How we rate deals at ZDNET in 2025

Everything is expensive in 2025. 

We get it. Tech is perhaps one of the most notoriously pricey categories to shop in, and the prices often climb yearly. That’s why ZDNET remains committed to sourcing, contextualizing, and sharing the best deals we come across as experts who know the ins and outs of the industry: when new products drop, when old ones see their first discounts, when the best time arrives to buy the next iPhone, TV model, or laptop, or when your cash has the best ROI.  

To help readers like you find the best deals on the most popular tech products on your wishlist, ZDNET’s team of experts combines detailed testing, a keen eye for savings across trusted retailers, familiarity with product pricing, and over 30 years of authority in the tech space to curate deals on dozens of tech items – from small accessories to laptops to 98-inch TVs and beyond. We don’t just bring the deal to you – we bring all the information you need to know to make an informed decision about how, when, and where to spend your cash (and, of course, what we think is worth spending it on, too). 

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While we often stand to make a referral fee when you buy from one of our links (like most other tech sites ), we often include prices and offers from retailers where we make $0. That’s right — we want you to feel empowered that you’re saving the most and getting all the information you need before you add to the cart (both literally and physically). Your trust means more to us than any affiliate link. 

If you’ve ever wondered how we evaluate the discounts, deals, and promotional offers that flood the tech market and choose which ones to share with ZDNET readers like you, here’s a breakdown of the various aspects we consider. 

How we rate deals in 2025

What makes a deal ZDNET recommended?

We carefully select the range of products we focus our coverage on, so we can be sure we’re bringing you the best deals and the most information on products where we have expertise. ZDNET also only writes about deals we would want to buy (or already have) — devices and products we desire, need or would recommend. Our experts look for deals that are primarily at least 20% off, hardly ever on sale, or unique for their timing (first-time price drop, lowest of the season offer, etc.) by using established price comparison tools and trackers to determine whether the deal is actually on sale and how frequently it drops. 

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We also read customer reviews to learn what matters to real people who already own and use the deals we recommend. Our recommendations may also be based on our own testing, extensive research, and comparison shopping. The goal is to deliver the most accurate advice to help you shop smarter. 

Our deals methodology

We use a percentage-off-based system to initially classify savings offered on top-tech products. This system assigns a predetermined set of savings to a corresponding number (1-5), with one being what we classify as a lower-quality savings offer and five being an excellent offer. 

• 1-9% off: 1 / 5 Editor’s deal rating
• 10-19% off: 2 / 5 Edtior’s deal rating 
• 20-29% off: 3 / 5 Editor’s deal rating 
• 30-39% off: 4 / 5 Edtior’s deal rating 
• 40-50% (or more) off: 5 / 5 Editor’s deal rating 

However, this system only provides a base ranking to categorize the offers we share on ZDNET. Our team of experts can choose to promote or demote a deal based on several unique factors, including frequency, brand or product recognition, and our expertise. Here’s an example. 

Apple products are some of the most coveted on the market, and they don’t frequently see sales. Our experts know that the best Apple deals surface on select products during holidays or shopping events like Cyber Week or when newer products are introduced into Apple’s repertoire. But you’ll still be hard-pressed to find Apple products discounted by 30%, 40%, or more regularly. In these cases, we may choose to label a newly released Apple Watch for 15% off as a 4/5 Editor’s deal rating instead of a 2/5 due to the context surrounding the offer. 

Similarly, our experts may adjust deal ratings based on their curated expertise in the product category, the deal’s timing, the availability of the product, and other factors. Our deal rating methodology is not a cut-and-dry approach because there’s no easy way to classify savings. But it all comes down to being as helpful as possible to you when you spend your hard-earned money. 

Since deals are often available on a limited-time basis (and can expire at any time), we work hard to ensure we’re consistently refreshing our content with the most accurate savings. ZDNET remains committed to finding, sharing, and updating the best offers to help you maximize your savings so you can feel as confident in your purchases as we feel in our recommendations. Our experts constantly monitor the deals we feature to keep our stories up-to-date. If you missed out on a deal we’ve shared, don’t worry — we’re always sourcing new savings opportunities at ZDNET.com.