How We Score Reviews
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A score is only useful if you know what produced it. This page is the rubric every review on this site is built from, so you can decide whether our weightings match your priorities.
The short version
- Six dimensions, weighted, producing one overall score.
- We do not grade on a curve. A weak category gets weak scores.
- Every review names at least two things that annoyed us.
- A product we would not buy ourselves cannot score above 7.
The dimensions
| Dimension | Weight | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Battery | 25% | Measured screen-on time under real use, not a video-loop test |
| Display | 20% | Measured brightness, colour accuracy, outdoor readability |
| Software | 20% | Update policy, bloatware, advertising in system apps, stability |
| Performance | 15% | Sustained performance after 20 minutes, not peak benchmark |
| Camera | 15% | Same scenes shot across all comparable devices, including low light |
| Value | 5% | Real price against what comparable products deliver |
Software carries a fifth of the score because it is what you interact with every day for two or three years, and because it is where manufacturers at the same price differ most.
What the numbers mean
| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 9–10 | We would buy this ourselves at this price |
| 8–8.9 | Strong. A clear recommendation with a named caveat |
| 7–7.9 | Good, with a real compromise you should understand first |
| 6–6.9 | Buy only on discount, or only for a specific use |
| Below 6 | We would steer a friend away from this |
What disqualifies a product
- Advertising in system applications that cannot be disabled.
- A stated update policy shorter than two years at any price above entry level.
- An advertised price materially different from the checkout price.
- A known safety or security issue the manufacturer has not addressed.
Minimum testing
| Product | Minimum before scoring |
|---|---|
| Phone | 14 days as the only phone, screen-on time logged daily |
| Laptop | 10 days of real work, including a sustained-load test |
| Accessory | 7 days of ordinary use |
| PC component | Built into a working system and benchmarked |
Why we do not grade on a curve
If a price bracket is weak in a given quarter, grading relative to its peers produces an 8.5 for a product that is merely the least bad. Scores are absolute, which means a bracket can legitimately have nothing above 7, and when that happens the buying guide says so.
Units
We buy review units at retail wherever possible. Where a unit is supplied by a brand, the review states that in the opening section. Supplied units are returned or disclosed; they do not affect the score, and we have published critical reviews of supplied products.
Corrections
If we get something wrong, we correct it and add a dated note at the bottom of the review. We do not quietly edit scores.
Common questions
Why is camera only 15%?
Because at most price points the camera is adequate and the battery is not. If photography is your priority, read the camera section rather than the score.
Do scores change over time?
Occasionally. A software update that adds advertising, or a price change that alters value, can move a score. Changes are dated and noted.
Can a brand appeal a score?
They can write to us and we will check our facts. We do not change conclusions on request.
Sumit
Writes everything on TechMozz.