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How we test and rank
Every ranking on Empire Reviews follows the same process. This is the standard our editorial team is held to.
We buy or long-term borrow every product
Nothing is ranked from a spec sheet alone. If we have not used it, it does not get a verdict.
We score on a fixed rubric
Performance, build quality, value for money, support and real-world reliability -- each weighted the same for every product in a category.
Commission never moves a ranking
We may earn a commission if you buy through our links, but the order of our picks is set BEFORE links are attached. The honest best pick is always shown first, even when it pays us nothing.
We re-test and update
Categories are revisited as new products launch or firmware/pricing changes. The year in the title is the last full review pass.
The editorial rule, in plain terms: we may earn affiliate commissions, but a product is ranked BEFORE any link is attached. If the best product in a category pays us nothing, it still gets the #1 spot and the Top Pick badge. A review site that hides the real winner to chase a commission is not worth reading — so we do not do it.