The PCBeacon Ranking Algorithm
We believe in radical transparency. Unlike other review sites that use subjective "feelings" or affiliate-driven rankings, PCBeacon uses a deterministic, open-source algorithm to calculate the true value of every laptop.
1. The Core Concept
Every laptop is assigned two primary scores:
Performance Score (0-100)
A raw measure of capability. A $3,000 laptop will naturally score higher than a $300 one. It sums up CPU, GPU, RAM, Screen, and Build quality.
Value Score (0-100)
The "Bang for Buck" metric. We divide the Performance Score by the Price (non-linearly) to find hidden gems that pack a punch for their cost.
2. Calculating Performance
The performance score is a weighted sum of 6 independent factors. The weights change slightly depending on the category (e.g. Gaming laptops prioritize GPU more).
Category Weights
| Component | Windows (General) | Gaming | Chromebook |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | 35% | 20% (Lower to prioritize GPU) | 40% |
| GPU | 15% | 45% | 5% |
| RAM | 20% | 15% | 25% |
| Screen | 20% | 15% | 20% |
| Storage | 10% | 5% | 10% |
3. Deep Dive: Component Scoring
CPU Scoring
We maintain a massive database of PassMark/Cinebench benchmarks for every processor.
Score = (Benchmark / Category_Cap) * 100Example: An i7-1355U (Benchmark ~15,000) in a $500 laptop (Cap 18,000) gets ~83 points.
Screen Quality
We parse resolution, panel type, and refresh rate.
- Resolution: FHD (Baseline), 2K (+Points), 4K (++Points), HD (-Penalty).
- Panel: IPS (Standard), OLED (Huge Bonus), TN (Penalty).
- Refresh Rate: 60Hz (Base), then log-scaled bonus for Gaming (144Hz, 240Hz).
4. The Value Equation
This is our secret sauce. Linearly dividing performance by price ($/FPS) works for budget items but fails for premium ones (diminishing returns). We use a logarithmic curve to represent "fair value".
Using the square root of price acknowledges that a $2000 laptop is not expected to be literally 4x faster than a $500 one to be considered "good value".
Open & Verifiable
Calculations are deterministic. If we missed a spec, verify the listing URL. The data comes directly from what vendors list on Amazon.