1. Check if your graphics card meets or exceeds the minimum requirement

1.1: The first step is to double-check that your graphics card meets or exceeds the minimum requirements:

• Knowledge Base: Which graphics card do you need?

2. Make sure that the latest updates are installed

2.1: The next step is to make sure that the latest graphics card driver and all available Windows updates are installed:

• Knowledge Base: How do you install the latest system software required to run Lumion?

3. Check that your PC is using the right graphics card

If you are using a laptop PC, it is possible that it has two graphics cards: a fast one and a slow one.

3.1: Please follow the instructions below to make sure that Lumion uses the fast graphics card. Laptop PCs should also be plugged in instead of using the battery in order to ensure that the best benchmark results are achieved:

• Knowledge Base: Why is your computer using an Intel HD graphics chip instead of the dedicated graphics card?

4. Check the cables when using two monitors

4.1: If your computer has two graphics cards (e.g. a fast one and a slow one) and it is connected to 2 monitors, you need to make sure that the Lumion window starts up on the monitor that is (physically) connected to the fast graphics card with a cable.

It will not switch to the fast graphics card if you start Lumion on the monitor that is connected to the slow graphics card. 

Please note that you can't just move the window over to that monitor - the Lumion window has to start up on it. Otherwise, Lumion will use the slower graphics card.

Alternatively, move both monitor cables to the fastest graphics card if it supports two monitors.

5. Make sure that 'G-SYNC' is turned off

5.1: If your computer has an NVIDIA graphics card that supports 'G-SYNC', please right-click on the Desktop, select 'NVIDIA Control Panel', click on 'Set up G-SYNC' and make sure that 'Enable G-SYNC' is turned Off:

6. Run other benchmark tests

6.1: As the Lumion Benchmark test is very quick and superficial, we recommend that you test your PC with much more accurate benchmark utilities to see if it is underperforming or not.

A couple of examples are PassMark Performance Test and 3DMark Basic Edition (scroll to the bottom of that page for Time Spy).  Once you've got those benchmark results, you can compare them to PCs with similar configurations.

7. What does the Benchmark test measure?

Lumion 8.0 and newer:

The Graphics Card Score provides a rough indication of how fast it will render movies. It is (mostly) unaffected by CPU activity in the background during the Benchmark test. However, if the CPU (Processor) activity is 100% while you run the Lumion Benchmark test, the Graphics Card Score may be up to 15% lower.

To be sure that the CPU activity isn't affecting your score(s), please follow these instructions:

• Knowledge Base article: Why is your CPU (processor) score low in the Lumion Benchmark test?

Lumion 7.5 and older:

The Graphics Card Score only provides a rough indication of the expected real-time performance, i.e. not how fast it will render movies. If there is a lot of CPU activity in the background during the Benchmark test, it will affect the Graphics Card Score (and the CPU Score) significantly. An example is if you try to run the Benchmark test when Windows hasn't finished booting yet. Also, anti-virus software might be scanning your harddrive in the background.

To be sure that the CPU activity isn't affecting your score(s), please follow these instructions:

• Knowledge Base article: Why is your CPU (processor) score low in the Lumion Benchmark test?

8. Check Nvidia Control Panel settings

For Nvidia users:

8.1: Right-click on your desktop and select Nvidia Control Panel. Navigate to 3D Settings -> Manage 3D Settings -> Global Settings tab.

8.2: Make sure the 'Max Frame Rate' and 'Vertical Sync' are Off and rerun the Benchmark test. If the test shows the same results, reset the 3D Settings to default by clicking 'Restore'. Then, disable 'Max Frame Rate' and 'Vertical Sync' again in the Global Settings.

8.3: Ensure that the same ('Max Frame Rate' and 'Vertical Sync') are Off in the Program Settings tab with Lumion selected from the drop-down list.

9. Ensure the PCIe cable connections are correct

For users with integrated graphics in their processor:

9.1: Certain processors benefit from integrated graphics that can carry a signal to the monitor. Intel processor that have the extensions 'X' or 'KF' (eg: i9-10900X or i5-9600KF) generally do not have integrated graphics. AMD marks their processors equipped with integrated graphics with the letter 'G'.

9.2: On occasion, when building a new machine, it can happen that the power supply cable(s) are not correctly connected to the graphics card.

9.3: When that happens, the motherboard may read the graphics card connected to the PCIe x16 or x8 slot and report it in the Benchmark but with a lower score. Make sure that the power cables are connected to the graphics card before running the Benchmark.