Technical Glossary (1935 terms)

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

• shader — A small GPU program that calculates rendering effects. [ GAMING ]
• shadow quality — The resolution and detail of shadows rendered in a game. [ GAMING ]
• sharpening — Processing that increases edge contrast to make photos look crisper. [ CAMERA ]
• shatterproof — Shatterproof means designed not to break into sharp fragments on impact. [ DURABILITY ]
• shooter — A game genre built around aiming and firing weapons. [ GAMING ]
• shoulder triggers — Extra physical shoulder buttons on gaming phones and controllers. [ GAMING ]
• shutter button — The control that triggers a photo capture on the camera. [ CAMERA ]
• shutter lag — The delay between pressing the shutter and capture. [ CAMERA ]
• shutter speed — The time the camera's shutter or sensor is exposed to light. [ CAMERA ]
• side-by-side — Side-by-side means comparing products directly against each other. [ GENERAL ]
• sidegrade — A sidegrade is a change that offers no clear improvement. [ GENERAL ]
• sideloading — Installing apps from outside the official app store. [ SOFTWARE ]
• signal — The wireless connection between a device and a network. [ CONNECTIVITY ]
• signal strength — How powerful a received wireless signal is, shown in bars or dBm. [ CONNECTIVITY ]
• simplified mode — A cleaner interface with fewer features for easier use. [ SOFTWARE ]
• single rank — A memory module with one rank of chips; simpler and usually slightly slower than dual-rank. [ MEMORY ]
• single-player — A game mode played alone, usually with a story campaign. [ GAMING ]
• skin tone — How accurately a camera renders human skin colours. [ CAMERA ]
• slow-motion video — Video captured at a high frame rate and played back slowly. [ CAMERA ]
• smart HDR — Apple's computational HDR processing that blends exposures to preserve highlights. [ DISPLAY ]
• smoothness — Smoothness is how fluidly a device responds and animates. [ GENERAL ]
• software — Software is the set of programs that run on hardware. [ GENERAL ]
• software experience — Software experience is the overall feel of a device's operating system. [ GENERAL ]
• software support — Software support describes how long a device keeps receiving updates. [ GENERAL ]
• software update — A new version of a device's software delivered over time. [ SOFTWARE ]
• solid-state — Storage with no moving parts, using flash memory for fast, silent operation. [ STORAGE ]
• solid-state battery — A future battery using a solid electrolyte for higher density. [ BATTERY ]
• sound quality — The overall fidelity of audio playback or capture. [ AUDIO ]
• sound signature — The tonal character of audio gear, such as warm, neutral, or bright. [ AUDIO ]
• soundstage — The perceived width and depth of a stereo or spatial audio image. [ AUDIO ]
• spatial audio — 3D audio that places sound around the listener, often with head tracking. [ AUDIO ]
• spatial photo — A photo with depth data that can be viewed with a 3D effect. [ CAMERA ]
• spatial video — Video with depth data that can be viewed with a 3D effect. [ CAMERA ]
• speaker — A device that converts electrical signals into sound. [ AUDIO ]
• speaker driver — The component inside a speaker that produces sound. [ AUDIO ]
• speaker phone — Hands-free calling through the device's loudspeaker. [ AUDIO ]
• speaker quality — How good a device's built-in speakers sound in practice. [ AUDIO ]
• speaker volume — How loud a device's speakers can play without distorting. [ AUDIO ]
• spec comparison — A spec comparison lines up specifications across products. [ GENERAL ]
• spec sheet — A spec sheet is a document listing a product's specifications. [ GENERAL ]
• specification — A specification is a documented feature or measurement of a product. [ GENERAL ]
• spectrum — The range of radio frequencies used for wireless communication. [ CONNECTIVITY ]
• speed — Speed is how quickly a device performs a given task. [ GENERAL ]
• split screen — Running two apps side by side on a single screen at once. [ SOFTWARE ]
• split-view — A multitasking layout that shows two apps together. [ SOFTWARE ]
• stability test — A stability test runs sustained load to check for crashes or throttling. [ BENCHMARK ]
• stabilization — Techniques that reduce camera shake for sharper photos and smoother video. [ CAMERA ]
• stacked memory — Memory dies stacked vertically to save space or add bandwidth. [ MEMORY ]
• stacked sensor — A sensor with separate stacked layers for faster readout. [ CAMERA ]
• standard camera — A phone's main wide camera, the default for most shots. [ CAMERA ]