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Methodology

HardwareDeals.co curates computer-hardware deals from live marketplace data and refreshes them daily. This page explains our data sources, filters, and the ranking formula we use so you know exactly how each result is chosen.

1) Data sources & refresh cadence

  • Source: eBay (Buy It Now, best-match fixed price).
  • Refresh: Once every 24 hours via scheduled job (Central Time).
  • Scope: GPUs and RAM (with more categories coming).
  • What we ingest: Title, price, shipping cost, condition, model/brand, capacity/VRAM, seller rating, return policy, URL.

2) What we include (and exclude)

Included

  • Fixed-price listings with sufficient specs to be comparable
  • New, Open-Box, Manufacturer Refurbished, Seller Refurbished (clearly labeled)

Excluded

  • Auctions (unless Buy-It-Now is available)
  • “For parts/not working,” “BOX ONLY,” empty shells, bundles without clear unit pricing
  • Obvious miscategorization or missing key specs
  • Duplicate listings from the same seller (we keep the best priced/most complete)

3) Normalization & computed fields

To compare apples to apples, we normalize fields before ranking:

  • Total cost = item price + shipping (tax excluded; varies by region)
  • $/GB (RAM) = total cost ÷ module capacity in GB
  • $/GB (GPU VRAM) = total cost ÷ VRAM in GB (a proxy for value; not a performance metric)
  • Condition bucket: New / Open-Box / Refurbished / Used
  • Seller trust: derived from feedback %, count, and return policy

4) Ranking formula (how we order deals)

We compute a weighted score for each listing on curated pages:

Score = 0.60 × Value + 0.20 × Trust + 0.10 × Recency + 0.10 × Popularity

  • Value (60%) — inverse of $/GB (lower is better) and/or price vs. typical range for that model
  • Trust (20%) — seller rating, feedback count, return window (e.g., ≥30 days preferred)
  • Recency (10%) — newer listings slightly favored
  • Popularity (10%) — engagement signals (views/saves if available; otherwise omitted)

Tie-breakers (in order): lower total cost → better condition → higher seller rating.

Note: On some curated pages (e.g., Under $100), we lock the constraint (price ≤ $100). Sorting and pagination won’t show results outside that rule.

5) Condition & model notes

  • New/Open-Box/Refurbished/Used are displayed as provided by the seller; we surface them as badges and allow filtering.
  • For GPUs, VRAM (GB) and model series affect real-world performance; our $/GB is meant to flag value, not FPS. We link to guides for performance context.

6) Accuracy & limitations

  • Listings change quickly and can sell out between refreshes.
  • Seller info (rating/returns) is provided by the marketplace; we don’t override it.
  • Prices may not include sales tax; shipping is included where provided.

7) Affiliate disclosure

HardwareDeals.co is reader-supported. We may earn a commission when you buy through our links. Affiliate links are labeled and use rel="sponsored nofollow noopener".

8) Contact & feedback

Spotted an issue or want a category added? Reach us on the Contact page. We adjust filters and weights over time to reflect market conditions.