How the Versus score is built

Every product belongs to exactly one category. The category determines which spec keys count toward the score and what the normalisation caps are. A flagship spec on a smartphone (camera megapixels, peak brightness, chipset benchmark) is different from a flagship spec on an SSD (sequential read, sequential write, TBW endurance). Mixing those across categories would be meaningless, so we do not.

The full list of category rules lives in the source spec extractors. Each category has a curated set of spec keys, a headline metric used as the sort key on the leaderboard, and per-key caps that anchor the 100-point scale.

Every spec value on every product page comes from the manufacturer datasheet and is cross-checked against retailer-published specification tables. When the two diverge, the manufacturer wins. Marketing pages on either side are not used as primary sources.

For categories where the manufacturer publishes a benchmark (CPU cinebench, GPU 3DMark, phone Geekbench), we record the benchmark alongside the headline clock speed so the score can pivot to real performance rather than nominal frequency.

Within a category each spec key is normalised against the flagship cap. The fastest GPU sets the 100-point benchmark for ray-tracing performance in the graphics-cards category. The longest-battery headphones set the 100-point benchmark for playback hours in the over-ear-headphones category. Below-flagship products are scored as a fraction of the cap, not by raw deltas.

Boolean specs (does the product support Wi-Fi 7, does the panel ship with HDR certification) contribute fixed weighted points when present and zero when absent. Tied specs across a category receive identical scores.

Every category exposes a single headline metric on the leaderboard. Capacity for SSDs. Refresh rate for monitors. Battery hours for headphones. The headline metric is the primary sort option on the category page. The Versus score remains the default sort and captures the multi-dimensional balance.

The catalogue keeps every product that compareelectronic has ever scored, including discontinued models. Discontinued products keep their score because the score is a statement about their specifications, not about availability. Listing pages tuck discontinued products behind buyable ones so the buy-today shopper sees the current market first.

Affiliate commission is not an input. Sponsored placements are not an input because we do not accept them. Retailer relationships are not an input. Aesthetic or brand bias is not an input. The score is a pure function of specifications and the category rules.

If a spec value looks wrong, send the product URL and the manufacturer source to hello@compareelectronic.com. We verify and update within 48 hours.