It's going to be Benchmark and Beta sign up i don't know why people keep thinking they wont be release together. You been the benchmark so people know if the game would run on there computer or not. FFXIV 1.0 beta sign up was release with benchmark so i'm guess that what going to happen.

+ the beta sign up are not that important seeing how legacy members get in beta 1 so they have more then enough players to test the beta.