diff --git a/contrib/perf.py b/contrib/perf.py
--- a/contrib/perf.py
+++ b/contrib/perf.py
@@ -1269,6 +1269,17 @@ def perflrucache(ui, size=4, gets=10000,
         timer(fn, title=title)
         fm.end()
 
+@command('perfwrite', formatteropts)
+def perfwrite(ui, repo, **opts):
+    """microbenchmark ui.write
+    """
+    timer, fm = gettimer(ui, opts)
+    def write():
+        for i in range(100000):
+            ui.write(('Testing write performance\n'))
+    timer(write)
+    fm.end()
+
 def uisetup(ui):
     if (util.safehasattr(cmdutil, 'openrevlog') and
         not util.safehasattr(commands, 'debugrevlogopts')):
diff --git a/tests/test-contrib-perf.t b/tests/test-contrib-perf.t
--- a/tests/test-contrib-perf.t
+++ b/tests/test-contrib-perf.t
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ perfstatus
    perfvolatilesets
                  benchmark the computation of various volatile set
    perfwalk      (no help text available)
+   perfwrite     microbenchmark ui.write
   
   (use 'hg help -v perfstatusext' to show built-in aliases and global options)
   $ hg perfaddremove