Methodology

Our recommendations come from the same process every time: independent research, manufacturer specifications cross-checked across sources, and clear labeling of what is a rated figure versus something we have measured. No sponsored placements, and no rankings for sale.

How we research today

• Specs, clearly labeled. Where a number is a manufacturer rating rather than something we have measured ourselves, we say so on the page. We do not present rated specs as test results.
• Cross-checked. Key specs and prices are checked against the manufacturer plus independent sources before they go into a guide. Prices are in US dollars and checked at publish.
• Independent. We are not owned by a manufacturer or retailer. If a manufacturer ever supplies a unit, the article will say so in the first paragraph.
• No sponsored placements. Affiliate commissions never decide a verdict or a ranking. We recommend the product that wins on the merits, not the one with the best payout.

Hands-on testing (in progress)

We are building a hardware bench to add first-hand measurements to our reviews: repeated runs with the median reported, real-game load times, and sustained-load thermals for storage. Until that data exists for a given product, our guides are explicitly research-based and built on manufacturer specifications, and we say so on the page. As measured data is added, it will be clearly labeled and dated.

How we rank

For now, our picks are ranked verdicts based on specifications, features, and US-dollar value, not a numeric score. We would rather give you an honest best-for-your-use-case pick than a precise-looking number we have not earned with our own testing.

Corrections

Hardware prices and firmware change. If we got something wrong, or a product changed under us, the article gets updated with a visible updated date. Spot an error? Tell us and we will fix it.