Volume Shader FAQs

Volume Shader is a free GPU test in your browser. A WebGL shader ray marches a 3D volume, a Mandelbulb, and the page shows live FPS. You use that number to see how well a phone, tablet, or computer keeps up with this graphics load. It does not score CPU, storage, or whether a phone is genuine. For the kernel and the name, read What is Volume Shader.

Open Run Volume Shader and tap Start. The scene draws in the tab. Watch the FPS counter. Tap stop, or close the tab, when you are done.

FPS moves with the device, the complexity level, the browser, and heat. As a working guide, 60 and up feels easy, 30 to 60 is usable, 15 to 30 is strained, and under 15 means this level is too heavy. Compare two devices only at the same level, after both have cooled. See what FPS means.

No. Low FPS often comes from heat, battery saver, leftover apps, an older GPU, or a heavy browser. Treat Volume Shader as one graphics reading, not proof of counterfeit hardware. Cool the device and retry. The walkthrough is how to test a GPU.

You run the test on this website. Older public demos showed up on GitHub Pages under names such as cznull. You do not need GitHub. Open volumeshader.com and tap Run test. For the name and history, read What is Volume Shader.

Volume Shader BM is a name people use for Mandelbulb GPU tests and for native Android and iOS apps. This website is Volume Shader. The apps are listed on Google Play and the App Store. BM is not a separate GPU architecture.

Yes. Free native apps are on Google Play and the App Store. This website is the browser test and does not need an install. App privacy is in those store listings.

The test loads the GPU. The device can get warm, use battery, and slow down. That is the load working. Stop if it feels too hot or the screen stops responding. The test does not install software or change system files. Close the tab to cut the load at once.

The GPU ray marches every frame. Heat is normal. Give the device air. Skip Extreme on a phone that just finished a game. Do not leave Extreme running while you walk away. A longer hold is GPU stress test.

Any current browser with WebGL 1.0 works: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, or Samsung Internet. Keep the browser updated. If the canvas fails, try another browser or check that WebGL is on.

Yes. Start on Standard. Extreme on a mid range Android can sit well under 30 FPS. That is the test doing its job, not a crash. A phone walkthrough is GPU stress test on a phone.

Furmark, 3DMark, and similar tools run natively and can push drivers, thermals, and power limits further. Volume Shader is a quick browser check with no install, and the same scene on phone and PC. Use it for a fast look. Use desktop software when you need a lab style score. See our browser vs desktop note.

The WebGL test runs on your device. FPS stays in the tab unless you screenshot or share it. Cloudflare may add Cloudflare Insights for page view totals. See the Privacy Policy.

There is no required time. Thirty seconds to a few minutes is enough to see FPS and whether it falls as the device warms. Use the timed 3D test if you want a fixed window. For a longer hold, see GPU stress test.

Besides Volume Shader you can run a 3D rendering test, a shader test, and a VRAM texture test. Each load stresses a different part of the GPU. Compare them on live GPU tests.

Each pixel shoots a ray into a 3D field. The shader steps along that ray until it finds a surface, then shades the pixel. That loop is heavy. Volume Shader uses it on a Mandelbulb, which is why FPS drops when you raise complexity. See What is Volume Shader.

A Mandelbulb is a 3D fractal. The Volume Shader kernel iterates a formula for every ray. More iterations mean more GPU work and usually lower FPS. Standard is the usual comparison point. See What is Volume Shader.

The tests on this site use WebGL 1.0 so older phones still run. WebGPU can go further on supported desktops, but it is not required here.