Technologies

How CNET tests phones

What goes into a CNET smartphone review

Phones are much more than communication devices; they’re our gateway to the internet. They’ve become the center of our daily lives, housing our personal information, work essentials, personal memories and enabling us to reflect our personalities online. That’s why CNET conducts rigorous tests to help you find the right phone for your budget and needs.

When reviewing phones, we take a variety of factors into account such as camera quality, battery life, design, software and longevity. Every phone is different, but our testing allows us to answer the same question in each review: Is this phone worth buying? We evaluate phones based on the quality of their hardware and software, whether they introduce any meaningful new innovations and whether they’re the right price.

We replace our personal phone with the test unit during the review period so that we can get an accurate impression of what it’s like to rely on the device for daily tasks. In addition to this anecdotal usage, we also conduct specific side-by-side tests against other phones as part of the evaluation process.

We generally test phones against their immediate predecessor, competing phones from other companies or another phone within the same product line (for instance, iPhone 14 versus iPhone 14 Pro). We focus on whichever comparisons are most useful for helping our readers navigate the buying decision, and that may vary depending on the phone. Whenever possible, we work all three types of comparisons into a review.

Some of these methodologies are relatively new to CNET’s testing procedures, so you may not see them in all of our reviews from 2022. We’re in the process of updating our current reviews with these tests and plan to implement them fully in 2023.

Below is a general overview of what goes into a CNET smartphone review.

Testing smartphone cameras

The camera is the biggest area where companies like Apple, Samsung, Google and OnePlus typically make improvements to new models each year, and our reviews put phone maker’s claims to the test. We take photos in a variety of circumstances and lighting conditions, including bright outdoor areas, dim indoor settings and mixed lighting.

We capture a variety of subjects (objects, pets and people) to assess boldness, sharpness, skintones and color accuracy. We test all of the phone’s main lenses (wide, telephoto and ultrawide), front-facing cameras as well as different shooting styles, like portrait mode and night mode. Our reviews also cover useful editing features or shooting modes that are specific to the device, such as the Google Pixel 7’s Face Unblur or the iPhone’s Cinematic Mode.

Part of these tests include side-by-side photo comparisons between the phone we’re reviewing and previous phones we’ve tested. We evaluate a phone’s cameras on their consistency as well as how they stack up against the competition. All photos are straight out of camera and accessed without any edits, unless specifically noted. Beyond the initial impressions we get from viewing these photos on a phone’s screen, we also upload them to a computer and view them alongside one another on a monitor. This reduces any bias that may come from the different screens on each phone. It also makes it easier to view discrepancies in clarity and color between each photo.

We also capture video with the review phone and judge it on its image and audio quality. Just because a phone can capture 6K or 8K video doesn’t mean it’s good. Unlike the computational photography algorithms that Google, Apple, Samsung and others apply to photos, videos remain relatively less processed, making it easier to critique a camera’s strengths and flaws.

Testing smartphone performance

The performance section of our reviews examines how responsive phones are in everyday use, how well they juggle multiple tasks and how they fare during benchmark tests.

We do this by observing how quickly phones can open apps and launch the camera. We also note whether the phone has an adaptive refresh rate setting and how this improves performance if at all (for example, whether this makes animations and scrolling feel smoother). We also look for signs of lag when running multiple apps (such as using a social media app or playing a game while on a video call), or playing an online multiplayer game with the highest graphics settings.

In addition to these everyday tasks, we also run a series of benchmarks designed to test a phone’s computing power and graphics performance. These tests include Geekbench 5 for general CPU performance and 3DMark Wild Life Extreme for graphics. We also run the same tests on other phones that we’re comparing our test device to.

Testing smartphone battery life

We test battery life in three ways: through an anecdotal stress test, a video streaming test and by observing battery life after everyday use. As noted earlier, these tests are relatively new and we’re still in the process of adding them to our 2022 reviews.

The anecdotal stress test measures how much the battery drains after 45 minutes of general usage. We do a little bit of everything during this test to mimic authentic everyday experiences. That includes streaming video, using social media apps, playing a game, making a video call and other miscellaneous tasks like checking email. After this 45 minutes of mixed usage, we mark down the percentage of battery drain. To keep the test consistent between phones, we perform each of those tasks for roughly 10 minutes. We also keep the screen brightness set to 50%, turn off the always-on display and keep the high refresh rate setting on (if there is one).

The streaming test monitors how much the battery drains over a three-hour period while viewing a video on YouTube. We use the same video each time for consistency and set the screen brightness to 100%. We also disable settings that automatically dim or brighten the screen, connect to Wi-Fi and turn on the adaptive or high refresh rate setting if applicable. We take battery percentages at the one-hour, two-hour and three-hour marks.

Since we use test phones as our regular devices, we also discuss how long the battery has lasted in everyday use based on our experience. Often, our practical experience with a phone’s battery life can give us the most accurate prediction of what others might expect if they bought the same phone.

Testing smartphone design, software and display

Our smartphone reviews also encompass other areas like design, software and display quality. Design can be subjective, but we generally look for factors such as durability (water and dust resistance ratings), how easy the phone is to operate with one hand, the build quality and whether the design is unique or interesting in any way. For display quality, we’ll mention factors like brightness, how easy it is to see in sunlight and sharpness and color.

Software is another key part of CNET’s smartphone reviews. We mention any new or noteworthy features and how long the phone will support new versions of Android (or iOS respectively) and security updates.

Our written review tells you everything we feel and experienced, but we also give each phone overall score and star rating to provide a different context. A $450 phone might lack all the features that a $1,000 phone has, but its value might mean it gets a higher score. We also update these ratings based on a variety of factors, including software changes and quality control issues.

Reviews will always vary depending on the device, but these are the core tenets that make up a CNET smartphone evaluation. Determining a phone’s overall value is our guiding principle in every smartphone review. Our reviews shed light on whether a new phone lives up to its expectations, who the phone is for and whether it delivers on its promises for the price. We are always evaluating our own testing methodologies and looking for ways to improve, so expect to see more updates in the future.

Technologies

Tariff Tracker: We’re Watching Prices for 11 Products You Might Need to Buy

Tariffs got you concerned about the future? We’re here to show you how President Trump’s new import taxes are affecting the prices of popular products like iPhones, video games and coffee.

President Donald Trump’s extensive new tariffs are expected to have huge, widespread effects on prices in the US, pushing them upward for popular products. Recently, companies like Microsoft, Mattel and Canon announced or warned of price increases in the near future and cast doubt on returning manufacturing to the US. Meanwhile, Trump touted a trade deal with the United Kingdom on Thursday, but the actual content of that agreement was minimal and not likely to have a significant impact.

That’s a lot of bad news and uncertain solutions to take in. If all that noise and worry has you unsure about the costs you’ll face in the near future, we’re here to lend you a hand.

It may not be long before other products become more expensive — assuming they’re still available for purchase at all. The last Chinese imports unaffected by new tariffs arrived in US ports last week, but fewer new shipments are expected in the coming weeks, with reports of empty US ports causing grave concerns about empty shelves in the near future.

Since Trump’s April 9 announcement of steep tariffs against nearly every country, experts have expressed concerns about what they will mean for prices for average, everyday consumers. Tariffs are essentially a tax on imports, paid by the companies importing products. Those additional costs, in one way or another, will most likely be passed down to you, the person trying to buy a new phone, laptop or even your daily coffee. So we’ve decided to try and keep track.

On this page, we’ll be tracking the real impacts of tariffs on 11 specific products and how their prices evolve over the course of 2025. Mostly, they’re electronics and digital items that CNET covers in depth, like iPhones and affordable 4K TVs. We’ll also track a typical bag of coffee, a more humble product that isn’t produced in the US to any significant degree.

We’ll be updating this article regularly as prices change. It’s all in the name of helping you make sense of things so be sure to check back every so often. For more, check out CNET’s guide to whether you should wait to make big purchases or buy them now and get experts tips about how to prepare for a recession.

Methodology

In most cases, the price stats used in these graphs were pulled from Amazon using the historical price tracker tool Keepa. For the iPhones, the prices come from Apple’s official materials and are based on the 128-gigabyte base model of the latest offering for each year: the iPhone 14, iPhone 15 and iPhone 16. For the Xbox Series X, the prices were sourced from Best Buy using the tool PriceTracker. If any of these products happen to be on sale at a given time, we’ll be sure to let you know and explain how those price drops differ from longer-term pricing trends that tariffs can cause.

The 11 products we’re tracking

The products featured were chosen for a few reasons: Some of them are popular and/or affordable representatives for major consumer tech categories, like smartphones, TVs and game consoles. Others are meant to represent things that consumers might buy more frequently, like 3D printer filament or coffee beans. Some products were chosen over others because they are likely more susceptible to tariffs. Some of these products have been reviewed by CNET or have been featured in some of our best lists.

iPhone 16, 128GB
Duracell AA batteries, 24-pack
Samsung DU7200 65-inch TV
Xbox Series X
Apple AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C case
Overture PLA 3D printer filament
Anker 10,000-mAh, 30-watt power bank
Bose TV speaker
Oral-B Pro 1000 electric toothbrush
Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook, 256GB
Starbucks 28-ounce ground dark roast coffee

Below, we’ll get into more about each individual product.

iPhone 16

The iPhone is the most popular smartphone brand in the US so this was a clear priority for price tracking. The iPhone has also emerged as a major focal point for conversations about tariffs, given its popularity and its susceptibility to import taxes given its overseas production, largely in China. Trump has reportedly been fixated on the idea that the iPhone can and should be manufactured in the US, an idea that experts have dismissed as a fantasy. Estimates have also suggested that a US-made iPhone would cost as much as $3,500.

In April, Apple flew bulk shipments of iPhones into the US to get a stockpile here ahead of tariffs kicking in. In recent weeks, reports have indicated that the company is working on moving all manufacturing of US-bound iPhones out of China to India to evade the worst of Trump’s tariff agenda. However, it’s also been reported that the iPhone 19, planned for release in 2027, will need to stay in China, because of the level of complexity planned for its design, tied to the iPhone line’s 20th anniversary.

Duracell AA batteries

A lot of the tech products in your home might boast a rechargeable energy source but individual batteries are still an everyday essential and I can tell you from experience that as soon as you forget about them, you’ll be needing to restock. The DuraCell AAs we’re tracking are some of the bestselling batteries on Amazon.

Samsung DU7200 TV

Alongside smartphones, televisions are some of the most popular tech products out there, even if for any given household, they’re an infrequent purchase. This particular product is a popular entry-level 4K TV and was CNET’s pick for best overall budget TV for 2025. Unlike a lot of tech products that have key supply lines in China, Samsung is a South Korean brand so it might have some measure of tariff resistance.

Xbox Series X

Video game software and hardware are a market segment expected to be hit hard by the Trump tariffs. Microsoft’s Xbox is the first console brand to see price hikes — the company cited «market conditions» along with the rising cost of development. Most notably, this included an increase in the price of the flagship Xbox Series X, up from $500 to $600. Numerous Xbox accessories were also affected, and the company also said that «certain» games will eventually see a price hike from $70 to $80.

Initially, we were tracking the price of the much more popular Nintendo Switch as a representative of the gaming market. Nintendo has not yet hiked the price of its handheld-console hybrid and stressed that the $450 price tag of the upcoming Switch 2 has not yet been inflated because of tariffs. Sony, meanwhile, has so far only increased prices on its PlayStation hardware in markets outside the US.

AirPods Pro 2

The latest iteration of Apple’s wildly popular true-wireless earbuds are here to represent the headphone market. Much to the chagrin of the audiophiles out there, a quick look at sales charts on Amazon shows you just how much the brand dominates all headphone sales. While the AirPods Pro 2 have hovered steadily around $200 on Amazon in 2025, they have been on sale for around $170 since the start of May.

Overture PLA 3D printer filament

As 3D printers continue to grow in popularity, more owners will need to replenish the filament that the machines use to make things. This material is just as susceptible to tariffs as the printers themselves but consumers will most certainly be buying it more often than they buy a new machine.

Anker 10,000-mAh, 30-watt power bank

Anker’s accessories are perennially popular in the tech space and the company has already announced that some of its products will get more expensive as a direct result of tariffs. This specific product has also been featured in some of CNET’s lists of the best portable chargers.

Bose TV speaker

Soundbars have become important purchases, given the often iffy quality of the speakers built into TVs. While not the biggest or the best offering in the space, the Bose TV Speaker is one of the more affordable soundbar options out there, especially hailing from a brand as popular as Bose.

Oral-B Pro 1000 electric toothbrush

They might be a lot more expensive than their traditional counterparts, but electric toothbrushes remain a popular choice for consumers because of how well they get the job done. I know my dentist won’t let up on how much I need one. This particular Oral-B offering was CNET’s overall choice for the best electric toothbrush for 2025.

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook

Lenovo is notable among the big laptop manufacturers for being a Chinese company making its products especially susceptible to Trump’s tariffs.

Starbucks Ground Coffee (28 oz. bag)

Coffee is included in this tracker because of its ubiquity —I’m certainly drinking too much of it these days —and because it’s uniquely susceptible to Trump’s tariff agenda. Famously, coffee beans can only be grown within a certain distance from Earth’s equator, a tropical span largely outside the US and known as the «Coffee Belt.»

Hawaii is the only part of the US that can produce coffee beans, with data from USAFacts showing that 11.5 million pounds were harvested there in the 2022-23 season — little more than a drop in the mug, as the US consumed 282 times that amount of coffee during that period. Making matters worse, Hawaiian coffee production has declined in the past few years.

All that to say: Americans get almost all of their coffee from overseas, making it one of the most likely products to see price hikes from tariffs.

Technologies

ESPN Reportedly Settles on a Super Simple Name for its New Streaming App

The new all-access ESPN app will be different from the ESPN Plus app and include live sports and more.

Companies love to throw the words plus, premium or pro in the names of streaming services to tease extra features worth paying extra for. Now, CNBC is reporting that ESPN has chosen the name of its coming standalone streaming service, and it’s going back to basics: The app will just be called «ESPN.» If true, that’s a simple but practical choice in a market cluttered with streaming services.

«Sports fans — and cord-cutters — should keep an eye on its launch as it’s also set to house content from both ESPN Plus and ESPN’s cable networks, which air live coverage for college football and basketball, NFL, NBA, NHL and WNBA,» said Kourtnee Jackson, streaming editor for CNET.

Read more: Best live TV streaming services

The service is expected to arrive in the fall of 2025. On Disney’s quarterly earnings call Wednesday, Disney CEO Bob Iger said that pricing and bundling deals will drop next week. Previously reported cost estimates were $25 or $30 monthly.

Different than ESPN Plus

The streaming service will include everything that ESPN offers, including live sporting events, documentaries, studio programming and programming on other cable networks like ESPN2, SEC Network and ESPN on ABC. Fantasy sports content and a new interactive betting element — which has yet to be explained — will also be included.

Despite the similar names, the new ESPN streaming service is separate from ESPN Plus, the company’s existing streaming channel. ESPN Plus offers on-demand original content like docuseries and some live sports. It lacks the majority of live games that air on the ESPN cable channel, like MLB and NBA games, an area that the new streaming service will fill. ESPN Plus will remain the less expensive offering at $12 per month, or bundled with Disney+ and Hulu for $17.

Some will get it automatically

ESPN isn’t new, of course. The new ESPN streaming service is just the latest product, building on the concept of the cable channel and the existing ESPN Plus app. There’s a good chance that you may already pay for an existing subscription, perhaps through your cable system.

«One thing to keep in mind is that Disney plans to have additional features in its standalone ESPN streaming service that will not be available on its linear channel,» said Jackson. Linear channel refers to the traditional, non-streaming version of ESPN.

Though regular ESPN subscribers may not have the features now, they will once the service comes out. According to CNBC’s report, those who pay for ESPN through their cable provider will automatically get the new streaming service. This won’t be the case for ESPN Plus users.

A representative for Disney didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Technologies

I Finally Gave My Teen the AirPods Pro 2. At $80 Off, They’re Totally Worth It

They’ve given her joy, she hasn’t lost them yet and at 32% off the regular price — I’m a happy bargain hunting father.

My 13-year-old daughter loves her music and her privacy, and for years she has wanted a pair of AirPods. I always considered them too expensive, so I bought her cheaper headphones like the Amazon Echo Buds. After expressing her disappointment in not getting «real» AirPods, she ended up «losing» those cheap headphones… somehow.

So last year, when I saw that the actual Apple AirPods Pro 2 were on sale for $169, I pounced. She’s happy, she uses them every day and she hasn’t lost them yet. Now the Apple AirPods 2 are on sale again, so if you’re looking for a pair of headphones that will satisfy your teen, you might want to consider pouncing too.

Why I didn’t wait for the AirPods Pro 3

Rumors abound that Apple will replace the Pro 2 with an updated Pro 3 version later this year. My kid wanted headphones sooner, so I got her the Pro 2s. But if you’re on the fence, here’s my perspective.

The main improvements to the Pro 3 are said to be heart-rate monitoring like the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 have, as well as a new design. Other speculation points to improved sound and processing with Apple’s H3 chip, temperature sensors, built-in infrared cameras, a touchscreen on the case, live translation of languages and more. There’s no way to know what they actually will have, but I do know that they’ll be more expensive than the Pro 2 (especially at this sale price). I don’t think those new features are going to be worth the money, however.

Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money.

You might have a different take, especially if you want heart-rate monitoring on your headphones for fitness sessions or one of those rumored extras. In that case it might be worth waiting to see what the new versions include. The AirPods Pro 3 are expected to be announced in September and on sale soon after.

Why I didn’t get the AirPods 4 instead

Why did I choose AirPods Pro 2 instead of the newer AirPods 4 with ANC? First off, as I mentioned in another article about a different pair of earbuds I bought, I think sealed, in-ear buds are better than open-design models like the AirPods 4. The seal creates another layer of noise isolation and contributes to superior sound quality, and if you want to pay attention to the world you can always engage ambient sound mode, which Apple calls transparency mode.

Also a factor was the commentary of CNET reviewer David Carnoy, who considers the Pro 2 the best Apple noise-canceling wireless earbuds: «While we’re quite impressed with those new models — and with the AirPods 4 ANC in particular — the AirPods Pro 2 remain arguably the best Apple AirPods you can buy if you don’t mind having silicone ear tips jammed in your ears.»

My daughter uses earplugs all the time to help her sleep, so she definitely qualifies as somebody who’s comfortable stuffing things in her ears. Like her fingers, when I start using words like «sigma,» «skibidi» and «relatable» to try to relate to her.

I asked Carnoy about the Pro 2s potentially not fitting in her kid-size ears and he reassured me that the range of eartips that come with the Pro 2s «now include XS, so they should fit.»

Should you buy now with threat of tariffs?

It’s no secret that President Donald Trump’s tariffs are leading to higher prices for a lot of things, including electronics. We’re actually tracking the price of the AirPods Pro 2 in our tariff tracker and as of press time the price has actually decreased since January.

If you’re in the market for AirPods 2 now anyway, now is a good time to buy. A Reuters report from April says AirPods could be subject to a 39% price hike to cover tariff costs, but the tariff situation is fluid, so I wouldn’t use that potential increase as a reason to buy now. If you wait until the new model comes out later this year, the price on the older AirPods Pro 2 might even get lower.

Do AirPods make a great gift?

It took me years to finally understand, but yes, for someone looking for wireless earbuds, AirPods — especially the Apple AirPods Pro 2 — make the perfect gift, regardless of whether you’re a teenage girl or not.

If you’re looking for more gifting options, check out our roundups of the best tech gifts under $100 and the best graduation gifts for 2025.