How We Test and Score
We don't do fluff. We live with every bit of kit before telling you whether it's worth buying.
Every review on Mediaberry starts in the same place: our homes. We go hands-on with everything and use it in the same way you would if you bought it. We aren’t interested in going deep on technical specs, you won’t find colour spectrometers or custom test benches here, just real-world use from people like you.
This page explains how that testing works, what our scores mean, and how we keep things independent and genuine. If you still have questions, you can email our editor and ask away.
the short version
Everything we review is used in a real setup, the way you’d use it, and generally for at least two weeks.
Scores are given out of 10 and considered both in isolation and against everything else we’ve tested in that space.
Brands provide units for testing free of charge, however they don’t get approval or any input on what we do or don’t say, beyond flagging factual errors.
We may earn a small commission if you buy through our links. Access to affiliate programs never changes a score or whether we review something.
how we test
From the beginning we’ve approached testing with a very simple philosophy: how is it to actually use day-to-day for the people it’s intended for. We don’t run lab benchmarks because, to be honest, we don’t think most people should buy gear based on them. How something performs in laboratory conditions means nothing if its real-world use doesn’t line up. We don’t live in labs, so we don’t test in them.
That means kit goes into our everyday setups. Chargers and docks get plugged into the phones and laptops we use daily, and power banks often go on holiday with us. Microphones are used on our streams and calls, and wireless kit gets walked around the estate. Chairs and desks get assembled by hand and sat at for full working weeks.
When we compare a product to its rivals, we’ll generally only name kit we’ve used ourselves. Prices quoted are always the RRP at the time of the review, so a temporary sale doesn’t skew the verdict, though we keep an eye on prices while testing to see if there’s a deal to be had.
how long we test for
There’s no stopwatch on it, but nothing gets written up after just a day or two. Most products spend at least two weeks in daily use before we start writing. That doesn’t mean we’re using them intensively throughout that period or that testing is dedicated throughout, it means we live with them just like you will.
If a product needs a firmware update during testing, we install it and keep going, making note of how that process went. Sometimes we review gear before its public release and on non-final firmware. If we identify problems in this situation we’ll often consult with our brand contact, but if an issue is still there when the review goes live, it goes in the review.
what the scores mean
Every review is given a score out of 10. This isn’t an average of sub-scores or a specific points system, it’s a feel thing that’s set against what’s most important for that kind of item.
When deciding on a score we consider it both in isolation, as well as what mark was given to similar tech and why it received that mark.
Exceptional
Not necessarily perfect, but clearly the best we’ve tested in its class.
Excellent
Very little to fault and easy to recommend. Our first suggestion for most people.
Great
A strong buy, with a caveat or two worth knowing about.
Good
Does the job well with a couple of drawbacks, others do some things better.
Decent
Fine for most people but not special, likely has compromises you’ll notice.
Mixed
Average by definition. As much to put up with as to like.
Hard to recommend
Problems that outweigh what it gets right.
We also use half points when a product sits clearly between two bands, or to differentiate between products in the same category. If two keyboards are worthy of an 8 in isolation, but one is noticeably better value, it may knock the other to 7.5.
Scores reflect the state of the product experience, its price and the wider market on the day we publish, and you’ll see this date listed on the review. A 9 from three years ago isn’t a promise that it’s still the one to buy today.
Occasionally we may revisit a published review if there has been a noteworthy change since we tested. In these situations you’ll see the date it was updated below its original publication date.
what we test in each category
The basics of what we’re considering stay the same across all devices: build quality, setup experience, everyday use, software/firmware and value for money. Each category then has the things that make or break it.
sim racing
Wheels, pedals, shifters are used across a few games, often covering different genres and styles of driving. We look at things like out-of-the-box compatibility and mapping, force feedback detail, consistency and feel.
microphones and audio
Microphones get used on real streams, calls and recordings, in addition to dedicated testing. We listen for voice clarity, background noise, and how forgiving a mic is of an imperfect room. For wireless kits we test range and stability around the house before heading outside.
Headphones and speakers get daily listening, gaming and calls. We don’t claim to be audiophiles, so our testing is centred on the core principle of “how does this sound?”.
keyboards and mice
Keyboards are used for full working days and gaming sessions across both Mac and PC, where possible. We look at switches, stabilisers, build, layout and software. Mice get the same treatment, with shape, weight and sensor consistency tested across work and play.
gaming chairs and desks
We build them ourselves, so you’ll hear about the instructions and the assembly too. Then we sit at or stand at them for full working weeks, testing adjustment range, comfort over long sessions and how they fit different body sizes and setups.
chargers and power
Chargers, power banks, and docks get used with phones and laptops, often several at once. We check what happens when ports are shared, how warm things get and whether claimed capacity holds up. We don’t run specific testing using technical gear.
smart home
Smart home kit lives in the house for the whole review. We test setup, app quality, reliability, and how well it plays with ecosystems like Alexa, Google, Matter and Home Assistant.
independence and affiliate links
Almost all of the products we review are supplied by the brands that make them, either on loan or to keep. That’s how almost every tech publication works, and it doesn’t come with conditions or expectations.
As a general rule, brands don’t get to see a draft of our reviews before they’re published, however we will supply this if asked. Brands don’t get to request changes unless our reviewer has fundamentally made an error, though we will happily revisit after publication if something we highlighted has been updated with firmware or software updates.
Some of the links on Mediaberry are affiliate links. If you buy something through one, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps keep the site running, but it never decides what we review, what we say or what score something gets, and we’re just as happy to link a product we’ve given a 5 or give something a 10 that doesn’t have an affiliate program.
Occasionally we may publish sponsored articles, for example a brand’s sale or announcement. If an article is sponsored it will always be clearly labelled as such, and it’s never a review with a score.
keeping reviews up to date
Tech changes after launch. If we are notified that a product has changed enough to affect a verdict, or if something we specifically flagged has been addressed, we will revisit and validate the fix. If this changes anything in the review, we’ll note what changed and show the date it was updated in the sidebar.
If you think something in a review is wrong or out of date, email our editor.
Last updated: 25 October 2026