About · Methodology

How I pick

Updated October 2026. The site only works if you can trust it, so here's exactly how I choose what to recommend.

Every recommendation on this site is chosen the same way. Nobody pays me for placement, I have no deals with manufacturers, and I tell you plainly when the free or cheaper option is good enough, which it usually is.

How I research a recommendation

Start from the job. What you want the machine to do decides which specs matter.
Compare the specs that affect that job, like idle power, RAM limits, Quick Sync generation, VRAM, single-core speed, and drive bays.
Cross-check with real owners. I read manufacturer documentation and what people report in the self-hosting community, including r/selfhosted, r/homelab, and the Home Assistant, Proxmox, and Jellyfin communities.
Then name specific picks at each budget, including used hardware and options that earn me nothing.

What I've tested, and what I haven't

Most review sites blur this, so I keep it clear:

Hardware I own and run, like my Raspberry Pi 4 home server, my mini PCs, and the graphics cards for my AI build, I write about from experience, and I say so ("on my setup...").
Everything else comes from published specs cross-checked against owner reports. Each guide says so in the line under the byline.

I don't run a test lab, and I'll never imply testing that didn't happen. "Here's what owners consistently report, and why" is more useful than a fake review.

Why I don't show prices

Hardware prices move constantly, and an old price is worse than no price because it misleads you. Amazon's rules also don't allow typed-in Amazon prices on a site like this.

Product links go to current listings so you see today's price yourself.
When a rough budget helps, I give a dated range from a non-Amazon source, like used prices on eBay as of a specific month.

How the affiliate links work

Some links are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. If you buy through one, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, and that keeps the site free. Three rules keep it honest:

I recommend the free, open-source option first wherever one exists, and earn nothing from it.
No manufacturer pays for placement or a better write-up.
I won't tell you to spend money on something a cheaper or free option handles just as well.

The Knowledge Base explainers have no affiliate links at all.

I update when things change

Hardware, prices, and software move fast. When a pick is replaced, a model is discontinued, or a spec that mattered changes, I revise the guide and update its date. If you spot something out of date or wrong, tell me. I'd rather fix it than defend it.

Questions about how I work, or think I got a pick wrong? See the About page, or browse the guides.