Lab-tested.
Vibes-free.
Every score we publish traces back to a calibrated measurement. Eleven instruments. Forty-seven scored dimensions. The same lab, the same methodology, the same room — every phone, every time. Then a month with one editor before publication. Lab gives us the floor; the month gives us the truth.
How we actually
test phones.
Lab equipment.
Every measurement we publish traces back to a calibrated instrument. Eleven of them: a colorimeter for displays, an audio analyzer for speakers, an RF chamber for cellular, a climate chamber for battery. Recalibrated quarterly.
Same methodology.
Forty-seven scored dimensions, weighted by what matters. Every phone runs through the same test sequence, on the same firmware, in the same room. The methodology is published in full and versioned — every change is dated and explained.
Lived-in testing.
Lab numbers are necessary but not sufficient. Every phone lives with one editor for at least a month before publication — actual SIM, actual photos, actual daily charge cycles. Lab gives us the floor; the month gives us the truth.
The test bench.
Konica-Minolta CS-200
The reference colorimeter for measuring display luminance, color accuracy (ΔE), white point, and gamut coverage. Used on every phone we score.
- Range0.01–999,900 cd/m²
- Accuracy± 2%
- Used forPeak nits, ΔE, gamut
Audio Precision APx555
Two-channel audio analyzer in an anechoic chamber. Measures speaker SPL, distortion, frequency response, and stereo imaging at fixed distance.
- THD+N−120 dB
- Frequency5 Hz – 80 kHz
- Used forSpeakers, mics
RF Anechoic Chamber
Faraday-shielded RF chamber for repeatable cellular and Wi-Fi measurements without environmental interference. Used for signal strength, throughput, modem efficiency.
- Isolation> 90 dB
- Frequency600 MHz – 6 GHz
- Used for5G, Wi-Fi, BT
Espec SH-262 Climate Chamber
Programmable temperature/humidity chamber for battery cycling at controlled ambient conditions. We test every phone at 20°C, 35°C, and during charging at 30°C.
- Range−40°C to +150°C
- Humidity30 – 95% RH
- Used forBattery cycles
Behind every score.
217 reviews. Battery-test methodology author. Lives at 100% screen brightness. Built the original 47-point scoring rubric in 2023; revises it twice a year.
189 reviews. Runs every chip through the full benchmark suite plus a sustained-perf gauntlet. Owns the charging-curve dataset (now over 14,000 logged sessions).
142 reviews. Owns the 47-frame camera test suite. Shoots every device in three lighting environments, by hand, on the same SD card. Final word on "is this good photo".