Cross Platform Disk Test

The description of Cross Platform Disk Test

Site Editorial Commentary：◤Open-source ad-free tool measuring speeds of permanent storage/SD-Card and RAM

note: Only internal memory test is available on Android 11 and above due to system restrictions.

CPDT (Cross Platform Disk Test) is a comprehensive performance benchmarking application designed to meticulously measure the I/O speed of your device's permanent storage (including internal memory, NAND, NVMe, UFS, and SD card) and system memory (RAM).

What sets CPDT apart is its cross-platform compatibility. Windows, macOS, and Linux versions are also available, enabling you to run consistent tests across a wide range of devices and operating systems. Download them from the official website: https://maxim-saplin.github.io/cpdt_results/?download

The integrated in-app results database allows you to easily compare your phone’s performance against other Android smartphones (such as Samsung Galaxy Note series, Xiaomi Redmi series) and diverse hardware platforms including iPhones, Macs, Windows PCs, and Android TV Players. Discover how your device stacks up against the competition!

The benchmarking suite includes these five key tests:

◉ Permanent Storage Tests:
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╰┄◎ Sequential Write: Measures the speed of writing large, contiguous blocks of data.
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╰┄◎ Sequential Read: Measures the speed of reading large, contiguous blocks of data.
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╰┄◎ Random Write (4KB Block): Evaluates the performance of writing small, non-contiguous blocks of data.
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╰┄◎ Random Read (4KB Block): Evaluates the performance of reading small, non-contiguous blocks of data.

◉ RAM Test:
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╰┄◎ Memory Copy: Measures the speed of copying data within the system's RAM.

Test results are presented as throughput values, measured in MB/s (megabytes per second) for easy interpretation.

CPDT offers a range of customizable settings within the Options menu, allowing users to control key parameters such as:

◉ Test File Size:
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╰┄◎ 0.5GB ┄◎ 1GB ┄◎ 2GB ┄◎ 4GB ┄◎ 8GB ┄◎ 16GB: Choose the test file size to suit your needs and device capabilities.

◉ Write Buffering:
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╰┄◎ On ┄◎ Off: Enable or disable write buffering to influence write performance.

◉ In-Memory File Caching:
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╰┄◎ On ┄◎ Off: Control in-memory file caching to isolate storage performance.

For sequential tests, the app generates time-series graphs, providing a visual representation of performance over time. For random tests, histograms are generated. All test results can be exported to CSV format for in-depth analysis, with each row containing the block position in the test file and the measured throughput.

How does CPDT stand out from other benchmarking applications? While many popular benchmarks focus primarily on CPU and GPU performance (e.g., Geekbench, AnTuTu), CPDT zeroes in on storage and memory performance, often overlooked but crucial for overall user experience.

Furthermore, unlike many storage and memory benchmarks that offer limited configuration options, CPDT allows users to fine-tune settings like buffering and caching, which significantly impact test results. Other apps either lack these controls entirely (e.g., Androbnech) or require device rebooting to apply changes (e.g., A1 SD).

Caching, in particular, can heavily influence test results. When enabled, RAM speeds can skew results, making it difficult to accurately assess permanent storage performance. CPDT addresses this by allowing users to disable caching, ensuring a more accurate representation of storage performance in cold read scenarios (e.g., device boot or first-time application launch). Similarly, buffering, which uses RAM for temporary data storage before writing to storage, can be conTrolled in write tests.

By default, CPDT disables both caching and buffering, providing a consistent and reliable method for measuring and comparing permanent storage performance across different devices and operating systems.

Why is storage and memory performance so critical? It directly impacts the perceived responsiveness and fluidity of your device. UI freezes and stutters can often be attributed to bottlenecks at the storage level. Consider scenarios like loading a web page with numerous disk requests, scrolling through a gallery of thousands of images, or navigating an Instagram feed where previously loaded images are retrieved from disk.

Chromebook users can leverage CPDT by enabling Google Play. To grant access to SD cards or memory cards, the app requires "Storage permission" within the Chrome OS Google Play settings.

Please note: OTG (On-The-Go) support is NOT guaranteed. The compatibility of external card readers or USB flash drives may vary. While some devices like Samsung Galaxy S8 (Android 8) and Note 10 (Android 10) may function correctly, others such as Xiaomi Mi8SE (Android 9), Meizu 16th (Android 8.1), and LG Nexus 5x (Android 6) may not. This inconsistency stems from the lack of a unified Android OS model for handling externally connected storage devices. Some manufacturers, like Samsung, implement proper mounting and make devices accessible via the default API (Context.getExternalFilesDir()), while others require specific workarounds or manufacturer-specific APIs.

This project is open-source, and contributions are welcome! Visit the project page on GitHub: https://github.com/maxim-saplin/CrossPlatformDiskTest