How We Test and Verify Prices

This page exists so you can judge whether we're worth listening to. It explains where the data in each guide comes from, how prices get verified, and — most importantly — what we don't do. If anything here doesn't match what you see in an article, that's our mistake and we want to hear about it.

Where the performance data comes from

We don't have a lab. The performance figures in our guides come from independent test benches with published methodology, mainly Rtings,Tom's Hardware, TechSpot and TechPowerUp.

When a recommendation rests on third-party testing, we cite the publication and the exact article title and link to the original inside the paragraph itself, not in a list at the end. The point is that you can check the figure without hunting for it.

One exception worth declaring: our July 2026 news roundups were published citing their sources by name and headline, but without links. That was our mistake. In the August 6 review we recovered the original link for30 of the 33 sources across those four articles — the July 14 and July 23 posts are now complete; the remaining 3 are markedno permalink located in their own list, so you know exactly which ones you can check in one click and which you can't. Those are still traceable by searching the headline, which we quote verbatim.

How we verify prices

The prices you see are retail prices, not manufacturer MSRPs. Since 2026 that distinction matters more than ever: with the memory shortage we've seen one model sit 12% above its MSRP and another 38%. Comparing by official price leads you to the wrong purchase.

Every guide with prices carries:

• The verification date at the end of the article.
• An update date visible in the header whenever the article is revised.
• A range instead of a single figure when the price is volatile.

We review buying guides at least once a month, and sooner if news moves the market sharply. When that happens we also update the articles that quoted the old price: a site that contradicts itself is no use to anyone.

Reports and announcements are not the same thing

A good share of hardware news comes from leaks and supply-chain sources rather than official statements. We always mark it: if a price increase is a report no brand has confirmed, the article says so in those words. A forecast and a fact don't get written the same way.

What we don't do

This is the part almost nobody publishes, and probably the most useful one for deciding how much weight to give what you read here:

• We haven't tested every product on this site. It's impossible and we're not going to pretend otherwise. When a recommendation rests on third-party testing, the article says so.
• We don't accept products in exchange for positive reviews, nor payment to appear in a list or to hold a particular position in one.
• We don't default to the most expensive option. The guides are organised by budget because the useful question isn't which is best, but which is best for what you can spend.
• We don't cover all hardware. This is about gaming PCs. Professional workstations, servers and audio gear are out of scope.

When we change our minds

We get things wrong, and the market moves. When a recommendation stops holding up we don't quietly delete it: we say so in the article itself, with the date and the reason. If you read a guide of ours months ago and it now says the opposite, you should be able to see why without guessing.

Same with errors. If we find a wrong figure, we fix it and log the change rather than pretending it was never there.

How this is funded

Through Amazon affiliate links: if you buy through one, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The commission is broadly the same across the range, so we don't earn more by pushing you toward expensive gear. Informational articles — technical explainers, troubleshooting and news — carry no affiliate links. Full detail in our affiliate disclosure.

If you spot an error

An outdated price, a wrong figure, a recommendation that doesn't hold up: write to us and we'll fix it. It's the most useful way to help, and the only thing that makes this page mean anything. Contact details are on the contact page, and who writes this is on about.