STREAM review
A focused, free benchmark for comparing memory bandwidth and vector-kernel performance.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
STREAM is a free, open-source synthetic benchmark for measuring sustainable memory bandwidth and vector-kernel computation rates. It is designed for people comparing computer-system memory performance, from solo users and small teams to enterprise technical groups. Results cover COPY, SCALE, ADD, and TRIAD kernels, with implementations in C and Fortran. Runs can target single processors, multiprocessor systems through OpenMP, or clusters through MPI.
Its strongest feature is the depth of its memory-focused workload model. STREAM reports bandwidth in MB/s alongside vector-kernel computation rates, while configurable problem size and array offset allow users to define test profiles for different systems. The published standard, tuned, experimental, MPI, and historical comparison tables provide structured reference points, and comma-delimited raw data files support further analysis or command-line automation. This makes STREAM more useful for repeatable technical comparisons than for general-purpose PC scoring.
The trade-off is narrow scope and a source-oriented workflow. The benchmark is self-hosted on Windows and Linux, with C and Fortran source implementations and support for compiling multiprocessor runs. Current use may require compiling the source rather than relying on older precompiled binaries. Choose STREAM when the question is how a system handles sustainable memory bandwidth or vector kernels, including OpenMP and MPI configurations. Choose a broader PC benchmark when you need wider coverage across components or workloads beyond memory performance.
STREAM pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Measures COPY, SCALE, ADD, and TRIAD kernel performance
- Supports C, Fortran, OpenMP, and MPI configurations
- Provides published comparison tables and raw benchmark data
- Where it doesn't
- Focused on memory performance rather than broad PC benchmarking
- Requires source compilation for current benchmark use
- Self-hosted setup puts configuration and execution on the user
STREAM fact sheet, pricing and score →
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