Methodology
How We Test & Review
Our editorial process combines structured data from vendor APIs, hands-on testing on our own infrastructure, and AI-assisted drafting reviewed and edited by our editorial team before publishing.
Last updated: April 2026
📡 Data Sources by Content Type
PC Games — System Requirements
- • Steam API — minimum and recommended specs are pulled directly from the Steam storefront API. Pages show a "Sourced from Steam" badge when this data is used.
- • IGDB (Twitch API) — supplementary metadata: genres, release dates, developer/publisher credits, and Metacritic scores.
- • RAWG API — secondary coverage for games not on Steam. Review aggregates and community ratings.
- • Official publisher pages — used as fallback when Steam and IGDB lack specs. Noted inline where applied.
Software & SaaS Tools
- • Product Hunt API — upvote counts, launch data, and community traction for newer tools.
- • G2, Capterra, Trustpilot — third-party review aggregates. We display ratings only when sourced from at least one of these platforms. Never fabricated.
- • Vendor pricing pages — pricing is sourced directly from each product's official pricing page. A "Verified" date is shown when we last confirmed it.
- • Direct vendor documentation — feature lists are cross-checked against official docs before publishing.
Gaming Gear (Peripherals)
- • RTINGS.com verified data — performance benchmarks for monitors and headsets where RTINGS measurements exist. Flagged as "RTINGS verified" on those pages.
- • Manufacturer specs — DPI ranges, frequency response, polling rate, etc. from official product pages.
🏆 Scoring Rubric
Ratings displayed on the site are blended scores derived from third-party review platforms (G2, Capterra, Trustpilot). We average all available sources to a single 0–5 scale. We never show a rating when no real third-party source exists.
| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 4.5 – 5.0 | Exceptional. Best-in-class. Consistently top-rated across sources. |
| 4.0 – 4.4 | Very good. Strong performer with minor trade-offs. |
| 3.5 – 3.9 | Good. Solid for specific use cases; notable weaknesses exist. |
| 3.0 – 3.4 | Average. Meets basic needs; better alternatives likely exist. |
| Below 3.0 | Weak. Significant issues; we recommend checking alternatives. |
🤖 AI-Assisted Drafting — Full Disclosure
We use large language models (LLMs) to assist with drafting product descriptions, pros/cons summaries, FAQ answers, and comparison narratives. This is not a secret. Here is exactly how it works:
- 1. Structured data is pulled from APIs (Steam, IGDB, G2, Capterra, vendor pages). This data is factual and verified.
- 2. An LLM drafts narrative copy (introductions, verdict paragraphs, FAQ answers) using the structured data as its source material. The model cannot fabricate specs or ratings — it only narrates what the data shows.
- 3. All AI-drafted content is flagged content_needs_review = true internally. It does not appear on the public site until our editorial team has reviewed it and cleared that flag.
- 4. Reviewed content carries the "TheTechVerdict Editorial" byline and a "Last tested" date reflecting when we last verified the data.
🔗 Affiliate Links & Rankings
Some links on TheTechVerdict are affiliate links — we may earn a commission if you purchase through them, at no extra cost to you. Affiliate relationships never influence rankings or editorial verdicts. Products are ranked by their blended third-party rating, not by commission rates or partner status. See our full Affiliate Disclosure and Editorial Standards.
✏️ Corrections Policy
We are committed to accuracy. If you spot an error — incorrect specs, outdated pricing, a wrong rating, or any factual mistake — please let us know:
- • Email editorial@thetechverdict.com with the page URL and the correction.
- • We aim to review reported errors within 5 business days.
- • Verified corrections are applied immediately and the page's "Last updated" date is refreshed.