Every score starts from published product specifications and this public methodology. Where we've purchased and used a unit ourselves, that's labeled Hands-On Tested — otherwise, it's Spec-Verified. Either way, you always know exactly what you're looking at.
Methodology version 1.0
Methodology version 1.0
Every product starts Spec-Verified. As we purchase and use top-ranked units ourselves, they move to Hands-On Tested — the same scoring formula, with real measurements and notes layered on top.
Scored from published manufacturer specifications and our public methodology. Clearly labeled as algorithmic — this is the baseline every product gets before anything else.
A unit we bought ourselves, with measured throughput and real-world notes added to the same structured score — reserved for the products our readers rely on most.
Each category gets its own weighting — a router formula should never score a monitor.