Looking for freely available benchmarking programs.

[Vesku]

I want to benchmark my current processor and then whichever FX cpu I settle on. Never bothered to see what my actual gains were from an upgrade versus the review sites.

 

[pm]

If you just want to check the CPU, then:
SuperPI - http://files.extremeoverclocking.com/file.php?f=36
It's short, fast, and sort of useless, but you get a quick result.

If you want to look at memory + CPU:
Linx - http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?201670-LinX-A-simple-Linpack-interface
x264bench HD - http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=520
Use the one built into Windows Vista and Windows 7: Right-click My Computer, and choose properties.

If you want to look at CPU + memory + videocard
3dMark2011 Performance - http://www.3dmark.com/3dmark11/download/
3DMark also breaks down performance so you can see a CPU score in there. Fun to watch too.

If you want to check overall performance:
PCMark 7 - http://www.pcmark.com/

Somone here on AT pointed me at hwbot.org for overclocking, and they have a great list of benchmarks beyond these that I just posted.

 

[sangyup81]

try Cinebench. it's popular, it's free, runs in a window and it takes a look at your GPU as well

http://www.maxon.net/downloads/cinebench.html

 

[BlueBlazer]

There's also the open source 7-Zip and wPrime.

 

[jhu]

Povray
Linpack

 

[BlueBlazer]

Povray
Linpack

POVray results can differ significantly on different (beta) revisions. Linpack is covered in LinX mentioned above.