Smartphone glossary

189 specification, buying and scoring terms in 12 topics. Each term has a short definition here and a fuller explanation, what to look for and related terms on its topic page. Link to any term with its anchor, for example /glossary/#ltpo.

Display

AMOLED / OLED: A display where each pixel makes its own light, so blacks are fully off and contrast is very high. AMOLED is a type of OLED. LCD panels use a backlight instead. More on AMOLED / OLED
LCD: A display that lights the whole screen with a backlight and uses liquid crystals to block or pass light for each pixel. Blacks look dark grey rather than fully black. More on LCD
IPS LCD: In-Plane Switching, a type of LCD panel known for wide viewing angles and fairly consistent colour when viewed off-axis. More on IPS LCD
LTPO display: A display backplane that can vary its refresh rate, often down to 1Hz for static content, to save battery while keeping high refresh rates for motion. More on LTPO display
Refresh rate (Hz): How many times per second the screen redraws. 120Hz looks smoother than 60Hz when scrolling and in supported games. More on Refresh rate
Touch sampling rate: How many times per second the touch layer checks for your finger. It is separate from the refresh rate and affects how quickly touch input is registered. More on Touch sampling rate
Nits (peak brightness): A unit of brightness (candela per square metre). Makers quote peak brightness under different conditions, often a small part of the screen in HDR, so figures are not directly comparable across brands. More on Nits
Typical vs peak brightness: Typical brightness is what the whole screen can sustain in normal use. Peak brightness is a short-lived maximum, often measured on a small bright patch of an HDR image. More on Typical vs peak brightness
HBM (high brightness mode): A mode where the screen temporarily goes brighter than its normal maximum, usually triggered automatically in strong sunlight or for bright HDR highlights. More on HBM
PWM dimming and flicker: Many OLED screens lower brightness by switching pixels on and off very quickly instead of lowering the current. The switching rate is the PWM frequency. More on PWM dimming and flicker
DC-like dimming: A way of lowering brightness that avoids or reduces the on-off switching of PWM, intended to cut visible flicker at low brightness. More on DC-like dimming
Eye-comfort and low blue light modes: Software modes that warm the screen colour at night to reduce blue light, and sometimes certifications about flicker or blue-light handling. More on Eye-comfort and low blue light modes
HDR10: The basic, open HDR video standard. It uses fixed metadata for a whole video and a 10-bit signal to describe a wider brightness and colour range. More on HDR10
HDR10+: An HDR format that adds scene-by-scene brightness information to HDR10, so the screen can adjust tone mapping through a video. More on HDR10+
Dolby Vision: A proprietary HDR format by Dolby that uses dynamic metadata and up to 12-bit colour data to tune picture scene by scene. More on Dolby Vision
Colour gamut: The range of colours a screen can show. sRGB is the standard for most web content; wider gamuts such as DCI-P3 can show more saturated colours. More on Colour gamut
DCI-P3: A colour space originally for cinema that is wider than sRGB. Many premium phone screens cover most or all of it. More on DCI-P3
Delta E (colour accuracy): A measure of how far a displayed colour is from the intended one. Lower is better. More on Delta E
Colour bit depth (8-bit, 10-bit): How many shades each of red, green and blue can have. 8-bit gives about 16.7 million colours; 10-bit gives about 1.07 billion. More on Colour bit depth
Resolution names (HD+, FHD+, QHD+, 1.5K, 2K): Marketing names for screen pixel counts. HD+ is typically around 1600 by 720, FHD+ around 2400 by 1080, and QHD+ (often called 2K) around 3200 by 1440. 1.5K sits between FHD+ and QHD+. More on Resolution names
Pixel density (ppi): Pixels per inch: the screen resolution divided by its diagonal size. Above roughly 400 ppi, individual pixels are hard to see at normal viewing distance. More on Pixel density
Contrast ratio: The ratio between the brightest white and the darkest black a screen can show. More on Contrast ratio
Curved vs flat display: A curved display bends over the side edges of the phone; a flat display does not. Some phones use a slight curve, called 2.5D, only in the glass. More on Curved vs flat display
Gorilla Glass (types): A family of toughened cover glass made by Corning. Newer versions such as Victus improve drop and scratch resistance over older ones. More on Gorilla Glass
Gorilla Glass Victus: A generation of Corning cover glass marketed for improved drop resistance on hard surfaces and better scratch resistance than earlier versions. More on Gorilla Glass Victus
Ceramic Shield: Apple's name for a front glass that has ceramic crystals mixed into it to improve toughness. More on Ceramic Shield
Screen protector and pre-applied film: A thin film or tempered glass sheet over the screen to take scratches. Many phones ship with a thin film already applied. More on Screen protector and pre-applied film
Always-on display: A low-power screen mode that shows the time, notifications or a wallpaper while the phone is locked. More on Always-on display
Punch-hole, notch and under-display camera: Ways of fitting the front camera: a small hole in the screen (punch-hole), a cut-out at the top (notch), or a camera hidden under the display pixels. More on Punch-hole, notch and under-display camera

Processor and performance

Chipset (SoC): The system-on-chip that contains the phone's processor (CPU), graphics (GPU), image processor and modem. Common makers are Qualcomm (Snapdragon), MediaTek (Dimensity, Helio), Apple, Google (Tensor), Samsung (Exynos) and Unisoc. More on Chipset
CPU cores and core layout: The CPU is made of several cores, usually a mix of fast, power-hungry ones and slower, efficient ones. A layout such as 1+3+4 describes how many of each type. More on CPU cores and core layout
Clock speed (GHz): How many cycles per second a CPU core runs. Higher clocks can mean more speed, but only when comparing similar designs. More on Clock speed
Process node (nm): The manufacturing generation of a chip, quoted in nanometres. Smaller nodes generally run more efficiently, which helps battery life. More on Process node
Geekbench 6: A cross-platform benchmark that reports a single-core score and a multi-core score. We use typical published results per chipset, not our own tests. More on Geekbench 6
AnTuTu score: A benchmark that combines CPU, GPU, memory and user-experience tests into one big number. More on AnTuTu score
GPU: The graphics processor inside the chipset. It draws the screen and runs games, and also helps with some camera and AI tasks. More on GPU
3DMark Wild Life Extreme: A graphics benchmark that measures GPU speed and, in its stress-test mode, how well a phone holds that speed over repeated loops. More on 3DMark Wild Life Extreme
Thermal throttling: When a chip gets too hot, it slows itself down to cool off. This lowers performance and frame rates during long games or video recording. More on Thermal throttling
Sustained vs peak performance: Peak performance is the speed in a short burst. Sustained performance is what the phone can hold for ten or more minutes without overheating. More on Sustained vs peak performance
Vapour chamber and cooling: A thin sealed metal plate with a small amount of liquid inside that moves heat away from the chip and spreads it over a larger area. More on Vapour chamber and cooling
RAM: Working memory that holds open apps. More RAM lets more apps stay open. Some phones also offer "virtual RAM", which uses storage and is much slower. More on RAM
LPDDR5X (and LPDDR4X, LPDDR5): Generations of low-power phone memory. LPDDR5X is faster and more efficient than LPDDR5, which in turn is faster than LPDDR4X. More on LPDDR5X
Virtual RAM (extended RAM): A feature that borrows part of the phone's storage to act as extra memory. More on Virtual RAM
Storage (ROM): Where apps, photos and files are kept. In India, storage is often called ROM in listings, such as "8GB RAM + 128GB ROM". More on Storage
UFS storage: Universal Flash Storage, the fast storage standard used in most mid-range and premium phones, in versions such as UFS 2.2, 3.1 and 4.0. More on UFS storage
eMMC storage: An older, slower storage type still found on some entry-level phones. More on eMMC storage
Storage speed (read/write): How fast the phone can read from and write to its storage, usually quoted in megabytes per second. More on Storage speed
microSD card slot: A slot for adding removable memory cards. Not all phones have one, and some share it with the second SIM. More on microSD card slot
NPU (AI engine): A part of the chip designed for machine-learning tasks such as photo enhancement, voice recognition and on-device AI features. More on NPU
Game frame rate (fps): How many frames per second a game draws. 60fps is a common smooth target; some games support 90 or 120. More on Game frame rate

Camera

Camera sensor size: The physical size of the image sensor, written as an optical format such as 1/1.3 inch or 1 inch (bigger fraction = bigger sensor). Larger sensors collect more light. More on Camera sensor size
Megapixels (MP): The number of pixels the sensor has, in millions. More megapixels allow larger prints and more cropping but do not by themselves mean better photos. More on Megapixels
Pixel size (micrometres): The width of a single pixel on the sensor, in micrometres. Larger pixels gather more light each. More on Pixel size
Pixel binning: Combining neighbouring pixels into one larger effective pixel to capture more light, at the cost of a lower output resolution. More on Pixel binning
Quad-Bayer (and similar) sensors: A sensor layout where groups of four (or nine or sixteen) neighbouring pixels share the same colour filter, which makes binning possible. More on Quad-Bayer (and similar) sensors
Aperture (f-number): How wide the lens opening is. A lower f-number such as f/1.7 lets in more light than f/2.4. More on Aperture
Focal length (35mm equivalent): How wide or tight the view of a lens is, quoted as the equivalent on a full-frame camera so lenses can be compared. A smaller number is wider. More on Focal length
OIS (optical image stabilisation): A mechanism that physically moves the lens or sensor to cancel hand shake, helping low-light photos and video. EIS (electronic stabilisation) does this in software by cropping the frame. More on OIS
EIS (electronic stabilisation): Software stabilisation that uses the gyro and crops the frame to smooth out shaky video. More on EIS
PDAF (phase-detection autofocus): An autofocus method that uses special pixels on the sensor to work out the focus direction and distance quickly. More on PDAF
Laser autofocus: A small infrared sensor that measures the distance to a close subject to help the camera focus, mainly at short range. More on Laser autofocus
Telephoto camera: A camera with a longer focal length that magnifies distant subjects and gives flattering portrait perspective. More on Telephoto camera
Periscope telephoto: A zoom camera that folds the light path sideways inside the phone, allowing longer optical zoom (typically 3× to 10×) in a thin body. More on Periscope telephoto
Optical zoom: Magnification produced by a lens with a longer focal length, without cropping. Digital zoom crops and enlarges the image instead. More on Optical zoom
Hybrid zoom: Zoom that combines a crop of a high-resolution sensor with computer processing, giving good quality at in-between zoom levels. More on Hybrid zoom
Digital zoom: Enlarging a cropped part of the image. Detail is not added, so photos get softer as zoom increases. More on Digital zoom
Ultrawide camera: A camera with a very wide field of view, useful for landscapes, buildings and group shots in tight spaces. More on Ultrawide camera
Macro camera: A camera mode or dedicated lens for very close-up shots of small subjects. More on Macro camera
LiDAR and depth sensors (ToF): Sensors that measure distance by timing light pulses. They help with focusing and with depth effects such as portrait blur. More on LiDAR and depth sensors
ISP (image signal processor): The part of the chipset that turns raw sensor data into a finished photo or video, handling noise, colour, focus and HDR. More on ISP
Computational photography: Using software to combine several frames and apply machine learning to improve a photo, rather than relying on the lens and sensor alone. More on Computational photography
HDR (photos): High dynamic range: combining several exposures so both bright skies and dark shadows keep detail. More on HDR
Night mode: A mode that takes several frames over a second or more and merges them to produce a brighter, cleaner low-light photo. More on Night mode
DXOMARK scores: Scores from an independent lab that tests phone cameras, displays, audio and battery under a fixed protocol. More on DXOMARK scores
Colour-tuning partnerships (Pantone, ZEISS): Co-branding in which a colour or optics company is credited with validating or tuning a phone's camera or display colour. More on Colour-tuning partnerships
Selfie (front) camera: The camera facing you, used for selfies and video calls. Resolution is usually 8 to 50 megapixels, with some phones adding autofocus. More on Selfie (front) camera
Video resolution and frame rate: Common video modes are 1080p, 4K and 8K at 24, 30 or 60 frames per second. Higher resolution gives more detail and bigger files. More on Video resolution and frame rate
10-bit video: Video recorded with 1024 levels per colour channel instead of 256, giving smoother gradients and more room for editing. More on 10-bit video
Log video: A flat, low-contrast video profile that keeps more detail in highlights and shadows, intended to be colour graded afterwards. More on Log video
Dolby Vision video recording: Recording video in the Dolby Vision HDR format so playback on supported screens has a wide brightness range. More on Dolby Vision video recording
Slow motion video: Recording at a high frame rate, such as 120 or 240fps, and playing it slower for a slow-motion effect. More on Slow motion video

Battery and charging

mAh (battery capacity): Milliampere-hours: how much charge a battery holds. Higher usually means longer battery life, but chip efficiency, screen and software matter too. More on mAh
Silicon-carbon battery: A lithium-ion battery with silicon added to the anode, allowing more energy to be stored in the same space than standard graphite cells. More on Silicon-carbon battery
Rated vs typical capacity: Typical capacity is the average a cell is expected to hold. Rated (or minimum) capacity is a slightly lower figure a maker guarantees. More on Rated vs typical capacity
Fast charging (W): Charging power in watts. Higher wattage charges faster, but the full charge time also depends on battery size and how the phone manages heat. More on Fast charging
USB Power Delivery (PD): A common charging standard over USB-C that lets a charger and device agree on voltage and current, up to 100W and higher in newer revisions. More on USB Power Delivery
PPS (programmable power supply): An extension to USB PD where the phone can request fine adjustments in voltage and current, for efficient and cooler fast charging. More on PPS
GaN charger: A charger that uses gallium nitride components, allowing high power in a smaller, cooler body than older silicon chargers. More on GaN charger
Charger in the box: Whether the phone ships with a charger. Some makers ship only a cable, or a slower charger than the phone supports. More on Charger in the box
Charging curve: How charging power changes over a charge. Phones charge fastest at low battery and slow down as they fill. More on Charging curve
Wireless charging: Charging by placing the phone on a pad, usually using the Qi standard. More on Wireless charging
Qi2 (magnetic wireless charging): A wireless charging standard that uses magnets to align the phone and charger, improving efficiency over earlier Qi. More on Qi2
Reverse charging: Using the phone to charge another device, either by cable or wirelessly. More on Reverse charging
Bypass charging: A mode where the phone powers itself directly from the charger without charging the battery, reducing heat during gaming. More on Bypass charging
Charge cycles: One cycle is a full 100 percent of use, which may be split over several partial charges. Batteries wear gradually with cycles. More on Charge cycles
Battery health: How much of its original capacity a battery can still hold, usually shown as a percentage. More on Battery health

Build and durability

IP rating (IP68, IP69): An international code for dust and water resistance. The first digit is dust (6 = dust-tight); the second is water (7 = temporary immersion, 8 = continuous immersion as specified by the maker, 9 = high-pressure, high-temperature water jets). More on IP rating
IPX7: Water resistance to temporary immersion up to 1 metre for 30 minutes. The X means dust protection was not rated. More on IPX7
IP68: Dust-tight and resistant to continuous immersion in water to a depth and time stated by the maker, typically more than 1.5 metres. More on IP68
IP69: Dust-tight and resistant to close-range, high-pressure, high-temperature water jets. More on IP69
IP69K: A separate road-vehicle standard (ISO 20653) for high-pressure, high-temperature wash-down, sometimes quoted by phone makers. More on IP69K
MIL-STD-810H: A set of US military test methods for environmental durability. Phone makers may test against some of its methods and advertise it. More on MIL-STD-810H
Drop rating and drop resistance: Claims about how high the phone can fall without damage, sometimes from lab certifications of the glass or whole phone. More on Drop rating and drop resistance
Frame and back materials: The materials of the phone body: plastic, aluminium or titanium for the frame, and plastic, glass or leather-like material for the back. More on Frame and back materials
Weight and thickness: How heavy and thin the phone is. Typical phones weigh about 170 to 230 grams and are 7 to 9mm thick. More on Weight and thickness

Software

Android version: The major release of Android a phone runs, numbered and released by Google about once a year. More on Android version
OS upgrades and security updates: OS upgrades bring new Android or iOS versions; security updates patch vulnerabilities. Makers promise a number of years for each at launch. More on OS upgrades and security updates
Security patch level: The date of the latest security fixes installed, shown in settings as a month and year. More on Security patch level
Bloatware and pre-installed apps: Apps installed by the maker or carrier that you did not choose, often promotional. More on Bloatware and pre-installed apps
Ads and promotions in system software: Promotional content shown in system apps, lock screens or notifications. More on Ads and promotions in system software
Android skin (custom interface): The maker's own look and features layered on top of Android, such as extra gestures, themes and apps. More on Android skin
Stock (clean) Android: Android with few changes from Google's design and few pre-installed apps, as on Pixel, Motorola and Nothing phones. More on Stock (clean) Android
AI features on phones: Software features that use machine learning, such as photo editing, call summaries, translation and writing help. More on AI features on phones
On-device AI: AI features that run on the phone's own chip rather than on a server. More on On-device AI
Circle to Search: A Google feature that lets you circle or tap anything on screen to search for it. More on Circle to Search
Gemini: Google's AI assistant, available as an app and built into many Android phones to answer questions and help with tasks. More on Gemini
Bootloader unlock and custom ROMs: Unlocking the bootloader lets you install different software. Makers differ on whether they allow it. More on Bootloader unlock and custom ROMs

Connectivity

5G: The fifth generation of mobile networks. In India, operators use mid-band (such as n78) and other bands; a phone must support the operator's bands to use 5G. More on 5G
5G bands: The radio frequency ranges used by 5G, named with an n prefix such as n28, n78 or n40. More on 5G bands
n77 and n78: Mid-band 5G frequencies around 3.3 to 4.2GHz (n77) and 3.3 to 3.8GHz (n78) that deliver fast speeds with good coverage. More on n77 and n78
mmWave: Very high-frequency 5G that offers extreme speeds over short range. More on mmWave
SA vs NSA 5G: Standalone (SA) 5G uses a full 5G core network. Non-standalone (NSA) 5G uses 5G radio together with a 4G core. More on SA vs NSA 5G
VoLTE: Voice over LTE: voice calls over 4G data, giving clear sound and fast call set-up. More on VoLTE
VoNR: Voice over New Radio: voice calls carried directly over 5G rather than falling back to 4G. More on VoNR
Wi-Fi calling (VoWiFi): Making calls over a Wi-Fi network instead of mobile signal. More on Wi-Fi calling
Wi-Fi 6 (and 5): The 802.11ax Wi-Fi standard, faster and better in crowded networks than Wi-Fi 5. More on Wi-Fi 6
Wi-Fi 6E: Wi-Fi 6 extended to the 6GHz band, which has less congestion. More on Wi-Fi 6E
Wi-Fi 7: The 802.11be Wi-Fi standard, offering higher peak speeds and lower delay, including the ability to use several bands at once. More on Wi-Fi 7
Bluetooth version: The version of Bluetooth, such as 5.0, 5.3 or 5.4. Newer versions improve range, efficiency and connection stability. More on Bluetooth version
Bluetooth audio codecs (SBC, AAC, aptX, LDAC): The methods used to compress audio over Bluetooth. SBC is the basic one every device supports; AAC, aptX and LDAC are higher quality options. More on Bluetooth audio codecs
LE Audio (LC3): A newer Bluetooth audio system with a more efficient codec, LC3, aimed at better quality at lower power and features like broadcast audio. More on LE Audio
NFC: Near-field communication: a short-range wireless link used for tap-to-pay, transit and transferring data. More on NFC
eSIM: A SIM built into the phone that you activate digitally instead of inserting a physical card. Supported by Jio, Airtel and Vi in India on compatible phones. More on eSIM
Dual SIM: The ability to use two SIM cards at once, usually two physical SIMs or one physical SIM and an eSIM. More on Dual SIM
Dual 5G standby: Whether both SIMs can stay on 5G and receive calls at the same time. More on Dual 5G standby
UWB (ultra-wideband): A short-range radio that can measure the distance and direction to nearby devices precisely, used for trackers and digital keys. More on UWB
NavIC: India's regional satellite navigation system, run by ISRO, which some phones can use alongside GPS. More on NavIC
Dual-band GPS (L1 + L5): Receiving GPS on two frequencies for better accuracy, especially among tall buildings. More on Dual-band GPS
USB-C port: The reversible connector used for charging, data and video on modern phones. More on USB-C port
USB 2.0 vs USB 3.x: USB 2.0 transfers data at up to 480Mbps. USB 3.x versions are much faster, from 5Gbps upward. More on USB 2.0 vs USB 3.x
DisplayPort over USB-C: The ability to send video from the phone to a monitor or TV via the USB-C port. More on DisplayPort over USB-C
3.5mm headphone jack: A round socket for wired headphones. More on 3.5mm headphone jack
FM radio: A built-in radio receiver, usually needing wired headphones as an antenna. More on FM radio
IR blaster: An infrared emitter that lets the phone act as a remote for TVs, ACs and other devices. More on IR blaster

Audio

Stereo speakers: Two speakers, usually one at the bottom and one in the earpiece, for left and right sound. More on Stereo speakers
Dolby Atmos: A surround-sound format and processing from Dolby that gives a wider, more immersive sound. More on Dolby Atmos
Hi-Res Audio: A label for audio at higher quality than CD, usually 24-bit and higher sample rates. More on Hi-Res Audio

Sensors and security

In-display fingerprint sensor: A fingerprint reader under the screen, either optical (uses light) or ultrasonic (uses sound waves). More on In-display fingerprint sensor
Side-mounted fingerprint sensor: A fingerprint reader built into the power button on the side of the phone. More on Side-mounted fingerprint sensor
Face unlock: Unlocking with your face. Camera-based versions are convenient but less secure than 3D systems that map depth. More on Face unlock
Secure hardware (TEE / secure element): An isolated part of the phone that stores biometric data and keys away from the main system. More on Secure hardware
Gyroscope and accelerometer: Sensors that detect rotation and movement, used for screen rotation, games, AR and stabilisation. More on Gyroscope and accelerometer
Magnetometer (compass): A sensor that detects magnetic fields to give compass direction. More on Magnetometer
Proximity and ambient light sensors: Sensors that turn the screen off during calls and adjust brightness to surroundings. More on Proximity and ambient light sensors
Haptic motor (vibration): The motor that makes the phone vibrate. Linear motors give crisp, short taps; older rotary motors feel buzzy. More on Haptic motor

Buying

MRP vs street price: MRP is the Maximum Retail Price printed or listed by the maker, which includes taxes. The street price is what shops and online stores actually charge. More on MRP vs street price
Launch price vs effective price: The launch price is the announced price. The effective price is what you pay after discounts, bank offers or exchange bonuses. More on Launch price vs effective price
Bank offers: Instant discounts or cashback available when paying with specific bank cards or EMI options. More on Bank offers
Exchange offer: A discount for trading in your old phone when buying a new one. More on Exchange offer
EMI (equated monthly instalments): Paying for a phone in monthly instalments, usually with interest. More on EMI
No-cost EMI: An EMI plan where the interest charged is offset by a discount, so the total looks equal to the price. More on No-cost EMI
Warranty: The maker's promise to repair or replace the phone for defects for a set period, commonly one year for the phone and shorter for box accessories. More on Warranty
Service centres: Authorised places that repair phones under warranty or for a fee. More on Service centres
GST invoice: A tax invoice from the seller showing the phone's IMEI and the GST charged. More on GST invoice
Refurbished and renewed phones: Used phones that have been tested and repaired and sold again, sometimes with a limited warranty. More on Refurbished and renewed phones
Grey market phones: Phones imported and sold outside the maker's official channels. More on Grey market phones
IMEI: A 15-digit number that identifies a phone, found by dialling *#06# or on the box. Dual SIM phones have two. More on IMEI
Box contents: What comes with the phone: charger, cable, case, SIM tool and sometimes earphones. More on Box contents

Form factors

Foldable phone: A phone with a flexible screen that folds, either like a book or like a clamshell. More on Foldable phone
Book-style foldable: A foldable that opens sideways like a book into a small-tablet-sized screen. More on Book-style foldable
Flip (clamshell) phone: A foldable that folds in half vertically into a compact square. More on Flip (clamshell) phone
Cover screen: A small outside display on a foldable that shows notifications and some apps when closed. More on Cover screen
Hinge: The mechanism that lets a foldable open and close. More on Hinge
Screen crease: The visible line or dip where a foldable screen bends. More on Screen crease
Candy-bar phone: The standard slab-shaped phone with a fixed screen on the front. More on Candy-bar phone
Compact phone: A phone with a smaller screen, typically under about 6.3 inches, that is easier to use with one hand. More on Compact phone
Gaming phone: A phone built for games, with extra cooling, high touch sampling, shoulder triggers or fans, and often a large battery. More on Gaming phone
Rugged phone: A phone designed to withstand drops, dust, water and extreme conditions. More on Rugged phone

Scoring on this site

Coverage: The share of a category score's formula (by weight) for which we have data on that phone. More on Coverage
Required input: A specification a category cannot be scored without, such as the main sensor size for the camera score. More on Required input
Anchor scale: A fixed, published table that maps a specification onto 0 to 100, for example battery capacity or telephoto sensor size. More on Anchor scale
Budget score: Where a phone's score sits among the ranked phones in a price band, from 0 to 100. More on Budget score
Value score: How much better or worse a phone's overall score is than expected for its price: 50 means exactly as good as its price predicts. More on Value score
Overall score: A weighted blend of the category scores: performance 20%, camera 20%, battery 18%, display 14%, software 10%, charging 8%, durability 6%, video 2% and audio 2%. More on Overall score
Formula version: The number of the scoring rules in force, changed whenever a score or a list rule changes. More on Formula version
Close call: A #1 that loses its place when the formula weights are varied by up to 25%, or that leads the next phone by under 2 points. More on Close call
Verified: A phone whose key specifications have each been confirmed by an official maker source and an independent one. More on Verified
Pending verification: The label on a phone whose figures come from launch coverage and have not yet been checked against the maker's own pages. More on Pending verification
Two-source rule: Each key specification needs one official maker source and one independent source before a phone is called verified. More on Two-source rule