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Category: Future of performance evaluation

WebXPRT 5: The workload lineup

Justin Greene
By Justin Greene
on December 8, 2025

The WebXPRT 5 development process heading into the final stretch, so we’d like to share more information about the workloads you’re likely to see in the WebXPRT 5 Preview release—and when that release may be available. We’re still actively testing candidate builds, studying results from multiple system tests, and so on, so some details could change. That said, we’re now close enough to provide a clearer picture of the workload lineup.

Core workloads

WebXPRT 5 will likely include the following seven workloads:  

  • Video Background Blur with AI. Blurs the background of a video call using an AI-powered Segmentation model.
  • Photo Effects. Applies a filter to six photos using the Canvas API.
  • Detect Faces with AI. Detects faces and organizes photos in an album using computer vision (OpenCV.js with Caffe Model).
  • Image Classification with AI. Labels images in an album using machine learning (OpenCV.js and ML Classify with the SqueezeNet model).
  • Document Scan with AI. Scans a document image and converts it to text using ML-based OCR (Wasm with LSTM).
  • School Science Project. Processes a DNA sequencing task using Regex and String manipulation.
  • Homework Spellcheck. Spellchecks a document using Typo.js and Web Workers.

The sub-scores for each of these tests will contribute to WebXPRT 5’s main overall score. (We’ll discuss scoring in future blogs.)

Experimental workloads

We’re currently planning to include an experimental workload section, something we’ve long discussed, in WebXPRT 5. Workloads in this section will use cutting-edge browser technologies that may not be compatible with the same broad range of platforms and devices as the technologies in WebXPRT 5’s core workloads. For that reason, we will not include the scores from the experimental section—in the Preview build and future releases—in WebXPRT 5’s main overall score.

In addition, WebXPRT 5’s experimental workloads will be completely optional.

Moving forward, WebXPRT’s experimental workload section will provide users with a straightforward way to learn how well certain browsers or systems handle new browser-based technologies (e.g., new web apps or AI capabilities). We’ll benefit from the ability to offer workloads for large-scale testing and user feedback before committing to including them as core WebXPRT workloads. Because future experimental workloads will run independently of the main test, we can add them without affecting the main WebXPRT score or requiring users to repeat testing to obtain comparable scores. We think it will be a win-win scenario in many respects.  

We’re still evaluating whether we can finish the first experimental workload in time to include it in the WebXPRT 5 Preview release, but we will definitely have at least the section and the framework for adding such a workload. When we are confident that an experimental workload is ready to go, we’ll share more information here in the blog and be all set up to incorporate it.

Timeline

If all goes well, we hope to publish the WebXPRT 5 Preview very soon, followed by a general release in early 2026. If that timeline changes significantly, we’ll provide an update here in the blog as soon as possible.

What about an “AI score”?

We’re still discussing the concept of a stand-alone WebXPRT 5 “AI score,” and we go back and forth on it. That score would combine WebXPRT’s AI-related subscores into a single score for use in AI capability comparisons. Because we’re just now beefing up WebXPRT’s AI capabilities, we’ve definitely decided not to include an AI score right now. We would love your feedback on the concept as we plan WebXPRT’s future. If that’s something that you would be interested in, please let us know!

If you have any questions about the WebXPRT 5 details we’ve shared above, please feel free to ask!

Justin

Posted in AI, benchmark, BenchmarkXPRT, BenchmarkXPRT development community, browser performance, Browser-based benchmarks, Caffe, Collaborative benchmark development, Cross-platform benchmarks, Future of performance evaluation, image classification, image processing, JavaScript, LAMP, on-device AI, Performance benchmarking, Performance of computing devices, SqueezeNet, Wasm, Web AI, web API, Web-based testing, WebXPRT, WebXPRT 4, WebXPRT 5 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

WebXPRT 5: Starting to assemble the pieces

Justin Greene
By Justin Greene
on November 6, 2025

In our last blog post, we shared the exciting news that we’re currently working on WebXPRT 5. In that post, we described some of the ways that WebXPRT may evolve with the release of WebXPRT 5. In today’s post, we’ll revisit some of the points of emphasis from the last post and focus on potential workload changes in a bit more detail.

With any benchmark development project, there are always technical challenges you need to iron out. That is especially true with a cross-platform, browser-based benchmark like WebXPRT. Because we’re in the middle of exploring the technical feasibility of a few of the options we’ll mention, we’re not yet ready to say for certain that all these features will be available in the initial WebXPRT 5 release. We can, however, now paint a clearer picture of the overall direction we’re headed.

In the section below, you’ll find updated info on where we stand with respect to some of the key development focal points we discussed in our last post. If there’s an item from that post or previous posts that we didn’t mention below—such as updating the test harness—it doesn’t mean that we’re dropping that goal. We’re just focusing on workloads today.

One of our key goals with WebXPRT 5 is providing more AI-related workloads. In past blog posts, we’ve discussed the growing importance of local, browser-side AI. With WebXPRT 5, we’re investigating two ways that we can expand WebXPRT’s AI portfolio: 1) updating existing WebXPRT 4 AI-oriented workloads, and 2) adding all-new AI workloads.

Here are some possible ways those AI-related changes may play out in both categories:

Updating existing WebXPRT 4 AI-oriented workloads

  • Splitting the existing Organize Album using AI workload’s timed tasks—face detection and image classification—into two independent workloads.
  • Updating the face detection and image classification tasks with the latest versions of the OpenCV.js computer vision and machine learning libraries.
  • Updating the Caffe deep learning framework for the face detection task.
  • Updating the ONNX-based SqueezeNet machine learning model for the image classification tasks.
  • Updating the version of the Tesseract.js OCR engine that WebXPRT uses in the Encrypt Notes and OCR Scan workload. 

Potentially adding all-new AI workloads (either core or experimental workloads)

  • We’re exploring the idea of including a workload that uses an AI-powered segmentation model to blur the background of a video call.
  • We’re exploring the feasibility of including a local LLM chat workload.
  • We would eventually like to include a WebGPU-based web AI framework for a computer vision workload.

In addition to the goal of adding more AI, we previously discussed the possibility of adding non-AI WebGPU workloads. As a web API, WebGPU enables web-based applications—such as image-based GenAI and inference workloads—to directly access the graphics rendering and computational capabilities of a system’s GPU. In the future, WebXPRT 5 could use that technology to execute complex 3D rendering workloads.

We hope today’s post gives you a better sense of where WebXPRT 5 may be headed. We want to reemphasize that while we are actively investigating the possible changes mentioned above, nothing is set in stone. As the pieces start to fall into place, we’ll provide more information here in the blog.

If you have any questions or comments about WebXPRT 5, please feel free to contact us!

Justin

Posted in AI, benchmark, Benchmark metrics, Benchmarking, Benchmarks in general, BenchmarkXPRT, browser performance, Browser-based benchmarks, Caffe, computer vision, Cross-platform benchmarks, face detection, Future of performance evaluation, image classification, image processing, JavaScript, large language models, ONNX Runtime Web, Performance benchmarking, SqueezeNet, Web AI, WebGPU, WebXPRT, WebXPRT 4 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

You asked, and we heard you: WebXPRT 5 is on the way!

Justin Greene
By Justin Greene
on October 9, 2025

We’re excited to announce that WebXPRT 5 is officially on the way! Since we launched WebXPRT 4 in February 2022, it’s proven to be an exceptionally successful and reliable go-to benchmark for OEM labs, the tech press, and individual users alike—to the tune of over 644,000 runs to date. In past blog posts, we’ve discussed new features and possible auxiliary workloads that we contemplated adding to WebXPRT 4. As we’ve considered user comments and suggestions, changes in web technology, and how we can best position WebXPRT as a relevant browser benchmark in the future, however, it became clear that it was time for an all-new WebXPRT.

Now that we’ve announced WebXPRT 5, the first question for many existing WebXPRT users may be, “When will WebXPRT 5 be available?” We’re not yet ready to share an anticipated WebXPRT 5 release date, but we can share that a lot of groundwork is already complete, and the remaining work is moving along rapidly. We’ll continue to issue updates here in the blog as we reach important milestones.

The second question for many existing WebXPRT users may be, “How will WebXPRT change?” We’re not yet ready to share extensive details about WebXPRT 5’s workloads—rest assured that we will as soon as we can firm up everything—but we can share a few key guidelines we tried to follow in our WebXPRT 5 design. Each of these points of emphasis is a result of feedback we’ve received from labs, as well as features that users have asked for.

  • Provide more AI-related workloads. In past blog posts, we’ve discussed the growing importance of local, browser-side AI. WebXPRT 4 already includes timed AI tasks in two of its workloads: the Organize Album using AI workload and the Encrypt Notes and OCR Scan workload. We’re working on ways to expand WebXPRT’s AI portfolio in the next version.
  • Add WebGPU workloads. As a web API, WebGPU enables web-based applications—such as image-based GenAI and inference workloads—to directly access the graphics rendering and computational capabilities of a system’s GPU. We hope to incorporate WebGPU measures in WebXPRT 5.
  • Improve WebXPRT’s utility as a tool for test labs, publications, and engineering analysis.
    • Update the workloads with longer operations. Many of WebXPRT’s existing workloads no longer challenge cutting-edge consumer hardware as much as many of us would like. Testing labs have asked for longer and more demanding workloads. We’re working on incorporating workloads that are accessible enough to be run by a broad range of devices yet challenging enough to allow performance differentiation among high-end systems.
    • Enable more precise performance measures. Labs and testers have also asked for more granular insight into the workloads to help with engineering-level performance analysis. Currently, some WebXPRT 4 workload scores include multiple timed tasks. If we separate those compound scores so that each workload reports results from only one timed task, users will be able to more precisely assess how well a device performs while handling specific operations. We’re looking into this approach.
  • Modernize the harness to make it more flexible and to speed future work. WebXPRT 4’s current harness works with server-side sessions on a LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL and PHP) stack. If we implement the harness via JavaScript on the client side, it will pave the way for faster development and testing cycles in the future.

We expect WebXPRT 5 to carry on the WebXPRT legacy of reliability and real-world relevance, while providing users with compelling new workloads and features. As has been our habit with new benchmark releases, however, we won’t force anyone to change versions anytime soon. Instead, we will continue to make WebXPRT 4 available for quite some time after WebXPRT 5 goes live.

If you have any questions or comments about WebXPRT, please let us know!

Justin

Posted in AI, Application-based benchmarks, benchmark, Benchmark metrics, Benchmarking, BenchmarkXPRT, BenchmarkXPRT development community, browser performance, Browser-based benchmarks, Cross-platform benchmarks, Future of performance evaluation, GPU, image classification, image processing, inference, LAMP, on-device AI, Performance benchmarking, Web AI, web API, Web-based testing, WebGPU, WebXPRT, WebXPRT 3, WebXPRT 4 |

Multi-tab testing in a future version of WebXPRT?

Justin Greene
By Justin Greene
on September 4, 2025

In previous posts about our recommended best practices for producing consistent and reliable WebXPRT scores, we’ve emphasized the importance of “clean” testing. Clean testing involves minimizing the amount of background activity on a system during test runs to ensure stable test conditions. With stable test conditions, we can avoid common scenarios in which startup tasks, automatic updates, and other unpredictable processes contribute to high score variances and potentially unfair comparisons.

Clean testing is a vital part of accurate performance benchmarking, but it doesn’t always show us what kind of performance we can expect in typical everyday conditions. For example, while a browser performance test like WebXPRT can provide clean testing scores that serve as a valuable proxy for overall system performance, an entire WebXPRT test run involves only two open browser tabs. Most of us will have many more tabs open at any given time during the day. Those tabs—and any associated background services, extensions, plug-ins, or renderers—have the potential to require CPU cycles and frequently consume memory resources. Depending on the number of tabs you leave open, the performance impact on your system can be noticeable. Even with modern browser tab management and resource-saving features, a proliferation of tabs can still have a significant impact on your computing experience.

To address this type of computing, we’ve been considering the possibility of adding one or more multi-tab testing features to a future version of WebXPRT. There are several ways we could do this, including the following options:

  • We could open each full workload cycle in a new tab, resulting in seven total tabs.
  • We could open each individual workload iteration in a new tab, resulting in 42 total tabs.
  • We could allow users to run multiple full tests back-to-back while keeping the tabs from the previous test(s) open.

If we do decide to add multi-tab features to a future version of WebXPRT, we could integrate them into the main score or make them optional and thus not affect traditional WebXPRT testing. We’re looking at all these options.

Whenever we have multiple choices, we seek your input. We want to know if a feature like this is something you’d like to see. Below, you’ll find two quick survey questions that will help us gauge your interest in this topic. We would appreciate your input!

Would you be interested in using future WebXPRT multi-tab testing features?

How many browser tabs do you typically leave open at one time?

If you’d like to share additional thoughts or ideas related to possible multi-tab features, please let us know!

Justin

Posted in benchmark, Benchmark metrics, Benchmarking, Benchmarking computing devices, BenchmarkXPRT, browser performance, Browser-based benchmarks, Collaborative benchmark development, Cross-platform benchmarks, Future of performance evaluation, Performance benchmarking, WebXPRT, WebXPRT 4 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

CrXPRT 2 functionality is ending with ChromeOS 139

Justin Greene
By Justin Greene
on July 24, 2025

Back in January, we discussed the ChromeOS team’s decision to eventually end support for all user-installed Chrome Apps—including CrXPRT 2—upon the release of Chrome 138 in July of this year. As best we can tell, the move is part of their overall strategy of transitioning all support to Chrome extensions and Progressive Web Apps. We knew that after the support cutoff date, we would not be able to publish any fixes or updates for CrXPRT 2, but we weren’t exactly sure how the transition would affect the app’s overall functionality.

We’ve now confirmed that while CrXPRT 2 still functions normally through Chrome 138.0.7204.255 (beta), the app does not launch at all on Chrome Canary 139. Consequently, we expect that stable channel system updates will disable CrXPRT 2 on most systems after Chrome 139 goes live on August 5th. We will initially leave CrXPRT 2 on our site for those who want to use it on older versions of Chrome, but over time we will archive it as an inactive benchmark.

We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to the many people around the world who used CrXPRT 2 for lab evaluations, product reviews, and individual testing over the past several years. We’re grateful for your support! We will update readers here in the blog if we decide to pursue new ChromeOS benchmark development work in the future.

Justin

Posted in benchmark, Benchmarking, Chrome, Chrome OS, Chromebooks, Chromium, CrXPRT, Future of performance evaluation, Google Chrome, Performance benchmarking, Progressive Web Apps | Tagged , , , , , , |

The XPRTs: What would you like to see in 2025?

Justin Greene
By Justin Greene
on December 19, 2024

If you’re a new follower of the XPRT family of benchmarks, you may not be aware of one of the characteristics of the XPRTs that sets them apart from many benchmarking efforts—our openness and commitment to valuing the feedback of tech journalists, lab engineers, and anyone else that uses the XPRTs on a regular basis. That feedback helps us to ensure that as the XPRTs grow and evolve, the resources we offer will continue to meet the needs of those that use them.

In the past, user feedback has influenced specific aspects of our benchmarks, such as the length of test runs, UI features, results presentation, and the addition or subtraction of specific workloads. More broadly, we have also received suggestions for entirely new XPRTs and ways we might target emerging technologies or industry use cases.

As we look forward to what’s in store for the XPRTs in 2025, we’d love to hear your ideas about new XPRTs—or new features for existing XPRTs. Are you aware of hardware form factors, software platforms, new technologies, or prominent applications that are difficult or impossible to evaluate using existing performance benchmarks? Should we incorporate additional or different technologies into existing XPRTs through new workloads? Do you have suggestions for ways to improve any of the XPRTs or XPRT-related tools, such as results viewers?

We’re especially interested in your thoughts about the next steps for WebXPRT. If our recent blog posts about the potential addition of an AI-focused auxiliary workload, what a WebXPRT battery life test would entail, or possible WebAssembly-based test scenarios have piqued your interest, we’d love to hear your thoughts!

We’re genuinely interested in your answers to these questions and any other ideas you have, so please feel free to contact us. We look forward to hearing your thoughts and working together to figure out how they could help shape the XPRTs in 2025!

Justin

Posted in AI, Battery life, benchmark, BenchmarkXPRT, browser performance, Collaborative benchmark development, Future of performance evaluation, Performance benchmarking, WebXPRT, WebXPRT 4, What makes a good benchmark? | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , |

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