How We Test
At Club386, we're more than just tech enthusiasts, we’re your trusted partners in navigating the ever-evolving world of technology with a combined experience of over 50 years in the industry. Whether you're hunting for the perfect upgrade or starting fresh, we ensure our strict evaluations paint the full picture so you can spend your hard-earned money as wisely as possible.
Tailored Verification
We put so many devices to the test that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, we’ve crafted bespoke processes to suit each, guaranteeing the best benchmarks possible. The only things shared across all our reviews is that we’ve handled them personally and they’re our honest opinions that aren’t influenced by partners or advertisers.
Tests are the same regardless of whether it’s an air cooler or AIO. We first check the ambient conditions to ensure room temperature is consistent with our previous reviews to mitigate extraneous factors whenever we can.
Currently, we use Intel Core i9-13900K since it runs appropriately toasty at a high wattage. Our first pass lets the CPU idle and record the average temperatures using CPU-Z and average noise levels using a Tadeto sound level meter over ten minutes. This is then repeated under load of Cinebench at 600RPM, 1,200RPM, and max RPM across 153W and 253W modes.
Processors are versatile chips built to handle a multitude of different tasks. We put CPUs to the test in everything we can find, from synthetic benchmarks like Blender to real-world applications such as Adobe Photoshop, and a selection of games that change every year. Throughout, we record temperatures with CPU-Z and keep a close eye to spot any potential thermal throttling.
To make it easier, we round each review off with a Club386 CPU Efficiency Rating that divides Cinebench 2024 multi-core scores by the system-wide wattage, and a Value Rating that takes the same benchmark and divides it by the launch price. This way, you can see the worth of each processor at a glance.
Putting GPUs through their paces has become something more than simple benchmarks. We still use trusty 3DMark to get a baseline, but each model is defined by a robust feature set that can transform your gaming or rendering experiences. From ray tracing to the upscaler wars pitting Nvidia DLSS against AMD FSR and Intel XeSS, we consider it all.
Games are the most important factor here, as we track the minimum and average frame rates across multiple titles at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K resolutions. Our range of tested games changes as engines evolve, but current staples include Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Cyberpunk 2077, and Final Fantasy XIV.
Since RAM has a hand in most tasks, it benefits from all the same tests as CPUs. Higher frequencies can move the needle forward in AIDA64, Blender, and Cinebench 2024. Usually, there are only a couple of frames in it when it comes to games, but there are no holds barred when getting the competitive edge.
From reviewing latencies to Intel XMP and AMD EXPO compatibility, we make sure you get the best bang for your buck. RGB lighting isn’t part of our criteria, but it’s a welcome addition from time to time.
We’ve had our hands on all different panel types. Fortunately, it’s the same process to put TN, VA, IPS, Mini-LED, and OLED through their paces. First, we turn the screen on for 30 minutes to give it a chance to warm up. The days of CRT and plasma are long gone but LED still has a ramp time.
Once it’s ready, we put our Datacolor Spyder X2 Ultra to work, calculating colour accuracy, gamut, brightness, contrast ratio, black levels, and uniformity. We also use a power meter to showcase how much juice it sips, from its lowest brightness on a dark screen to its highest with a pure white background.
When it comes to motherboards, we dissect the build process to outline its ease of use and compare feature sets, such as rear connectors, USB and visual connectivity, BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) / UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface), and build quality.
A motherboard’s moxie often comes down to the minutiae when comparing models in the same generation, even between top brands like ASRock, MSI, and Gigabyte. This includes VRM and capacity placement, plus power handling. We shine a light on performance through benchmarks and read temperatures using an infrared thermometer.
With a NAS, we start by assessing the build quality and aesthetics, making sure it looks the part before moving onto installation and setup. Once it’s pieced together, we dive into the accompanying software to factor in ease of use. Finally, we get into the nitty gritty with read and write speeds, temperatures, noise, power consumption over a 10Gb connection.
LAN switches are a different beast, as we measure the specs claims with real-world performance. We also enjoy cranking open the lid to see what’s underneath and pointing our thermal gun to get a handle on cooling.
Getting into chassis is a mixture of style and substance. Since aesthetics come down to personal taste, we provide the best quality photos possible so you can make an informed decision based on your preferences, regardless of whether it’s tempered glass or mesh, black or white.
Practical tests require we strip it down to its skeleton and build Intel and AMD systems inside. Merits come down to ease of process, front I/O, and how well it makes use of its internal spacing. You’ll regularly see us trying to cram the biggest AIO radiator possible, just to push it to its limits.
Keyboards, mice, and headsets are a story of two halves. On one side, we have our traditional benchmarks to figure out battery life with and without lighting, wireless reliability, customisability, and software functionality if there is any.
The other side is more anecdotal, using our wealth of experience across experts in our team. While we can only judge based on our preference of switch, shape, and sound profile, we describe each with nuance to give you a vivid picture.
PSU tests are fundamentally the same as they have been over the past 20 years. We plug it into a Chroma power supply test unit that differentiates between wide-loads and low-loads across different wattages to determine the efficiency. We also factor in 12V regulation and ripple suppression at different power levels.
Built-in cooling attempts to keep temperatures in check, but this naturally generates noise. We track sound levels and thermals throughout the entire process and compare them with rival PSUs.
CrystalDiskMark sequential read and write speed tests are our best friend when it comes to storage tests, letting us compare with a brand’s claimed frequencies. We also pit them against 3DMark Storage, PCMark10, Specworkstation, and Iometer to gauge productivity.
Keen to include real-world examples, we also track loading times in a few games. These vary depending on our current selection, but currently include Final Fantasy and Battlefield V. Temperature is also an increasing concern as faster drives run hotter than ever, meaning we keep a close eye on temperatures.
Complete systems require full-body testing, borrowing much of the methodologies from CPUs, coolers, memory, SSDs, and graphics cards. This means lots of benchmarks to measure frequency speeds, latency, and gaming frame rates from head to toe.
Laptops demand all the same tests as their fixed counterparts but with a screen on top. This means it shares the same sensor-based checks as monitors to gauge colour calibration, from the panel’s accuracy to its DCI-P3 coverage. The most unique thing here is portability, dictating we run battery life tests to see how long it lasts in different tasks. Spoiler alert: gaming usually makes short work of them all.