CoreRipperX

A CPU stress-testing tool for evaluating core performance and stability using AVX2/AVX-512 operations.

Overview

CoreRipperX evaluates CPU stability and performance by placing heavy computational loads on individual cores or all cores simultaneously. It uses SIMD vector instructions (AVX2 and AVX-512) to stress-test the floating-point and integer execution units, helping identify unstable cores or overclocking issues.

Version 2.0 introduces a WPF desktop application with real-time hardware monitoring.

Features

• Multiple Stress Test Algorithms: Choose from AVX2 or AVX-512 workloads with varying intensity levels
• Single-Thread (1T) and Multi-Thread (nT) Modes: Test cores individually or all at once
• Real-Time Hardware Monitoring: View CPU temperatures, power consumption, clock speeds, and per-core metrics
• Error Detection: Validates computation results to detect CPU instability
• Hybrid CPU Support: Correctly handles Intel/AMD processors with different core types

Requirements

• Operating System: Windows (WPF UI requires Windows)
• CPU: Processor with AVX2 support (AVX-512 optional for additional algorithms)
• Runtime: .NET 8
• Privileges: Administrator rights required for hardware monitoring

Installation

1. Download the latest release from the CoreRipperX GitHub releases
2. Extract the archive to your desired location
3. Run CoreRipperX.UI.exe

Stress Test Algorithms

CoreRipperX provides stress test algorithms in both single-thread (1T) and multi-thread (nT) variants:

Light Load (Mixed)

Algorithm	Description
AVX2 Mixed 1T/nT	Cycles through multiple workload phases: FMA compute, memory+compute, mixed integer/float operations, and shuffle/permute. Exercises different CPU execution units for comprehensive testing with lower sustained power.
AVX512 Mixed 1T/nT	Same multi-phase approach using 512-bit vectors. Broader coverage of CPU subsystems. Requires AVX-512 capable CPU.

Medium Load (FP64)

Algorithm	Description
AVX2 FP64 1T/nT	Double-precision (64-bit) floating-point FMA operations using 256-bit vectors. 8 independent computation chains to saturate FMA units. Moderate power consumption.
AVX512 FP64 1T/nT	Double-precision FMA using 512-bit vectors. 12 independent chains for maximum FP64 throughput. Requires AVX-512 capable CPU.

Heavy Load (Compute)

Algorithm	Description
AVX2 Compute 1T/nT	Single-precision (32-bit) FMA-intensive workload using 256-bit vectors. 16 independent computation chains maximize FMA unit utilization. High power consumption.
AVX512 Compute 1T/nT	Single-precision FMA using 512-bit vectors. 24 independent chains for extreme compute density. Maximum power draw. Requires AVX-512 capable CPU.

Thread Modes

• 1T (Single-Thread): Tests each core sequentially for the configured duration before moving to the next core. Useful for identifying specific unstable cores.
• nT (Multi-Thread): Stresses all cores simultaneously. Best for testing overall system stability under full load.

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User Guide

System Monitor Tab

The System Monitor tab displays real-time CPU information:

Header Section

• CPU: Processor model name
• Physical Cores: Number of physical CPU cores
• Logical Cores: Total thread count (including SMT/Hyper-Threading)
• Power: Current CPU package power consumption in watts
• Temp: Current CPU temperature

Per-Core Table

• Core: Physical core identifier
• Clock (MHz): Current core clock speed
• Eff. 1T (MHz): Effective clock under single-thread load
• Eff. 2T (MHz): Effective clock under dual-thread load (SMT)
• Deviation %: Performance deviation from expected (highlighted in red when high - may indicate instability)
• Load 1T/2T %: Current load percentage per hardware thread

Error Counter: Displays the number of computation errors detected during stress testing. Any non-zero value indicates potential CPU instability.

Settings Tab

Configure stress test parameters before starting:

Monitoring Settings

• Polling Rate (ms): How frequently to update sensor readings (default: 1000ms)
• Critical Deviation (%): Threshold for flagging core performance deviation
• Critical Temperature (°C): Temperature threshold for warnings

Stress Test Settings

• Runtime per Cycle (s): Duration to stress each core in 1T mode, or total test duration in nT mode
• Algorithm: Select the stress test workload (see Stress Test Algorithms above)

Controls

• START: Begin the stress test with current settings
• STOP: Cancel the running stress test

Running a Stress Test

1. Open the Settings tab
2. Select an algorithm appropriate for your testing goals:
   • Use Mixed algorithms for varied workloads that exercise different CPU subsystems
   • Use FP64 algorithms for moderate stress with lower temperatures
   • Use Compute algorithms for maximum stress and power draw
   • Use 1T variants to identify specific problematic cores
   • Use nT variants for full-system stability testing
3. Set the Runtime per Cycle (10-60 seconds recommended for 1T mode)
4. Click START to begin testing
5. Switch to System Monitor to observe temperatures, clocks, and error counts
6. Click STOP to end the test early if needed

Interpreting Results

• Errors > 0: Computation validation failed, indicating CPU instability. Consider lowering overclock settings or increasing voltage.
• High Deviation %: Core performance is inconsistent, which may indicate thermal throttling or instability.
• Temperature warnings: If temperatures approach critical levels, the CPU may throttle or become unstable.

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Notes

• Save all work before running stress tests, as system instability may cause crashes
• Monitor temperatures closely, especially with Compute/nT algorithms
• AVX-512 algorithms are only available on supported CPUs (Intel Ice Lake+, AMD Zen 4+)
• Hardware monitoring requires administrator privileges for full sensor access

License

CoreRipperX is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.

Contact

For issues, questions, or suggestions, please open an issue on the GitHub repository.