Examining the Methodology Behind Laptop Assessments on Our Site
In the world of technology, understanding the performance of a laptop is crucial for both consumers and manufacturers. To provide an accurate and comprehensive evaluation, several benchmark tests are commonly used to assess the capabilities of Windows laptops. Here's an overview of some of the most popular benchmark tests:
CPU and GPU Performance
- Geekbench 5 and 6 (Primate Labs) measure CPU and GPU performance across multiple platforms, including real-world single-core and multi-core tests.
- Cinebench R23 focuses on CPU performance by rendering a complex 3D scene, testing multi-threading and single-threaded capabilities.
Productivity Workloads
- PCMark 10 is a comprehensive productivity benchmark that simulates real-world tasks like document creation, web browsing, video conferencing, image, and video editing. It also has variants like PCMark 10 Applications focusing on office and browser apps optimised for both x86 and ARM architectures.
- 3DMark Suite includes tests such as Fire Strike (DirectX 11), Time Spy (DirectX 12), Night Raid (for integrated graphics), and Steel Nomad, primarily evaluating GPU and gaming performance.
- UL Procyon Photo and Video Benchmarks measure photo and video editing performance where supported.
Gaming and Graphics Capabilities
Additional gaming benchmarks like Guardians of the Galaxy, The Rift Breaker, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and older popular titles like Civilization VI (medium presets) are used to assess gaming and graphics capabilities on laptops.
System Responsiveness and Thermal Management
- BrowserBench.org's Speedometer 3 measures web application performance through browser-centric workloads.
- Thermal and Heat Testing involve running prolonged video playback (4K/8K YouTube videos) to assess heat generation and thermal management on the keyboard, touchpad, and underside surfaces.
Specialised Tests for Chromebooks and Apple Laptops
For Chromebooks, Geekbench, JetStream 2, WebXPRT 4, CrXPRT 2, and a custom-designed app for Chrome OS are used to test performance, battery life, and other aspects. Apple laptops require tweaks to some tests (such as file copy and battery tests) to come up with equivalent results.
Complementary Tests
UL Procyon offers tests for photo editing and video editing, which provide a nice complement to the PugetBench suite. Futuremark's graphics benchmarking software 3DMark is used to measure video hardware performance. The base Fire Strike and Time Spy tests are run, reporting on DirectX 11 and DX12 gaming performance.
Subjective Evaluation and Ratings
In addition to these benchmark tests, a subjective evaluation involves a writer living with the laptop for a few days to a week to evaluate its usability, design, features, and target audience. Ratings are assigned on a scale of 1 to 5 stars, with half-star ratings possible, and Laptop's Editor's Choice award recognises products that are the very best in their categories.
Continuous Improvement
The testing process is always re-evaluated to ensure the information provided meets the needs of users and represents the current state of the art in the industry.
These benchmark tests ensure comprehensive coverage of CPU, GPU, productivity workloads, gaming, and system responsiveness. They are widely adopted by expert reviewers such as CNET, HotHardware, Laptop Mag, and Tom's Guide, which routinely use this suite to compare Windows laptop performance in a standardised and real-world relevant manner.
- For a more subjective evaluation, a writer might live with a Mac laptop for several days to a week, assessing its usability, design, features, and target audience.
- Understanding the battery life of a laptop notebook is crucial for general-news articles and lifestyle reviews, as it can significantly impact the user experience.
- To ensure the laptop's processor delivers impressive performance, tech enthusiasts might opt for a Windows-based system equipped with a powerful CPU, such as an Intel i7 or AMD Ryzen 9.
- The Cinebench R23 benchmark test, which focuses on CPU performance, is commonly used to evaluate Windows laptops, as well as macOS and Linux systems.
- The PugetBench suite, combined with UL Procyon's tests for photo editing and video editing, provides a comprehensive evaluation of a laptop's performance and capabilities.
- With the increasing popularity of gaming laptops, experts often use performance-focused benchmarks, such as Guardians of the Galaxy or Shadow of the Tomb Raider, to assess their graphics capabilities.
- The benchmark test results for a Windows laptop can greatly influence a technology review, helping readers decide whether it meets their budget, performance, or storage needs.
- To ensure accurate comparisons, expert reviewers like CNET, HotHardware, Laptop Mag, and Tom's Guide routinely use standardised benchmark tests.
- To test performance, battery life, and other aspects specifically on Chromebooks, custom-designed apps for Chrome OS are used alongside Geekbench, JetStream 2, WebXPRT 4, and CrXPRT 2.
- The 3DMark graphics benchmarking software is employed to measure video hardware performance across various platforms, including Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS, providing a meaningful evaluation of gaming laptops or general-performance devices.
