We test so you save money — here's how we review laptops, tablets, and PCs

Understanding the Testing Process for Computers

Buying a computer is a big decision, and it can be a difficult one. There’s often no easy way to know from an ad or a manufacturer’s website what makes one PC superior to another. To make matters more confusing, two PCs could have nearly identical specs, but one could still be a better buy for reasons you’ve never even considered.

That’s why we conduct extensive testing to help you find the best options available. We test a wide range of devices including laptops, gaming laptops, computers, gaming PCs, MacBooks, Chromebooks, and tablets. Our goal is to provide you with detailed insights into each device's performance so you can make an informed decision.

The Lab Testing Process

The process starts with lab testing — not just in terms of how quickly you might edit photos or last while on battery, but also in putting them through the same paces you would. We dig deep to get the numbers that tell the performance story, and then spend real time with them browsing the Web, sending emails, playing games, and so on until we have a thorough picture of what it means to live with the computer.

Whether you’re paying $500 or $5,000, that’s what matters most. Here’s every single quantitative and qualitative test that we subject every device to — so you’ll know exactly what you’re getting when you buy one and hold it in yours.

Windows PCs and Tablets

The vast majority of systems we test run Windows, which makes sense as Windows PCs account for about 75% of all computers used. So many (but not all) of our tests are Windows-centric and require some tweaks to keep the playing field as level as possible. But this helps ensure we give you the most — and best — information we can about every PC we touch.

System Preparation

We begin our testing process by turning off all of Windows’ screen and sleep settings; some of our tests run for a long time and we don’t want them interrupted, and in our experience testing is better performed “warm” anyway. We then set the power mode to “Best Performance” so we’re seeing the most of what the system, as configured, can do.

We update all the system’s drivers to the latest versions for the same reason. We always run all tests at the PC’s default resolution while no other programs are open. One important thing we don’t do: fool around with any of the manufacturer’s default settings. You deserve to know exactly what you’re going to get — and how well it will run out of the box.

Everyday Performance

As exciting as we wish our lives were, and as much money as some of us might spend on top-end hardware to max out performance in every metric, the fact remains: Most of what most of us do on our computers every day is fairly mundane. Important? Yes, but far from earth shattering.

Our benchmark tests reflect this reality, focusing on the tasks and applications that consume the greatest amounts of our time. These include file copying, CPU performance, video conversion, and more.

Graphics and Gaming Tests

For non-gaming computers, we keep it light, running older tests like Fire Strike and Time Spy, as well as the newest all-purpose test, Steel Nomad. Systems without discrete video cards also get a round of Night Raid, which is optimized for testing integrated graphics.

Gaming has been a key computer activity since the industry’s earliest days. But, for better or worse, most of us have progressed past the simple-but-addictive likes of Microsoft Minesweeper and Solitaire. We use a popular, but not-too-demanding game to see how well non-gaming systems can hack digital entertainment.

Heat and Display Testing

Laptops can still get warm if they’re used too heavily for too long. After turning off the computer and letting it cool completely, and then restarting it and allowing it to idle for a few minutes, we play a 4K video, full screen, for 15 minutes.

Display testing involves measuring color accuracy and brightness using high-end tools. For OLEDs, we adapt the test with a black background and a moving white window to account for brightness variation. If the device supports HDR, we also test brightness using 10%, 40%, and 100% screen patches.

Battery Test

Battery life is one of the most important features in any laptop, so we built a custom test to measure it consistently. Using Microsoft Edge on a closed Wi-Fi network, the system cycles through a set of web pages until the battery dies — reporting its status at regular intervals.

To keep results consistent across devices, we normalize each system: screen brightness is set to 150 nits, background apps are disabled, and a custom power plan is applied. We also adjust Windows and Edge settings — like turning off Bluetooth and location services — to ensure clean, repeatable results.

Gaming PCs

When buying a gaming PC at any price, you want to know what kind of frame rates you can expect and what the playing experience is like from top to bottom. So we amp up everything to find that out.

Games such as Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Cyberpunk 2077, and others are used to determine frame rates. We run these at 1920 x 1080p and the system’s native resolution, with settings usually at or near the top of the performance scale.

Apple Macs and Chromebooks

Apple releases far fewer computers every year than most other companies we work with, so we spend less time with them — but we take each new release very seriously. We run as many of our standard PC tests on Mac computers as we can, including Geekbench, HandBrake, and Crossmark, plus of course our display tests.

Chromebooks are tested differently due to their unique operating system. We run tests like JetStream 2, WebXPRT 4, and CrXPRT 2 to evaluate their performance in web-based scenarios.

Workstations and Hands-On Testing

Workstation PCs have a lot in common with gaming laptops. They have fancier processors, more powerful graphics cards, and tend to be physically bigger. Because everything about workstations is tweaked to optimize certain kinds of performance, gaming tests won’t do.

We supplement our everyday performance tests and Civilization VI with some heavier-duty applications. PugetBench for Creators and UL Procyon Photo and Video Editing Benchmarks are used to evaluate professional-grade performance.

After we have finished running the above tests, the system is then passed on to the reviewer. The amount of “quality time” the reviewer spends with the computer can range from a few days to a couple of weeks — whatever is necessary to get the best idea of how well the computer functions under everyday conditions.

Always Testing, Never Resting

Just as technology and the computer industry itself are always evolving, so too are we constantly re-evaluating and revising our tests to make sure they always provide you the information you need and want. Check out our How We Test page to see how we evaluate other types of tech gear, from phones to TVs. Have a question or suggestion about our testing procedures? Let us know!

Our goal is to help you make the best buying decisions possible, no matter what you’re shopping for.