diff --git a/test/external/external_benchmark_bert_matmuls.py b/test/external/external_benchmark_bert_matmuls.py
index 526b2745c3..b83e6d4809 100644
--- a/test/external/external_benchmark_bert_matmuls.py
+++ b/test/external/external_benchmark_bert_matmuls.py
@@ -1,9 +1,12 @@
 from tinygrad import Tensor, dtypes
 dtypes.default_float = dtypes.float16
+from tinygrad.dtype import to_dtype
+from tinygrad.helpers import getenv
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
   # matmuls in bert layers
-  BS = 96//6
+  BS = getenv("BS", 96//6)
+  acc_dtype = to_dtype(getenv("ACC_DTYPE", "half"))
   tensors = [
     (Tensor.empty(BS, 512, 1024), Tensor.empty(1024, 1024).T),                                          # linear to get qkv
     (Tensor.empty(BS, 512, 16, 64).permute(0,2,1,3), Tensor.empty(BS, 512, 16, 64).permute(0,2,3,1)),   # q@k
@@ -12,4 +15,4 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
   for t0, t1 in tensors:
     print(f"{t0.shape=}, {t0.lazydata.st.real_strides()=}, {t1.shape=}, {t1.lazydata.st.real_strides()=}")
     for _ in range(5):
-      t0.dot(t1, dtype="half").realize()
+      t0.dot(t1, dtype=acc_dtype).realize()
diff --git a/test/external/external_benchmark_bert_softmax.py b/test/external/external_benchmark_bert_softmax.py
index e17dd0b84f..176e2061a4 100644
--- a/test/external/external_benchmark_bert_softmax.py
+++ b/test/external/external_benchmark_bert_softmax.py
@@ -1,15 +1,18 @@
 from tinygrad import Tensor, dtypes, Context, GlobalCounters
 dtypes.default_float = dtypes.float16
+from tinygrad.dtype import to_dtype
+from tinygrad.helpers import getenv
 from test.test_softmax_fusion import single_kernel_softmax
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
   # softmax in bert layers
-  BS = 96//6
+  BS = getenv("BS", 96//6)
+  acc_dtype = to_dtype(getenv("ACC_DTYPE", "half"))
   t = Tensor.empty(BS, 16, 512, 512)
   t.softmax(-1, dtype="half").realize()
 
   # test single kernel softmax
   GlobalCounters.reset()
   with Context(DONT_GROUP_REDUCES=1):
-    single_kernel_softmax(t, -1, "half").realize()
+    single_kernel_softmax(t, -1, acc_dtype).realize()