Sarah Chen

My path into this beat was accidental. I spent my twenties as a hardware engineer working on consumer electronics — headphones, mostly, and a brief unhappy stretch on a smart-home project I’d rather not name. I started writing product reviews as a hobby because I kept picking up adult devices at CES-adjacent trade shows and being unable to find a single review that actually engaged with the engineering. Motor specs, battery chemistry, ingress protection ratings, silicone durometer — none of it was being covered seriously.

I joined the editorial board in 2016 as the first dedicated product technology editor, and the beat has grown well beyond what I originally imagined. Connected devices barely existed when I started; now they’re a full sub-category with their own security and privacy considerations. Battery technology has evolved. Motor design has genuinely improved. And the gap between good and bad products has widened enough that consumers need real guidance more than ever.

My reviews try to answer the questions a reader would actually ask if they could hold the product in their hand. How loud is it, really. How long does the battery last under realistic use. Is the app any good, or is it a security nightmare bolted to a decent motor. Does the silicone smell weird. Would I buy this with my own money.

I bench-test everything I review. I own a decibel meter, a spectrum analyzer, a wattmeter, and an alarming collection of screwdrivers. I don’t take review units without disclosing them and I don’t accept payment for coverage. When brands don’t like what I write about them they usually stop sending review units, which is fine — I have a review budget and a stable of retailers who will sell to me anonymously.

Outside of this beat I write occasionally about consumer electronics policy and I’m slowly restoring a mid-eighties hi-fi system that will probably outlast me.