Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsThe official FINAL FANTASY XIV: Dawntrail benchmark is a free Windows utility that estimates game performance on your PC and lets you create characters to preview in its cutscenes. It is not a playable trial, and its score is an estimate—not a guarantee. This guide explains how to run it, interpret the result, save character data, and judge appearances using the available lighting options.
What the Dawntrail benchmark does
Square Enix’s official Dawntrail benchmark page describes the tool as a way to see how well FINAL FANTASY XIV may run on your computer. It plays benchmark scenes using game maps and characters, then reports a score and system specifications. It also includes a character creator, and a character you create can appear in the benchmark cutscenes.
The benchmark does not let you play FINAL FANTASY XIV. Its performance result applies to the selected graphics settings and resolution; it is useful as an estimate, not a promise that the retail game will run identically in every situation.
Windows requirements and download
The current official page lists support for Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit) and DirectX 11-compatible graphics hardware and drivers. The minimum resolution is 1024×720, and Square Enix says the benchmark is unavailable on Mac. The listed download is ffxiv-dawntrail-bench_v11.zip, approximately 3.97 GB; check the official page for the current file before downloading.
#1 Best Overall
How to run the benchmark
- Download the ZIP from the official benchmark page and extract its contents.
- Open the extracted folder and launch
ffxiv-dawntrail-bench.exe. - Choose a graphics preset and resolution. Record both if you plan to compare or share your result.
- Allow the benchmark cutscenes to finish. Playback takes about six minutes, and stopping it early prevents the score from being produced.
- Review the score and, if useful, generate the report containing the score and system specifications.
How to interpret the score
Square Enix publishes these score bands on its official instructions page:
| Score | Official result label |
|---|---|
| 15,000 or higher | Extremely High Performance |
| 11,000–14,999 | Very High Performance |
| 8,000–10,999 | High Performance |
| 6,000–7,999 | Fairly High Performance |
| 4,000–5,999 | Standard Performance |
| 2,000–3,999 | Slightly Low Performance |
| 1,000–1,999 | Low Performance |
| Below 1,000 | Insufficient Performance |
These labels describe the benchmark score under the settings you selected; they are not independently measured guarantees of retail-game performance. Square Enix notes that GPU optimization during a first run can negatively affect the result. If the first score seems unusually low, the official instructions suggest running the benchmark again for a more accurate assessment.
Rank #2
![Final Fantasy XIV Online: 60 Day Time Card [Online Game Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51bYMOf2hEL._SL160_.jpg)
- Adventure awaits you beyond the horizon in FINAL FANTASY XIV.
- This product is a digital 60-Day Game Time Card for FINAL FANTASY XIV Online. It serves as a payment option that allows players to add 60 days of game time to their FFXIV account at the Standard subscription rate, subject to account limits. Both the game and game time are required to play.
- This product can be redeemed on service accounts registered with the Windows, Mac, PlayStation, or Steam versions of FINAL FANTASY XIV Online. However, it cannot be redeemed on service accounts that have only the XBOX or Nintendo Switch 2 versions registered.
Scores are only meaningfully comparable when the settings are known. When posting a result, include the graphics preset and resolution, and consider sharing the benchmark report’s system specifications. A score without those details can give readers little basis for comparison.
Creating and saving a character
The character creator lets you choose a race, gender, and clan, then customize appearance. The official overview says the Windows benchmark can save data for up to 40 characters. Saved appearance data can be used when creating a character in the retail version of FINAL FANTASY XIV, but the files are usable only on the PC where the benchmark was installed.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallCrashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteBecause the created character can also appear in the benchmark scenes, the tool serves as both a performance preview and a way to see a character in motion. When sharing a character preview, mention which lighting option you used so others understand the conditions in which it was viewed.
Why character appearances drew criticism—and what changed
The first Dawntrail benchmark creator prompted complaints that some characters looked different from how players expected. In a statement about the creator, producer and director Naoki Yoshida explained that its environment had been built more than ten years earlier. Backlighting and special weather conditions could make eyes look lifeless, flatten facial contours, or make skin and hair appear too glossy or not glossy enough. He acknowledged the environment should have been updated and said the benchmark would be replaced after reconstruction.
Yoshida wrote: “The character creation environment should have been updated, but was overlooked as we prioritized the development of Dawntrail and tuning the graphical update in the actual game, for which I would like to apologize.”
The current official benchmark page documents adjustments to character models, removal of limb darkening, and revised lighting across character-creation environments. It also lists an additional Aetherial Background lighting option. For that option, “Lighting 1” retains a subtle blue tint, while “Lighting 2” removes the tint to better reflect skin and hair color. These documented controls are the relevant present-day guidance; the original criticism describes the earlier creator and should not be treated as a description of every current lighting option.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Best Value
- Release date is tentative, updates will be posted on the page
Sharing benchmark results and characters
This megathread is a place to share both performance results and character creations. For a useful benchmark post, include:
- Your score and the official performance label.
- The selected resolution and graphics preset.
- Your system specifications, preferably from the benchmark report.
- Whether the result came from a repeat run if the first run appeared unusually low.
For a character post, include the race, gender, clan, and lighting option used for the preview. That makes it easier to distinguish a character’s design from the benchmark environment and compare appearances on consistent terms.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
