How Do We Test Products and Services?

CNET has been recognized as the best resource for reliable, objective evaluations of everything software, from apps to tablets to mobile earbuds to streaming&nbsp and Wifi services for nearly 30 years. If you can skim your feeds on it, see it, type on it or listen to it, odds are we’ve reviewed it. &nbsp,

As technology has advanced over time, we have tested everything from AI bots and photo generators to hearing helps, electric cars and scooters, household products, health and wellness, broadband services, and private fund services. No matter what we’re evaluating, we’ll always been open about the honest testing requirements that go into our opinions. &nbsp,

The “best list” solution rankings and reviews all have the same standards of excellence:  ,  ,

Independence: The products and services we recommend are freely, institutionally chosen for examination, assessment and advice.

Experience: Our team of experts has years of mixed expertise in their fields.

Hands-on tests: We frequently reboot, effect, and examine the materials we cover. For companies, we subscribe, evaluation and apply them ourselves.

Research: When we can’t personally check a product or service, we make suggestions based on data and analysis. Additionally, we take into account the views of business experts and clients.

Value: We take pricing into consideration and focus on finding the best option at the most affordable price. &nbsp,

What distinguishes CNET from other companies is our tried-and-true method for evaluating a product based on consistent tests carried out by CNET Testing Laboratory and by writers with a thorough understanding of their beats. Our writers have built their knowledge with hands-on expertise and associations with industry professionals we call on for standpoint.

How does CNET obtain the goods we assessment?

Our method begins well before a new item is announced. We have a wealth of knowledge about buying cycles and are sensitive to rumors and release times months in advance. We cover the week leading up to major product announcements and utilizing our relationships with manufacturers to provide the shovel to readers. We use this information to determine the goods we’ll get reviewing and why, taking into account factors like reputation, price, and innovative functions.

Many of the products we review are generation examples supplied by manufacturers. As part of a short- or long-term mortgage deal, they are sent to us. This arrangement allows us to compare and test the product further in its life cycle and as soon as possible, maybe even before a product is actually available. &nbsp,

We’ll purchase a solution if we want to examine it but are unable to do so due to technical difficulties. We frequently rely on the item after it has been published for changes and follow-up reports, including comparisons to rival gadgets. Products loaned to CNET are returned to the company after the payment period begins.

Product assessment 101: Comprehensive testing at CNET

The evaluation procedure for each product category is different once it arrives, but all testimonials have the same format:

Installation: We unbox the system ( often with an opening video ) and set it up like any person did, connecting it to the web if appropriate and installing the latest software. We report the installation procedure and compare it to other products, not users.

Look and feel: We use the product, take notes on its pattern, how it functions, and use images and videos to support our conclusions. &nbsp,

Features: We take note of its functions, how they stack up against other similar devices, how they differ, and how ( or if ) they are worthwhile in particular.

Performance: We rigorously evaluate those qualities, using the system as it is intended for days or hours, and reporting our findings. We use the same set of tests we’ve used for similar items to ensure we find deviations in performance across the market.

Lab tests: &nbsp, For some product categories, we catch efficiency data in a laboratory using standardized tests. For instance, in our New York test, we measure colour and entertainment latency for TVs and test battery life and screen brightness for laptops. And in our Louisville location, we built a unique testing platform lab to measure the amount of dirt a vacuum can pick up, as well as tracking the cleaning steps for robot vacuums. But whether that testing happens in Manhattan, Kentucky or myriad off-site locations, we store our data for future comparisons to other products. Additionally, we can use that information to find out more long-term trends within categories.

Verdict: &nbsp, We gather all of our opinions from the review. In many cases, we publish a numeric rating from 1 to 10, along with what we liked and didn’t like. &nbsp,

If we run into a serious problem during testing, we work with the manufacturer to fix it and file a report on it. At every point in the reviews process, however, our editors and testers maintain full control over the review as it appears on CNET.

Serving up reviews of services

Traditional CNET reviews only cover physical goods that you can touch, but a growing number of things you buy today are services that are typically offered for a monthly fee. We also review those. They include streaming services like Netflix, YouTube TV and Spotify, home services like meal kits and wine clubs, security services like password managers, antivirus software and identity theft protection, and utility services like internet service providers&nbsp, and&nbsp, cellphone plans.

Our opinions of services vary depending on what the service offers, just like there are with physical devices. We consider the cost, catalog, and ease of use when using streaming services. With ID theft protection, we scour the fine print and compare features, monitoring and the user experience. With VPNs, we evaluate a number of factors, including speed, privacy, data leaks, and value. We give specific recommendations based on specific circumstances and place our emphasis on remarkable facts. We have separate lists for the best internet providers in New York City, Atlanta and Houston, for example, and we’re adding more locations all the time.

How we order our Best List recommendations

Our most recent reviews are organized into Best Lists, which list our top-rated products in one place and award superlatives like Best Overall, Best Value, and Best Design. These lists are meant to be a one-stop resource for information on the categories we cover, as well as links to how we evaluate those categories, factors to take into account when purchasing, frequently asked questions, and seasonal price trends.

On many of our Best Lists and guides, you’ll find a list of recommended products or services at the top of the page, just below the headline and introduction. Readers can access the consolidated results of our product reviews using this feature right away.

We put a given product or service at the top of the list if there is a clear Best Overall pick in a given category. After that, we sort our recommendations according to several factors. In addition to these, we generally give highly recommended picks the best chance of recommending each product or service. Our product recommendations are not always listed in a way that is directly related to their numerical ratings. Editors may also curate the list to make sure that a diversity of options, for example a relatively low-priced product, are included. &nbsp,

We may reorder the list after the Best Overall pick in order to give more prominence to products and services that have received the most positive responses from readers once the Best List is published. &nbsp,

Some of our Best Lists also include a sponsored item or service that our editors have not chosen, or a promotional item or service with promotional information on a product or service that has previously been chosen by our editors. Both times, this is clearly marked as a” Featured Deal” and is a paid advertisement.

Why you can trust CNET reviews

It all boils down to the integrity of the editorial. We’re honest about how we generate revenue, including licensing, affiliate commissions, and advertisements. Other companies don’t have any say in our reviews, and in cases where content on CNET is sponsored by a third party, we present a disclosure. &nbsp,

We only use generative AI (artificial intelligence ) as examples of capabilities in AI tools we test when writing any text, imagery, or video that is published on our website or platforms. In some cases, we use it to help gather and organize information to compare services. As in this example, AI enabled us to search for and compare proprietary information from regional internet service providers for a small number of stories. We describe and describe how generative AI was used on those pages.

In some cases we also present multiple perspectives. For instance, because health journalism is a subject that evolves as new research advances, we created the CNET Medical Review Network, a group of health professionals who evaluate and verify our content to ensure it adheres to current medical standards, research, and research.

In essence, trust is our stock in trade and continues to be so after more than a quarter-century of reviews. Call us biased, but we think no other reviewers do it better.

For many of the product and service categories we write about, there are links to methodologies below. &nbsp,