Maximum PC covers a lot of content on a regular basis. We look at upcoming technology, including software and hardware, and we write feature stories and news posts about all types of content. But when it comes to reviews, we have high standards and we want both the readers as well as the manufacturers to understand what goes into a review. That’s why we’re publishing our reviews policy here for reference.
We do our best to ensure the accuracy and quality of our reviews, but that sometimes we make mistakes. If we do, we’ll be the first to admit it and issue a correction. We’re also constantly talking about our content and advice and looking for ways to improve. If you have any suggestions, comments and email are encouraged. Just write to mailto:letters@maximumpc.com. In the coming months, you’ll see changes to our site and format, and our reviews policy is at the heart of site and magazine.
Our approach
We take reviews seriously, but we all love technology and we frequently discuss the pros and cons of the devices that we test. Our reviewers write in the first person, conversationally, and are encouraged to share personal anecdotes to support their opinions. Just because the subject matter is sometimes dry doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun with it.
We assign reviews to experts that know the market and how advances in technology drive new hardware. Our reviewers strive to be authorities on the classes of hardware they review. We won’t assign a Linux article to someone whose only experience comes via Ubuntu, and we won’t ask a desktop enthusiast that hates notebooks to assess the latest laptops.
Our reviews provide a high level overview of a product and the market in which it competes. We tell our readers what a product will be like in the real world, analyze the installation and configuration process where applicable, and provide useful performance results and analysis of what those results mean. There are many PC components that are now “fast enough,” but just because a system is fast enough for your grandma doesn’t make it Kick-Ass material. To score well, a product must rise above its peers and offer something more.
That isn’t to say that we only praise expensive products. We love the newest and fastest technology, but we also love a great bargain. We expect a $500 graphics card to stomp all over a $200 graphics card in gaming prowess, but if that $200 graphics card is the best $200 you can spend on gaming, we’ll let you know. Likewise, if an uber-expensive system runs great but is only marginally faster than other systems that cost half as much, we won’t hesitate to point out the price premium.
Ultimately, we strive to publish the insightful and precise analysis on PC hardware, give trusted buying advice, and to help our readers understand where the industry is headed and what the best hardware is for the different markets. And hopefully we can keep you entertained along the way.
What we review
Scored reviews: We review and assign scored verdicts to hardware that’s available for sale. This may be a new processor from AMD, Intel, or Nvidia; it might be an SSD, motherboard, or some other component or accessory. For graphics cards, we will typically review a “reference” card from AMD or Nvidia at launch, and we may have individual card reviews from their partners. Each product is assessed on its own merits, so in cases where a product differs substantially from the reference design, it may warrant a higher—or lower—score.
We also receive early hardware at times, and if it’s in a state representative of the final product we will score the review. This often occurs with new components like CPUs, GPUs, and SSDs. Early hardware that is not publicly available (e.g., Oculus Rift prior to 2016) may be previewed, but we will wait for the final hardware before officially reviewing the product.
The PC ecosystem is anything but static, however, and sometimes unpredictable changes can alter our perception of a product. By that token, it’s important to understand that a review is merely a snapshot in time. What was once a questionable product may suddenly become the latest must-have piece of technology, or if a critical flaw is corrected then hardware may become far better than it was at launch. When that happens, we’ll revisit the hardware and explain why things changed and whether this is a new fad or something more meaningful.
Scoring system
Maximum PC uses a 20-point scoring system, expressed as a percentage and in 5-point increments. The following descriptions are meant to clarify what those scores most often mean to us. Scores are a convenient summation of the reviewer's opinion, but it's worth underlining that they're not the review itself.
- 5-35 The computer equivalent of a dirty diaper. No one wants it, and even the proud parents look forward to moving on. Either non-functional, fundamentally flawed, and/or ill-conceived that it's ultimately not worth any time or money.
- 40-45 The product works, mostly, but it has glaringly obvious flaws and there are much better uses of your time and money.
- 50-55 Mediocre. The product may have some niche market that would find it useful, but even then it can only be recommended with caveats. It might suffer from bugs or other technical issues.
- 60-65 Average. It might have some interesting features or ideas, but it’s ultimately just one of the crowd. It will do the task it was designed for, but performance won’t blow your socks off.
- 70-75 Good but perhaps late to the party; a recommendation, but not a glowing one. There are no deal breakers, but there are still better alternatives—or there soon will be. Efficiency, performance, features, or other aspects could be improved.
- 80-90 A great product with good features that accomplishes what it set out to do. Anyone owning this product can feel confident that anything faster/better will generally cost more.
- 95 A product that moves the market forward in meaningful and surprising ways. Not only does it perform its intended purpose, but it has extras that you never knew you wanted until you had them. Ten years from now, you’ll still look back fondly and remember this game changer.
- 100 Humanity should be alarmed, as this product is one more step towards Skynet. It advances the state-of-the-art and upgrades your intelligence in the process. Forget the cost—you want one, now!
The Kick-Ass Award is Maximum PC’s version of an Editors’ Choice award, and it is automatically given to any product garnering a score of 95 or 100. It represents exceptional quality and/or innovation.
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