We test each phone in real-world scenarios and focus on its features, design, performance, camera, battery life and overall value. We document our findings in our initial review and update regularly when there are new software updates or compare them to new phones from competitors like Apple, Samsung, Google, and OnePlus.
The SOS feature debuts on the iPhone 14 series, and we tested the feature to see how it works.
photography
Photography is the main focus of most phones these days, so we capture photos and videos of a variety of subjects in a variety of settings and lighting scenarios. We tried any new camera mode, like the ProRes Log video first introduced with the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, or the Magic Editor photo tool introduced with the Google Pixel 8 series.
Battery Life
Battery testing can be performed in a variety of ways. We evaluate the phone’s battery life during daily use and record its performance during more intensive sessions such as video calls, media streaming and gaming. We also ran a video playback test as a simple, reproducible measure of pure battery life, which isn’t always included in initial reviews but is sometimes added in updates.
performance measurement
We use benchmarking apps to measure each phone’s performance, combined with our own anecdotal experience using the phones for review. Most notable is the look of the graphics and animations. Are they smooth? Do they lag or stutter? We also looked at how quickly the phone switches between horizontal and vertical orientations, and how quickly the camera app opens and is ready to take a picture.
We also test each phone we review for basic functions, such as making calls.
We perform processor-intensive tasks such as editing photos, exporting videos, and playing games. We evaluate whether new versions of specific phones include enough features to make them worth upgrading from older models.
read more: How we test phones
