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To benchmark Quake 4, use the supplied demo001.netdemo with playNetTimeDemo—not the ordinary playTimeDemo command. The network timedemo runs gameplay simulation as well as rendering, making it the more representative and repeatable test. It can help compare settings or legacy hardware, but it is not a measure of performance in modern games.
What the Quake 4 benchmark measures
Quake 4 has a demo-based benchmark rather than a contemporary benchmark screen. It replays a fixed gameplay recording and reports the frame rate produced by your system. Used consistently, it can help you compare graphics settings, check the effect of a driver or configuration change, or examine performance on older PCs and graphics cards.
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id Software’s benchmarking documentation recommends a net timedemo. Unlike a render-only demo, it exercises game code and physics alongside rendering, so it better reflects gameplay. The regular playTimeDemo path plays a render demo and should not be substituted for this test.
Quake 4 is a legacy OpenGL workload. Its results do not predict performance in current DirectX 12 or Vulkan games, modern shader-heavy engines, or ray-tracing workloads. Treat it as a way to study this older game and its hardware behavior—not as a modern GPU buying test.
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- Fight alongside other marines in both small squad missions along with large, epic battles
- Diversity of combat with indoor and outdoor environments along with mechanized walkers and hover tanks to pilot
- Battle through the early portion of the game as an elite marine, then after your capture as a “Stroggified” marine with enhanced abilities
- Utilize hi-tech weaponry with upgradeable modifications
- Arena-style multiplayer that allows players to play as Strogg or Marine in deathmatch, team deathmatch and capture-the-flag modes
Before you start
For most people, a current digital installation is the simplest starting point. Quake 4 is listed on Steam. Older retail installations may need patching; versions and executables can differ, so do not assume that an unpatched disc result is directly comparable with a current digital installation. A third-party archive lists a 1.3-to-1.4.2 patch and identifies the Steam version as 1.4.3; check that any patch matches your copy before installing it (Quake4.net downloads).
The expected demo001.netdemo is associated with version 1.2 and later. Launch the game once before testing so it creates its configuration files. Set your resolution and quality options, close unnecessary applications and overlays, and return the GPU and CPU to the clocks you intend to test. Avoid changing settings between comparison runs.
Record the game version and test conditions. At minimum, note your CPU, GPU, system RAM, operating system, graphics driver, resolution, quality settings, anti-aliasing, vertical sync, and SMP setting. If you are comparing two systems, keep the game version, demo, operating system where possible, settings, and test procedure as alike as you can.
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Set a consistent graphics profile
Choose a profile that answers your question. To compare maximum throughput, use the same resolution and quality settings on each system, turn vertical sync off, and make sure no frame-rate cap is active. For a practical playability check, you can instead use your usual settings—but label them clearly. A useful baseline is your monitor’s native resolution, a fixed in-game quality level, anti-aliasing off initially, and V-sync off for an uncapped run.
Do not compare results made with different resolutions, anti-aliasing, texture or lighting quality, shadow settings, V-sync, or frame caps as though they were a direct hardware comparison. A score without those details has little meaning.
Run the correct timedemo
Open Quake 4’s developer console. The console key can vary with keyboard layout and configuration, so use the key assigned in your edition rather than assuming one key works for everyone. Enter each command and run it:
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r_useSMP 1
net_clientLagOMeter 0
demo_enforceFS 1
playNetTimeDemo demo001.netdemoThe first pass with demo_enforceFS 1 forces the game to verify its file-system state and cache the assets needed by the demo. This matters especially if the installation has custom .pak files or other modifications: they can interfere with playback. Once that pass is complete, turn enforcement off and run the benchmark again:
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsdemo_enforceFS 0
playNetTimeDemo demo001.netdemoRepeat the second command for several completed runs. The id Software documentation recommends multiple net timedemo runs and recording the best result, which is useful for comparison with historical benchmarks. For a new test, also report the median of three or more completed runs: it is less dependent on a single unusually fast pass. Be clear about which figure you report.
Do not replace the command with playTimeDemo demo001.netdemo. The render-demo path bypasses normal game logic and is not the gameplay-representative benchmark id Software recommends.
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Should you enable SMP?
Quake 4 can use single- or multi-threaded rendering. On a multi-core or multi-CPU system, r_useSMP 1 may improve performance, but it is not guaranteed to help. Its effect depends on the system and driver behavior. The official documentation also warns that driver-level graphics multithreading can conflict with Quake 4’s own SMP behavior.
For a fair comparison, use the same r_useSMP value on every system, or publish separate results for each state. Never compare an SMP-enabled result with one made using SMP disabled. To check whether it helps your own system, run both states under otherwise identical conditions:
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r_useSMP 0
r_useSMP 1The lag-o-meter can hurt performance when SMP is enabled, so leave it off for the benchmark with net_clientLagOMeter 0. Restore it afterward if you want it during play:
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net_clientLagOMeter 1Read the result—and look beyond average FPS
Average FPS is the most useful headline number when reproducing older Quake 4 tests, but it does not describe every aspect of smoothness. It can hide brief stalls, asset-loading pauses, or uneven frame pacing. For a closer look, capture frame times and percentiles with an external tool. NVIDIA’s FrameView records frame rate and frame times and supports OpenGL, among other graphics APIs; compatibility should still be checked on your particular installation. CapFrameX is another option for capture and frame-time analysis.
Use GPU utilization as a clue, not a verdict. Near-full utilization often suggests the graphics card is the limiting factor. Low utilization alongside low FPS can point to a CPU or driver limit, synchronization, or an engine constraint. If performance sits exactly at the monitor’s refresh rate, check whether V-sync or a frame cap is still active. Quake 4 performance can also depend on CPU and memory speed; id Software recommends a fast CPU and memory when testing graphics cards to reduce those influences.
Troubleshooting
- The demo does not start: Check the command spelling and the
demo001.netdemofilename. Confirm that your game version includes the demo. If you have mods or extra.pakfiles, disable them temporarily and try the file-system enforcement pass again. For a Steam installation, verify the game files; for retail, confirm that the installed patch matches your edition. - Runs vary widely: Discard a first pass if it appears affected by initial asset loading, then compare completed repeats. Check for downloads, background scans, overlays, recording software, thermal throttling, laptop quiet or battery modes, and changes to power settings. Confirm that resolution, V-sync, SMP, and lag-meter settings stayed the same.
- FPS is unexpectedly low: Check that the game is using the intended GPU rather than integrated graphics, and verify resolution, anti-aliasing, V-sync, frame caps, and GPU power state. A compatibility layer or graphics wrapper, or an unusual legacy OpenGL driver profile, can also affect results.
- FPS is unusually high: Make sure the demo completed and you are not measuring a menu or paused scene. Confirm you used
playNetTimeDemoand that an overlay did not produce a misleading reading. A high number on modern hardware may simply mean the GPU is no longer the bottleneck in this old workload.
Results template
Include enough detail for another reader to reproduce your result. If you capture frame-time data externally, identify the tool and include the capture method; the game’s average-FPS result alone is not a 1% low.
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| Setting or result | Value |
|---|---|
| Quake 4 version | |
| CPU / GPU / VRAM | |
| System RAM | |
| Operating system / graphics driver | |
| Resolution / quality settings | |
| Anti-aliasing / V-sync | |
r_useSMP |
|
| Run policy (best, median, or both) | |
| Average FPS | |
| External frame-time or 1% low result, if captured | |
| Notes (mods, caps, overlays, or other conditions) |
What to make of Quake 4’s system requirements
The Steam listing and Bethesda support page give XP-era minimum requirements, including 512 MB of RAM and a 64 MB DirectX 9.0c-compatible graphics card (Steam; Bethesda support). Those are historical specifications, not useful guidance for a modern gaming PC. The Steam client itself requires Windows 10 or later as of January 1, 2024; that does not establish that every Quake 4 setup works on every modern Windows configuration. Check compatibility on the specific system rather than assuming universal support.
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