How We Test

Last updated: September 18, 2026

Every review and “best of” recommendation on The PC Geek goes through the same evaluation process before it’s published. Here’s exactly how it works.

Our Process

1. Spec & Price Research

We start by pulling manufacturer specs and comparing them against similar products in the same price bracket. We track pricing over time so we can flag when a product is genuinely good value versus just currently on sale.

2. Benchmark & Third-Party Data

Where we haven’t run hands-on testing ourselves, we cross-reference established third-party benchmarks (independent lab tests, verified user reports, manufacturer-published benchmark suites) rather than relying on a single source.

3. Real-World Fit

Specs alone don’t tell you if a part is right for your build. We evaluate products against actual use cases — 1080p vs 1440p vs 4K gaming, thermal and noise behavior in a typical case, compatibility with common motherboards/PSUs, and total cost of the build it fits into.

4. Editorial Review

Every article is checked before publishing for accuracy against the sources above, and reviewed again whenever prices or product lineups change significantly.

How We Score

Once testing is done, every product gets a score based on a weighted set of criteria. See the full breakdown, including our scoring scale and category weightings, on our How We Score page.

What We Don’t Do

We don’t accept payment or free products in exchange for a positive review, and a manufacturer’s marketing claims are never taken at face value — see our Editorial Policy.

Questions About a Review?

If you think we got something wrong, contact us with the article URL and details.