shouldiuse.io

Report

Should I Use PCMag?

pcmag.com·Analyzed 14 hours ago··Based on 8 sources

PCMag is your complete guide to computers, peripherals and upgrades. We test and review tech products and services, report technology news and trends, and provide shopping advice with price comparisons.

Depends

Depends

PCMag is a free editorial review site, not software — useful as a starting point for gadget research.

Free tech-review site: decent starting point for gadget research; not software, and critics allege affiliate bias.

Confidence: Medium

1.7/5

Trustpilot rating

Only 18 reviews

Free

Price

No paywall or signup found in sources

1982

Founded

Guess: as PC Magazine

563K

Instagram followers

8,433 posts

Value for money5

Free to read, no cost at all

Ease of use4

Standard browsable site, A-Z categories

Feature depth4

Reviews, picks, news, encyclopedia across many categories

Support quality2

Trustpilot 1.7/5, though tiny sample

Pros

  • Free lab-tested reviews across broad categories²
  • Curated Top Picks roundups speed up shortlisting³
  • Long-running brand, formerly PC Magazine⁸
  • Deep security coverage and explainers

Cons

  • Trustpilot sentiment poor: 1.7/5 from 18 reviews⁴
  • Reddit critics allege affiliate-driven hosting rankings⁵
  • Some long-time readers say credibility has declined⁶

Gotchas

  • medium'Best X' roundups may favor affiliate partners; verify big purchases on Reddit or specialist forums⁵
  • lowTrustpilot is 1.7/5 but from only 18 users — small sample⁴
  • lowRegional editions (UK, AU) exist; content can differ by region

Best for

  • Gadget shoppers wanting lab-tested picks
  • Casual tech news readers
  • Buyers comparing laptops, VPNs, security suites

Not for

  • Teams hunting software to deploy — it's articles, not a tool
  • Hosting or software buyers wanting community-verified rankings
  • Anyone needing support, SLAs, or contracts — none exist

Pricing

Free site

$0

  • Reviews, picks, news, encyclopedia
  • Newsletter available
  • Ad and affiliate supported per critics

Security

No known public vulnerabilities found in the sources reviewed.

What users say

Sentiment is mixed: specific reviews earn praise while Reddit threads accuse PCMag of affiliate-influenced rankings and declining credibility.

“PC Mag is Trash - The "Best" Web Hosting Services for 2025”
— Reddit, r/webhosting
“PCMag has lost all credibility.”
— Reddit, r/windowsphone
“Use sites like Tomshardware, PCmag”
— Reddit, r/pcmasterrace

Alternatives

Compare PCMag with each alternative.

Reddit communities

Unfiltered owner feedback on specific products

Guess: Wirecutter

Concise, testing-based buying guides

Full analysis

Based on ~20 public sources. PCMag is a media site, not software, so fit is judged as a research resource.

Sources

  1. PCMag homepagepcmag.com
    official
  2. Lab-Tested Product Reviewspcmag.com
    official
  3. Our Top Product Picks for 2026pcmag.com
    official
  4. Trustpilot reviews of pcmag.comtrustpilot.com
    review
  5. Reddit, r/webhosting: PC Mag is Trashreddit.com
    review
  6. Reddit, r/windowsphone: PCMag has lost all credibilityreddit.com
    review
  7. Reddit, r/pcmasterrace thread recommending Tomshardware and PCMagreddit.com
    review
  8. PCMag Wikipedia entryen.wikipedia.org
    official

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