Technical Glossary (1935 terms)

Standardized hardware and benchmark definitions across smartphones, laptops, CPUs, GPUs, SoCs, and tablets.

• beauty mode — A camera mode that smooths skin and adjusts facial features. [ CAMERA ]
• benchmark comparison — A structured test that measures two or more devices with the same benchmark suite to rank their performance objectively. [ GENERAL ]
• best laptop — Best laptop refers to the top-rated notebook for a given use case. [ GENERAL ]
• best phone — Best phone refers to the top-rated smartphone for a given use case. [ GENERAL ]
• beta — A pre-release software build shared for testing before a stable launch. [ SOFTWARE ]
• beta test — A trial release used to test a game before full launch. [ GAMING ]
• bezel — The frame surrounding a device's display, between the visible screen and the outer edge. [ DISPLAY ]
• big.LITTLE — Arm's design pairing fast performance cores with power-efficient efficiency cores. [ CHIPS ]
• biometrics — Using physical traits such as faces or fingerprints to authenticate. [ SOFTWARE ]
• bit — A bit is the smallest unit of digital information, a single 0 or 1. [ GENERAL ]
• bit depth — The number of bits per audio sample, setting dynamic range. [ AUDIO ]
• bitrate — The amount of data used per second of video, affecting quality and file size. [ CAMERA ]
• blooming — A halo of light that spills from a bright area into neighbouring dark zones on a locally dimmed LCD. [ DISPLAY ]
• blue light filter — A mode that reduces blue light to ease eye strain at night. [ DISPLAY ]
• blue-light filter — A software filter that tints the screen warmer to cut blue light emission. [ DISPLAY ]
• blur — A loss of sharpness, either unwanted or used creatively for background bokeh. [ CAMERA ]
• bone conduction — Sound delivered by vibrating the skull rather than through the ear canal. [ AUDIO ]
• bootloader — The first software that runs and loads the operating system. [ SOFTWARE ]
• box contents — Box contents list the items included with a product. [ GENERAL ]
• branch prediction — A CPU feature that guesses which way a branch will go to keep the pipeline full. [ CHIPS ]
• brightness slider — The on-screen control used to raise or lower a display's brightness manually. [ DISPLAY ]
• brightness uniformity — How evenly a display's brightness is distributed across the whole screen. [ DISPLAY ]
• browser — An app used for viewing and navigating content on the web. [ SOFTWARE ]
• browser benchmark — A browser benchmark measures JavaScript and web-rendering speed. [ BENCHMARK ]
• build quality — Build quality describes how solidly and carefully a device is made. [ GENERAL ]
• bundle — A bundle groups a product with accessories or extras at one price. [ GENERAL ]
• bundled — Bundled means included with a product rather than sold separately. [ GENERAL ]
• burst — A rapid sequence of photos captured in quick succession. [ CAMERA ]
• burst mode — A mode that takes many photos in quick succession. [ CAMERA ]
• buying guide — A buying guide helps shoppers choose a product for their needs. [ GENERAL ]
• byte — A byte is a unit of digital information made up of 8 bits. [ GENERAL ]
• cache SSD — A small, fast SSD used to cache frequently accessed data for a larger hard drive. [ STORAGE ]
• call quality — How clear a voice call sounds, set by microphones and codecs. [ AUDIO ]
• camera app — The software that controls a device's camera and its modes. [ CAMERA ]
• camera benchmark — A camera benchmark scores photo and video quality, such as DxOMark. [ BENCHMARK ]
• camera module — The physical housing containing a camera's lens and sensor. [ CAMERA ]
• camera partnership — A collaboration between a phone maker and a camera brand for tuning. [ CAMERA ]
• camera permission — An app permission granting access to the device's camera. [ SOFTWARE ]
• camera phone — A camera phone is a smartphone that emphasises camera hardware and software. [ GENERAL ]
• camera score — A Camera score is a 0-100 DeviceBenchmark rating for that aspect of a device. [ GENERAL ]
• camera shortcut — A quick gesture or button that opens the camera instantly. [ CAMERA ]
• camera software — The processing and algorithms that shape photos and video. [ CAMERA ]
• camera tuning — Adjusting a camera's processing for colour, contrast, and detail. [ CAMERA ]
• carbon footprint — A product's carbon footprint is the total emissions associated with it. [ GENERAL ]
• carrier — A mobile network operator that provides cellular service. [ CONNECTIVITY ]
• carrier aggregation — Combining multiple spectrum bands to increase data speed. [ CONNECTIVITY ]
• cast screen — Sending a device's screen to a TV or monitor wirelessly. [ SOFTWARE ]
• cellular — Mobile network connectivity delivered through cell towers. [ CONNECTIVITY ]
• centimeter — A centimeter is a unit of length equal to ten millimeters. [ GENERAL ]
• ceramic back — A rear panel made of ceramic for scratch resistance. [ DURABILITY ]