Question Can user reviews really be trusted?

[mangaman]

Over the course of many years, many people have gone by user reviews on Amazon, Newegg etc. instead of professional testing results. Couple of my friends from awhile back, said that they always go by the reviews on online shopping sites. If they see a one star review on a well built PSU with many likes, they tend to avoid the PSU. These reviews usually have a few pictures with burned cables or "My PC almost exploded!" as the title.

However, I always go with professional review sites, such as techpowerup, jonnyGURU and [H]ardOCP. If the professionals recommend the PSU, has quality components and passed all of the tests, I'll consider getting it for a build. If not, I'll avoid it at all costs. However, these professional reviews very rarely mention a well know PSU blowing up a system, or "burning cables". I highly doubt the professionals are being paid by the PSU manufactures, to make these testing reviews.

So, can user reviews really be trusted?

 

[Elvis Hbpbgrtnk]

Professional reviews betters sometimes. I find sometimes they nothing but salesman and review full of Amazon links.

Other thing that bother me about pro reviews is they oftens saying product best if it have more features. What if many features is not so good? What if adding feature sound good on list but it not same as others?

I seeing IOT product and all they talking about is it have Amazon this it have Google that. What If I no wanting Amazon, Google see everything in home? Hear every word? Look up my butt all the time and see what up there! Maybe I no want to pay for them to have jolly good time!

 

[mangaman]

Professional reviews betters sometimes. I find sometimes they nothing but salesman and review full of Amazon links.

Other thing that bother me about pro reviews is they oftens saying product best if it have more features. What if many features is not so good? What if adding feature sound good on list but it not same as others?

I seeing IOT product and all they talking about is it have Amazon this it have Google that. What If I no wanting Amazon, Google see everything in home? Hear every word? Look up my butt all the time and see what up there! Maybe I no want to pay for them to have jolly good time!

Many YouTuber's are affiliated with the product that they are reviewing, even though they do not mention their affiliation with the company. If they say nothing but positive things about the product, or sound deceiving about the product being reviewed, then I'll just watch someone more trust worthy.

As for Amazon and Google home, people should take into consideration about the privacy issues those devices have. The reviewers should state that, but people need to do their own research before buying those. It's been proven that both Alexa and Home have their mic on 27/7 and are constantly listening to your conversations. Both companies clam that in order for Home and Alexa to be better, they must constantly collect conversations and data. Reviewers barely mention that at all, especially YouTuber's.

So, it's somethimes better to research on your own and to vote with your wallet. Don't like it? You can always buy something else.

 

[DMAN999]

As for Amazon and Google home, people should take into consideration about the privacy issues those devices have. The reviewers should state that, but people need to do their own research before buying those. It's been proven that both Alexa and Home have their mic on 27/7 and are constantly listening to your conversations. Both companies clam that in order for Home and Alexa to be better, they must constantly collect conversations and data. Reviewers barely mention that at all, especially YouTuber's.

I have 2 Fire Stick 4K's and the Alexa enabled Remote that comes with them is Not on 24/7. The mic is only active when you press the Mic/Alexa button. (which is the way I like it):

New Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote does not have any hands-free capabilities

The newly announced Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote that is being sold separately and comes included with the new Fire TV Stick 4K and Fire TV Cube has a lot of impressive tricks up its sleeve, but hands-free capabilities is not one of those tricks.

www.aftvnews.com

 

[jankerson]

Many YouTuber's are affiliated with the product that they are reviewing, even though they do not mention their affiliation with the company. If they say nothing but positive things about the product, or sound deceiving about the product being reviewed, then I'll just watch someone more trust worthy.

As for Amazon and Google home, people should take into consideration about the privacy issues those devices have. The reviewers should state that, but people need to do their own research before buying those. It's been proven that both Alexa and Home have their mic on 27/7 and are constantly listening to your conversations. Both companies clam that in order for Home and Alexa to be better, they must constantly collect conversations and data. Reviewers barely mention that at all, especially YouTuber's.

So, it's somethimes better to research on your own and to vote with your wallet. Don't like it? You can always buy something else.

If you stick with the good ones, there are actually honest reviewers on YT that do actually know what they are talking about. You can count them on one hand however and have fingers left over.

However it does seem that the top ones are all collaborating now so really take them all with a huge grain of salt. One says something then the others say exactly the same thing almost word for word...

 

[TJ Hooker]

In addition to what's already been said, I sometimes look at the user review score for one product relative to another (rather than looking at the score on its own).

If multiple competing products have a fair bit of reviews (hopefully >100), I assume that they should each be affected more or less equally by factors such as idiots rating them 1 star due to user error or whatever. So if there is still a noticeable difference in rating, I treat that as an indication that there may be a real difference in quality/performance between the two (and may start reading individual reviews to see if I can glean what that difference may be).

I'll always factor in professional reviews heavily if they're available, but I use user reviews if professional ones aren't available, and/or as a proxy for qualities that individual professional reviews may not be able to measure (e.g. frequency of defects).

 

[Elvis Hbpbgrtnk]

I havings no problem with reviewers making living. If they have affileeyut(however it spelled) money if reviews is real.

Sometimes I seeing online sites that have review review review. Is they reviewing or just having lots of links?