loaded from the benchmarks for FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn and its expansions, as well as the beta and retail versions of the game.

Begin creating your character by selecting a race, gender, and clan. You will then be given the option to customize appearance. You may return to an earlier step of the creation process at any time. When your character is ready, a save prompt will appear. Select Yes if you wish to save appearance data, then specify a location. Data for up to 40 characters may be saved, and can be selected to be used during cutscene playback at the main character selection screen.


Graphical Update

Ahead of the release of FINAL FANTASY XIV: Dawntrail, the benchmark allows players to experience a portion of the upcoming visual enhancements featured in the game's first graphical update.

The key aims of the first graphical update and the subsequent planned incremental improvements are listed below:

  • 1. Enhancing screen-wide aesthetic appeal
  • 2. Enhancing texture and shadow resolution
  • 3. Improving material qualities
  • 4. Preserving the existing style

Enhancements to characters, backgrounds, and other visual elements can be seen during the benchmark cutscenes and while using the included character creation tool.

* The above images are taken from benchmark cutscenes.

* After the release of the benchmark, we will continue to make improvements to the game's visual fidelity in the lead up to the release of FINAL FANTASY XIV: Dawntrail.


The Benchmark Score and Data

Starting the benchmark will cause several cutscenes to play. Once the cutscenes have completed, a score will be displayed. The score represents how well FINAL FANTASY XIV is estimated to run on your PC. Please use the explanations of the scores outlined below for reference.

15000-Extremely High Performance Easily capable of running the game on the highest settings.
11000-14999Very High Performance Easily capable of running the game. Should perform exceptionally well, even at higher resolutions.
8000-10999High Performance Easily capable of running the game. Should perform well, even at higher resolutions.
6000-7999Fairly High Performance Capable of running the game on default settings. Consider switching to a higher resolution depending on performance.
4000-5999Standard Performance Capable of running the game on default settings.
2000-3999Slightly Low Performance – Changes to Settings Recommended Capable of running the game, but will experience slowdown. Adjusting settings may improve performance.
1000-1999Low Performance – Changes to Settings Required Capable of running the game, but will experience considerable slowdown. Adjusting settings is unlikely to improve performance.
Under 1000Insufficient Performance Does not meet specifications for running the game.

* Please note that the score does not guarantee that your system will run FINAL FANTASY XIV. Please use it for reference only.

* The minimum and recommended system requirements for FINAL FANTASY XIV: Dawntrail have been revised in conjunction with the forthcoming graphical update. As a result, scores may be up to 20% lower compared with the Endwalker benchmark based on identical system specifications.

* In some instances, when running the benchmark for the first time, internal GPU optimization processes can delay the start of the benchmark, negatively impacting your score. Running the benchmark again can provide a more accurate assessment of system performance.

The FINAL FANTASY XIV: Dawntrail benchmark cannot be run on 32-bit operating systems.

The FINAL FANTASY XIV: Dawntrail benchmark can only be run on a 64-bit Windows operating system.