What does xmrig --bench=1M do?
xmrig --bench=1M runs XMRig’s built-in benchmark: a speed test that completes 1 million hash calculations and reports how quickly your computer did them. It does not earn Monero or send mining work to a pool.
What the command means
You can read the command in three parts:
xmrigstarts XMRig, a mining program commonly used to mine Monero with your computer’s processor, or CPU.--benchtells it to run a benchmark instead of a normal mining session.1Msets the test size to 1,000,000 hashes.
A hash is a calculation used in mining to test a possible solution. Here, XMRig performs those calculations using benchmark data rather than working toward a mining payout.
The M means “million.” It does not mean one minute, one megabyte of memory, or one million Monero.
For a standard Monero benchmark, XMRig uses RandomX, the mining algorithm Monero has used since November 30, 2019.
What happens when you run it
Run this in a terminal, the text window where you enter commands:
xmrig --bench=1M
Depending on your operating system and where you saved the program, you may need ./xmrig --bench=1M or xmrig.exe --bench=1M instead.
XMRig prepares RandomX’s working memory, starts its worker threads, and processes the fixed amount of work. A thread is a separate stream of calculations running on your CPU.
You should see startup information, progress, and a final result. The run finishes after the requested work is complete, so a faster computer generally finishes sooner.
This is a local benchmark by default. You do not need a wallet address or mining-pool account, and the command alone does not submit your result to XMRig’s online benchmark service.
How to read the result
The key speed measurement is hashes per second, usually shown as H/s. A higher number means your computer completed more calculations each second under those test conditions.
For example, if the measured calculation phase takes 200 seconds:
- 1,000,000 hashes ÷ 200 seconds = 5,000 H/s.
That is an illustration, not a prediction for your computer. Also, the time spent preparing RandomX can make the total time you wait longer than the timed calculation phase.
Your result is useful for comparing changes such as cooling, memory settings, or thread counts. It is not an earnings estimate. Earnings also depend on live network conditions, mining fees, and electricity costs.
What this short test can miss
A 1-million-hash run is a quick check, not proof of sustained mining performance.
- Other running programs can lower your score.
- Longer runs may reveal heat-related slowdowns.
- Memory configuration and CPU cache can affect RandomX speed.
RandomX’s fast mode uses a dataset of about 2,080 MB, plus additional memory. It also benefits from roughly 2 MB of L3 cache per mining thread; L3 cache is fast memory inside your CPU.
Expect increased CPU activity, power use, and fan noise. Run it only on a device you own or have permission to test.
The bottom line
xmrig --bench=1M answers one practical question: How fast can your current XMRig setup complete one million benchmark hashes? It tests performance without earning XMR.
