Our PC Guide Testing Lab enables us to ensure we give careful, detailed, attention to new products and components. It is at the center of all of our hands-on reviews and tests. Reliability and repeatability of benchmarks are key to testing any product, so our standardized setups ensure our testing environment is kept as uniform as possible to deliver clear and useful results across product areas.
PC Guide Testing Lab – ethos
We have built our testing setups to deliver balanced and useful performance insights – using the same core elements unless a change is needed for specific testing. For example, in the case of CPU testing, we would need to use an Intel partner motherboard for testing an Intel CPU. However, in all testing across product areas, we ensure uniformity to deliver fair, balanced, and ultimately useful results that allow us to produce helpful buying guides and reviews. And, crucially, that enables you to make the best possible buying decision. Our testing utilizes:
- Repeatable, standardized processes
- Recognized synthetic and real-world benchmarks
- Product and market expertise
- A controlled Testing Lab environment
CPU and GPU testing
We use separate CPU and GPU test setups to minimize system changes across our testing environments. This allows us to keep both set-ups as standard as we can while swapping only the required parts. It also means that we can test CPUs and GPUs alongside each other on dedicated rigs. For ease of access to components, and easier audio level and temperature testing, our CPU and GPU set-ups are each built into the open-air Cooler Master Master Frame.
CPU testing
Our standard CPU test system is built using the below components. We’ve included our go-to AM4 (DDR4) and AM5 (DDR5) RAM, alongside motherboards for AM4, AM5, and Intel LGA 1700 platforms. Testing is carried out by our resident CPU expert, Jack Howarth.
Jack Howarth installing the cooling system on our CPU test rig ©BGFG
Top-down view of our open CPU testing rig with Corsair cooling and a Geforce RTX graphics card ©BGFG
Interior of our CPU test rig ©BGFG
Our CPU test rig built into the Cooler Master Master Frame ©BGFG
Jack Howarth assessing the CPU test rig ©BGFG
Our PC Guide CPU test rig ©BGFG
Jack Howarth running tests on the CPU tes rig ©BGFG
Jack Howarth running real-worlg gaming benchmarks on our test rig ©BGFG
Mazico power meter used to test power draw ©BGFG
CPU test setup
| Component Type | Component |
|---|---|
| Graphics card | RTX 4070Ti Super |
| CPU cooler | Corsair Elite LCD 360mm |
| Testing frame | Cooler Master Master Frame |
| Power Supply | Asus ROG Thor 1000W |
| RAM (DDR4 for AM4) | Netac Shadow DDR4 (3600MHz – 18-22-22-42) |
| RAM (DDR5) | Corsair Vengeance DDR5 (6400MHz – 32-40-40-84) |
| Motherboard (AMD AM4) | Gigabyte X570 Aorus Pro |
| Motherboard (AMD AM5) | Asus ROG Crosshair Extreme X670 |
| Motherboard (for Intel Raptor Lake) | Maximus hero Z790 |
CPU Cooler testing
This setup consists of basically the same components that we use to test CPUs, only everything is constant bar the cooler. We use an Intel setup for this, as Intel CPUs tend to run a little hotter than their AMD counterparts. The components on the CPU cooler testing bench are as follows:
CPU cooler test setup:
| Component | Name |
| GPU | RTX 4070 Ti |
| Motherboard | 64GB Dominator titanium @6400MHz |
| Memory | ASUS ROG Maximus Extreme Z790 |
| CPU cooler | Corsair Elite LCD Capellix 360MM |
| Power supply | Cooler Master MWE v2 1050w |
You can view the full process of how we test CPU coolers here. We use all the latest components, specifically the CPUs to give the coolers we test a ‘worse case scenario’ challenge. This is well noted in the CPU cooler testing page and all the reviews we conduct.
GPU testing
This system is built around the AMD AM5 platform. You can also read more about how we test GPUs. Our GPU benchmarking is carried out by Sebastian Kozlowski, with a full range of GPU synthetic and real-world gaming benchmarks applied to any card that we fit into the system.
Sebastian Kozlowski securing a power cable for a GPU to be tested ©BGFG
Sebastian Kozlowski using our GPU test rig ©BGFG
Sebastian Kozlowski runs synthetic benchmarks on the PC Guide GPU test rig ©BGFG
Running synthetic benchmarks in our GPU tests ©BGFG
Ensuring our test rig is clean of dust and dirt between GPU tests ©BGFG
The PC Guide GPU test rig built into Cooler Master Master Frame ©BGFG
Close-up of GPU being tested on our rig ©BGFG
An open PC build on a desk with multiple monitors displaying tech-related graphics in a dimly lit testing lab.
Digital power meter in a testing lab displaying electrical usage readings with values of 2135.5 kwh, 132.2 kwh, and 0.00 cost.
GPU test setup
Our standardized GPU test system is built using the following components.
| Component Type | Component |
|---|---|
| CPU | Ryzen 9 7950X CPU |
| CPU cooler | ROG Ryujin II 360 AIO CPU cooler |
| Testing frame | Cooler Master Master Frame |
| Power Supply | Phanteks 1000W PSU |
| RAM (DDR5) | Corsair Dominator Titanium 64GB 6600 |
| Motherboard (AMD AM5) | ROG X670E Hero motherboard |
The above test setups are specific to the testing of CPUs and GPUs. Periodically we assess titles that we use in our real-world gaming tests; we may add or remove titles to produce more useful and relevant results to offer more depth and insight into performance expectations.
Router testing
At PC Guide we know reliable and capable routers are critical to home and office networks, and device connectivity. Our lab testing considers router key aspects including, physical, features, and capabilities before analyzing performance across key repeatable tests. Our tests aim to provide the most useful information about performance and reliability for you, through:
- WiFi speed, strength and range testing
- File transfer testing
- Setup assessment
- Full feature analysis
- Full device specs breakdown
- Value and market positioning
Checking router connections © PCGuide
Installing routers © PCGuide
Internet and SSD speed testing © PCGuide
Router and SSD setup © PCGuide
Testing setup © PCGuide
Printer testing
Close-up of the HP LaserJet Pro’s LCD screen ©BGFG
Inserting an Epson ink cartridge into an Epson Expression Photo XP ©BGFG
©BGFG
PC Guide printer lab testing – Epson printer control panel with a digital screen ©BGFG
PC Guide printer lab testing – removing the toner cartridge from a HP LaserJet Pro ©BGFG
Opening up the HP LaserJet Pro MFP – ©BGFG
Our printer color calibration test sheets ©BGFG
Our printer labs are also designed to reflect real-world needs across a range of use cases and day-to-day functionality – including printing, and copying (where applicable). Throughout our structured testing, we look at everything from physical design and construction to performance, compatible media type, economy, and value. Our in-depth printer reviews include specific tests featuring:
- Print and scan tests (mono and color)
- MacBeth Color Checker test with Nix QC accuracy testing
- Copier testing
- Economy (cost per print, ink use, wastage)
- Display, build quality and features analysis
To understand our wider approach to testing, reviews, and hands-on coverage of products and components, read more about how we select, test and review on PC Guide.
