How we calculate the score
The spec sheet becomes a score from 0 to 10, with public weights.
What counts toward the score
The score is the average of 5 components, each from 0 to 10. If the specs don’t list one of them, it drops out of the calculation and the weights of the others are redone; with too few components, the laptop gets no score. The weights are performance 35%, memory and storage 20%, screen 20%, portability 15% e ports and how current it is 10%.
- Performance35%
Processor family and generation and, when there is a dedicated graphics card, its model, from our own public table; with no processor identified, the laptop gets no score for this
- Memory and storage20%
RAM and storage capacity (SSD counts for more than eMMC or HDD)
- Screen20%
Resolution, panel type (OLED, IPS, VA, TN) and refresh rate
- Portability15%
Weight and battery (in Wh when the spec sheet lists it; otherwise the hours the manufacturer states)
- Ports and how current it is10%
Confirmed USB-C, Thunderbolt, HDMI and Wi-Fi generation, plus the year of the model or the processor
Processor and graphics card tables
Processor level
Public editorial order, not measured: the family sets the base level and the generation adjusts it up or down.
| Family | Level |
|---|---|
| Celeron, Pentium, Athlon and similar | 2.5 |
| Intel Core i3 | 4.0 |
| Intel Core i5 | 6.0 |
| Intel Core i7 | 7.8 |
| Intel Core i9 | 9.2 |
| Intel Core Ultra 5 | 6.8 |
| Intel Core Ultra 7 | 8.3 |
| Intel Core Ultra 9 | 9.4 |
| AMD Ryzen 3 | 4.0 |
| AMD Ryzen 5 | 6.0 |
| AMD Ryzen 7 | 7.8 |
| AMD Ryzen 9 | 9.2 |
| Snapdragon X | 7.2 |
| Snapdragon X Elite | 8.2 |
| Snapdragon 7c | 2.5 |
| Snapdragon 8cx | 4.5 |
| MediaTek | 3.0 |
| Apple M1 | 7.4 |
| Apple M2 | 8.0 |
| Apple M3 | 8.6 |
| Apple M4 | 9.1 |
| Apple M5 | 9.5 |
| Rule | Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Intel Core, 13th generation or newer | 0.0 |
| Intel Core, 12th generation | -0.5 |
| Intel Core, 11th generation | -1.3 |
| Intel Core, 10th generation | -2.0 |
| Intel Core, 9th generation or older | -3.0 |
| AMD Ryzen, 9000 series | 0.0 |
| AMD Ryzen, 8000 series | 0.0 |
| AMD Ryzen, 7000 series | -0.2 |
| AMD Ryzen, 6000 series | -0.6 |
| AMD Ryzen, 5000 series | -1.2 |
| AMD Ryzen, 4000 series | -1.8 |
| AMD Ryzen, 3000 series | -2.5 |
| H suffix (high performance) | +0.4 |
| HX suffix (maximum performance) | +1.0 |
| Apple, Pro version | +0.7 |
| Apple, Max version | +1.3 |
Dedicated graphics card level
Integrated graphics don’t score here: their performance is the processor’s.
| Model | Level |
|---|---|
| RTX 4090 | 10.0 |
| RTX 5090 | 10.0 |
| RTX 5080 | 9.8 |
| RTX 5070 Ti | 9.5 |
| RTX 4080 | 9.4 |
| RTX 3080 Ti | 9.3 |
| RTX 5070 | 9.2 |
| RTX 3080 | 9.0 |
| RTX 2080 | 8.6 |
| RTX 4070 | 8.6 |
| RTX 5060 | 8.5 |
| RTX 3070 Ti | 8.3 |
| RTX 3070 | 8.0 |
| RTX 5050 | 8.0 |
| RTX 2070 | 7.8 |
| RTX 4060 | 7.8 |
| Radeon RX 7600M | 7.3 |
| RTX 3060 | 7.2 |
| RTX 4050 | 7.2 |
| RTX 2060 | 6.8 |
| Radeon RX 6600M | 6.8 |
| RTX 3050 Ti | 6.5 |
| RTX 3050 | 6.2 |
| GTX 1660 Ti | 5.8 |
| RTX 2050 | 5.5 |
| Radeon RX 6550M | 5.3 |
| Radeon RX 6500M | 5.2 |
| GTX 1650 | 5.0 |
| GTX 1050 | 4.2 |
| GeForce MX550 | 3.8 |
| GeForce MX450 | 3.6 |
| GeForce MX350 | 3.4 |
| GeForce MX250 | 3.3 |
| GeForce MX150 | 3.0 |
What the score doesn’t consider
- Measured real-world performanceThe score uses our own table of processor and graphics card families and generations. The Radar doesn’t run benchmarks: two laptops with the same processor can perform differently.
- TemperatureHow hot the laptop gets and whether performance drops after an hour of use are not in the spec sheet.
- NoiseWhether the fan whines or gets loud when the laptop works hard is not in the spec sheet.
- Build qualityMaterial, hinge firmness, keyboard, touchpad and the real quality of the screen don’t appear in the spec sheet.
- Battery durabilityThe spec sheet may list the capacity in Wh, but not how many hours the laptop lasts or how the battery ages.
- Support, brand and the opinions of buyersRepair time, warranty and customer reviews are left out; check the store before you buy.
Two laptops with similar specs can perform differently. That’s why the score is for comparing laptops for the same use and at the same price level and finding where paying more stops paying off, not for choosing on its own.
Next step
See the score of each laptop next to the price
The chart plots all the new laptops by price and score.
How to read the score
It measures what the specs promise. A laptop with a recent processor family and generation, a dedicated graphics card, 16 GB of RAM, a big SSD, a Full HD or better screen and current ports ranks among the highest scores. An entry-level laptop, with a basic processor, 4 GB of RAM and a small drive, ranks among the lowest. The same calculation applies to every brand.
Performance has the greatest weight and comes from our own table, which gives a score to each processor and graphics card family and generation. The table is public and is an order of magnitude, not a test: the Radar doesn’t run benchmarks or publish benchmark numbers. When the specs don’t list the data, the Radar doesn’t guess: the component drops out of the calculation.
Score from 0 to 10 calculated by the Radar from the laptop’s spec sheet (performance, memory and storage, screen, portability e ports and how current it is). It doesn’t measure real performance, temperature, noise, build quality, battery durability or what buyers think.
What does each axis of the chart show?
The chart always puts price on the horizontal axis. On the vertical axis you pick the question:
- Spec sheet: the 0 to 10 score on this page.
- Performance: only the performance component (Processor family and generation and, when there is a dedicated graphics card, its model, from our own public table; with no processor identified, the laptop gets no score for this), from 0 to 10. It’s a spec score, not a lab measurement.
- Portability: only the portability component (Weight and battery (in Wh when the spec sheet lists it; otherwise the hours the manufacturer states)), from 0 to 10. It’s a spec score, not a lab measurement.
- RAM: RAM in gigabytes, on a scale that doubles at each step (4, 8, 16, 32 GB). It’s spec data, not a score.
- Cheap for the specs: how far the price is below the median of laptops with a similar score (a difference of up to 0.5 points, at least 5 laptops). Only trusted sellers count, with prices that didn’t jump 20% or more between checks, and cases where a price-by-score curve also points to a price below what’s expected. The score comes from the specs, so brand and finish don’t count.
- Today’s finds: how far today’s price is below the median of recent days from the same seller. It only appears when there are at least 7 data points in the history, and a one-day drop only counts with a trusted seller or when confirmed in the next collection.
The chart line connects the laptops that no other beats on both price and the chosen axis. On the price difference axes there is no line: the biggest differences get named.
Where does the data come from?
The attributes come from the product listing in the stores we track and, when the model is the same, from another store’s catalog; each piece of data keeps the source it came from. The price is the lowest among trusted sellers (the brand’s official store, a partner store, the store’s own or a seller rated 4.0 with 100 or more sales) and shows the date of the check. The source of the score appears on screen next to each laptop. If we start using another source, this page and the screen say which one and since when.
How to read these numbers
The score runs from 0 to 10 and comes from the laptop’s spec sheet: performance, memory and storage, screen, portability e ports and how current it is. The calculation is the same for every model and is on this page. It tells you what the laptop delivers on paper, not how it holds up in your day to day.
Still have a question?
Write to contact@radarofproducts.com.