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

PlayStation Plus Subscribers Can Get Chromed Out in Cyberpunk 2077 Now

Subscribers — and their kids — can also play other games on PlayStation Plus, like the Bluey game, soon.

When CD Projekt Red launched Cyberpunk 2077 in 2020, the game was plagued by bugs and glitches. Since then, the company has provided free updates and patches to the game to make it a fun, engaging and award-winning experience. And some PlayStation Plus subscribers can now play this dystopian, sci-fi game.

PlayStation Plus is Sony’s version of Xbox Game Pass, and it offers subscribers a large and constantly expanding library of games. There are three PlayStation Plus tiers — Essential ($10 a month), Extra ($15 a month) and Premium ($18 a month) — and each gives subscribers access to games. However, only Extra and Premium tier subscribers can access the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog.

Here are all the games Extra and Premium subscribers can play soon. You can also check out the games all PS Plus subscribers can play in July, including Diablo 4. Note, Sony will add these games to the PS Plus Game Catalog on July 15 unless otherwise noted.

Cyberpunk 2077

Welcome to Night City, where corporations control everything, crime is around every corner, and almost everyone has cybernetic implants called chrome. You play as a local mercenary named V, and after a heist goes bad, you have to figure out a way to survive with everyone gunning for you. And if that wasn’t enough, Keanu Reeves is in this game as a terrorist named Johnny Silverhand, because, well, he has a silver cybernetic hand.

PS Plus Extra and Premium subscribers can play this game now.

Bluey: The Videogame

The game, based on the popular animated series, is coming to the PS Plus Game Catalog on Tuesday. You can play as Bandit, Chili, Bingo or Bluey as you explore areas from the show, like the Heeler house, the playground and the creek. You can also play games from the show, like Keepy Uppy and Chattermax Chase. And who knows, maybe you’ll see some gray nomads while you’re playing.

Abiotic Factor

Science meets violence in this 1990s-inspired sci-fi survival game. You and up to five other players can choose your areas of expertise, build your scientist and explore a massive, top-secret underground complex filled with artifacts and supernatural horrors that could tear you limb from limb. And remember, safety, security and secrecy are of the utmost importance… usually.

PS Plus Extra and Premium subscribers can play this game on July 22.

Other games coming to PS Plus soon

PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium subscribers can play all of the games listed above, as well as the ones listed here, soon.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden
New World: Aeternum
Planet Zoo
Risk of Rain 2
Tropico 6
Twisted Metal 3*
Twisted Metal 4*

*Premium subscribers only.

For more on PlayStation Plus, here’s what to know about the service and a rundown of PS Plus Extra and Premium games added in June. You can also check out the latest and upcoming games on Xbox Game Pass and Apple Arcade.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for July 10, #290

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for July 10, No. 290

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition is a mix. The blue category was tough, and two categories require you to know athlete names. Stumped? Read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta now, making its debut on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9. That’s a sign that the game has earned enough loyal players that The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times, will continue to publish it. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but now appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can continue to play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Hockey time.

Green group hint: They could hit.

Blue group hint: Strikes and gutterballs.

Purple group hint: Same last name.

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: NHL teams, on scoreboards.

Green group: Members of baseball’s 500-HR club.

Blue group: Words often preceded by bowling.

Purple group: ____ Wagner.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is NHL teams on scoreboards. The four answers are ANA, OTT, SEA and VAN.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is members of baseball’s 500-HR club. The four answers are Aaron, Ruth, Sosa and Thome.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is words often preceded by bowling. The four answers are alley, ball, pin and shoes.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is ____ Wagner. The four answers are Aly, Billy, Franz and Honus.

Technologies

Prime Day Deal: Everyone Should Have Exactly Three Pairs of Headphones. Two of My Picks Are on Sale Today

Different situations call for different features. My favorite headphones for everyday use and for exercising are seeing impressive discounts right now.

Amazon Prime Day deal: The OnePlus Buds 3, my top choice for everyday earbuds, are 12% off for Prime Day, dropping the price to $88 from their usual list price of $100. The Beats Powerbeats Pro 2, my go-to for running, are seeing a whopping 28% discount on Amazon. That brings them down to an all-time low price of $180.

When most people ask you what your «big three» are, they’re likely inquiring about your sun, moon and rising signs. But when I ask you the same question, I’m not trying to determine your horoscope. Instead, I’m curious what your headphones and earbuds collection looks like.

After more than a decade working as a technology journalist, I’m in the fortunate position of having what most people would consider to be too much tech in my house. I make a real effort to keep it to a minimum and try not to accumulate any superfluous gadgets. But with headphones, I’ve reached the conclusion that everyone needs at least three pairs. No matter how hard I’ve tried, I can’t pare this number.

See also: Best Earbud and Headphone Deals: Bag Big Savings on Models From Apple, Sony and Others

First, there are the everyday earbuds. These are the ones that can slide into your smallest bag or your pocket and travel everywhere with you — on your commute, on your errands and on shopping trips.

Second, there are the over-ear, luxury headphones. These need to have that heady combo of great noise cancellation, audio quality and battery life, combined with a level of comfort that means you could easily wear them for an entire long-haul travel day.

Finally, if you’re serious about fitness, you need dedicated workout headphones. Could you wear either of the above pairs to go on a long run? Sure, and plenty of people do. But for the sake of longevity and your sanity, having a sweat-proof, durable pair of headphones that won’t budge may save your sanity in the short term and save you money in the long run.

If you’re trying to make one pair of headphones work in every scenario, you might feel frustrated that none are able to truly deliver the experience you want across the board. This is where my theory comes into play. It really doesn’t matter which headphones you choose for each of these purposes but I do believe they are distinct categories with little crossover.

And what are my big three? They may not be the same as yours but these are the headphones I absolutely can’t live without right now.

My everyday earbuds: OnePlus Buds 3

I will die on the hill that you shouldn’t spend more than $100 on your everyday earbuds — the kind that you will drop, accidentally bash and at some point, inevitably, lose. So much about buds comes down to personal preference on how they actually feel when tucked inside your ears.

Personally, I’ve settled on the OnePlus Buds 3, which list right at $100. They’re aesthetically pleasing in a pale blue that matches my preferred fashion color palette, and I find them to be supremely comfortable. I’ve been using them for a good six months and I don’t have any of the usual niggles I have with earbuds — by which I mean they don’t fall out of my ears or have any random, weird sound glitches.

Soundwise, I enjoy the heavy bass and find the ANC to suit my needs as a frequent traveler on public transportation. With 10 hours of battery life, plus an additional 44 in the case, these buds have never let me down. They’re not necessarily anything special but I keep reaching for them even though I have other options at my disposal.

My luxury over-ear headphones: Dali IO-8

At the other end of the spectrum, my favorite luxury headphones have transformed my longest travel days into periods of prolonged sonic bliss. I wear the Dali IO-8 headphones through airports, on plane journeys, all the way through to checking into my hotel. They also come with me on my daily hot girl walks.

With 30 hours of battery life and decent ANC, they allow me to move through the world in my own little bubble. Not only are they truly the most luxurious and comfortable headphones I’ve ever used, they also provide me with glorious sound.

You can switch between two modes: hi-fi and bass. I usually stick with the former. No matter whether I’m immersed in an audiobook, bopping away to Paramore, spacing out to Sigur Ros or getting lost once again in the depths of Taylor Swift’s back catalog, the $1,100 Dali IO-8s deliver.

My workout headphones: Beats Powerbeats Pro 2

There’s no two ways about it: I’ve tried other workout headphones and I keep coming back to Beats. I’ve been known to tie up my running shoes and be halfway out the door, then calling the whole run off because I can’t find my Powerbeats.

I’ve been a fan since the earliest Powerbeats model but the latest Powerbeats Pro 2, priced at $249, are my favorite workout headphones yet. Once in, they simultaneously feel glued to my head with a tight seal in my ear, while also being so light and comfortable I forget they’re there. This is an essential combination when you’re exercising, as the last thing you want to do is deal with any discomfort or annoyance that might distract from your workout.

CNET’s resident audio expert, David Carnoy, rated the Powerbeats Pro 2 an 8.8 out of 10, noting the improved sound quality and good noise canceling. As someone who’s long been a fan of this line, I have to agree and I’d go so far as to say this latest upgrade has made running to my favorite high-energy tracks more enjoyable than ever.