Core criteria
- Compatibility: devices, standards, plugs, and UK buyer expectations.
- Specs vs marketing: we prioritise real standards (e.g. USB-C PD profiles, HDMI versions).
- Reliability signals: warranty, brand track record, common failure modes.
- Value: price vs feature trade-offs, not just cheapest.
- Use-case fit: we name who each pick is for (travel, desk, gaming, etc.).
How we score (the SPP Score)
Every pick carries an SPP Score out of 10. This is our own editorial score. We work it out from a fixed rubric we apply to each product's specifications and intended use. It is not an Amazon star rating and it is not taken from or matched to Amazon customer reviews.
The rubric weighs four things:
- Capability (35%): real output, capacity or resolution for the job (wattage, mAh, port speeds, video standards).
- Versatility (25%): ports, features and compatibility for the use-case.
- Build and portability (20%): materials, form factor, travel-friendliness (e.g. GaN, foldable plugs, braided cables).
- Value for its tier (20%): how well it fills its role as the overall, budget or premium pick.
Scores sit in the upper range on purpose: every product here has already passed our shortlist, so the score helps you separate strong options within that shortlist rather than rate them against the whole market. We revise scores when we update a guide.
Notes
Not every item is physically tested in-house. Where we cannot test directly, we rely on standards compliance, documented specs, known platform constraints, and consistent reliability signals. We update shortlists when better options appear.
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