What is a "Normalized (Combined) Geekbench Score"?
Because Geekbench 6 Metal GPU scores are in the hundreds of thousands, they can overwhelm CPU scores when combined (added up) with single-core and multi-core results. After analyzing the data with ChatGPT, we found that dividing the Metal score by 7.3 brings it into a comparable range/scale with CPU scores.
The Normalized Geekbench Score (NGS) combines all three metrics—single-core CPU, multi-core CPU, and adjusted GPU Metal score—into a single number, providing a balanced indicator of overall system performance.
NGS will be our v1.0 Composite Score.In the future, in v1.1+, we plan to incorporate Speedometer, Disk I/O performance as well as AI-related benchmarks to further enhance our scoring system.
Our next immediate steps include refining the site’s purpose and determining how each Mac model delivers the best performance-for-value ratio.
We’d love to hear from you if you’d like contribute to a future formula for calculating the best possible overall Mac performance metric.
What is our "Bang for Buck" score?
The “Bang for Buck” score is a helpful metric designed to measure the overall value of a Mac computer by balancing performance against its cost. To calculate this score, we first take the Geekbench performance benchmarks for Single-Core CPU, Multi-Core CPU, and GPU Metal tests, normalize the GPU Metal score – dividing it by 7.3, and sum these normalized values to generate a combined performance called the Normalized Combined Geekbench Score. This combined score is then divided by the device’s MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) or its current market price to determine how much performance you get for each dollar spent.
A higher Bang for Buck score indicates a better performance-to-price ratio, highlighting models that provide superior value. This scoring system helps users easily compare various Mac models, allowing them to identify devices that deliver optimal performance relative to their cost, whether looking at newer releases or considering value in the used market.
The Bang for Buck Grade is a curved A+ to C grading system to give you a general indication of the value of a machine. Less than a handful of machines get an A. That’s not necessarily a grade on the quality of the Mac itself.
For example, if you’re a high end video editor, you would get a lot of value of having a faster $7,000 M3 Ultra shave off hours of rendering times per month but that machine would get a C grade.