Our Rating System
What our scores and star ratings mean, and how they map to a plain verdict.
We keep our ratings simple, consistent, and honest about what they represent. Every review carries a score out of 10, a star rating derived from it, and a one-line verdict.
Score to verdict
- 8.5–10 — Highly Recommended. A category leader. Excellent across the board, with only minor caveats. We would recommend it to most people in its audience without hesitation.
- 7.0–8.4 — Recommended. A strong, well-rounded choice with clear strengths and a few trade-offs worth knowing before you buy.
- 5.5–6.9 — Worth a look. Genuinely good for the right person or use case, but with meaningful limitations that will rule it out for others.
- Below 5.5 — Skip it. Outclassed by the alternatives for most readers. We will explain what would have to change for our view to improve.
How stars work
The star rating (out of five) is a direct visual translation of the 0–10 score — a 9.0 shows as four and a half stars, for example. It exists so you can scan a verdict at a glance; the number and the written verdict carry the detail.
What a rating is — and is not
A TAV Reviews rating is a considered editorial opinion, formed using the process on our methodology page. It is designed to help you make a faster, better-informed decision. It is not a laboratory certification, a guarantee of your experience, or professional, financial, or purchasing advice. Prices and features change, so always confirm the current details with the vendor before you buy.
Buying guides
In our buying guides, individual picks carry the same scores as their standalone reviews, and each pick states why it earned its place, an honest runner-up, and who it is not for.