CNET Lab Awards & Exclusives
CNET Labs brings you exclusive data and rigorous testing of the latest tech. From proprietary performance benchmarks to our official 2026 Lab Awards, we provide the data for every recommendation we make.
CNET LAB EXCLUSIVES
We Tested 19 Portable Power Stations. These 4 Will Keep Your Fridge Running the Longest
You don't need to spend tens of thousands on a home backup, even an affordable portable power station can save your perishables in an emergency.
Buying a Fan? My Tests Show Why Airflow Speed Isn’t as Important as You Think
Slick marketing from manufacturers tempt you to buy fans with the biggest airflow. My testing shows why that's a mistake.
Heat Waves Are Coming. Our Exclusive Lab Tests Reveal Whether Portable or Window AC Units Work Better to Keep You Cool
No central AC? As the National Weather Service warns of dangerous heat across much of the US next week, we tested dozens of air conditioner units to see which delivers the best cooling performance.
Our Data Shows That It’s OK if You Forget to Charge Your Phone Overnight
CNET Lab exclusive: We've been testing charging speeds for years and now see that newer phones can get plenty of power in just 30 minutes.
We Tested 35 Phones and Found the Surprising Winner of Best Battery Life
We subjected phones to extensive testing and found the two leaders.
CNET Labs: Where Data Meets Storytelling
CNET Labs is powered by data. We deliver our most technical work in two ways:
CNET Lab Awards
We base Lab Awards entirely on the results of our in-house quantitative testing, built by product experts. Products worthy of a Lab Award outclass competitors in a specific, measurable metric that fuels smart buying advice.
CNET Lab Exclusives
Test results come to life in our in-depth stories that, through expert analysis and dynamic charts, explain what our detailed product testing data means for everyday buyers.
How does this differ from Editors’ Choice?
Editors’ Choice rewards overall real-world value; Lab Awards are purely data-driven for outperforming the competition in a single, objective metric.
