Which one should you buy?

• Split AC vs window AC

  Choose a split AC for most bedrooms and living rooms: it is quieter and cools more evenly. Choose a window AC if your budget is tight, you rent, or you already have a window opening and no place for an outdoor unit.

• Inverter AC vs non-inverter AC

  Choose an inverter AC if you run it for several hours a day: its compressor slows down instead of switching off, which saves electricity and holds the temperature steadier. A fixed-speed AC only makes sense for occasional use where the lower price matters more.

• 5 star vs 3 star AC

  Choose a 5 star AC if you run it for many hours through a long summer, because lower electricity bills can repay the higher price. Choose a 3 star AC for moderate use, where the saving may take too many years to cover the extra cost.

• LED vs QLED TV

  Choose QLED if the room is bright or you care about vivid colour: its quantum-dot layer gives more brightness and a wider colour range. Choose LED if price matters most or the TV is mainly for everyday viewing. Both use an LED backlight, so neither has OLED's perfect blacks.

• Headphones vs earbuds

  Choose earbuds for commuting, workouts and calls, since they are small and easy to carry. Choose over-ear headphones for long listening at a desk or on flights, where comfort, battery life and noise cancellation usually come out ahead at the same price.

• Soundbar vs home theatre

  Choose a soundbar for most living rooms: one cable, little furniture space and a clear upgrade over TV speakers. Choose a home theatre with separate speakers if you have the room for them and want surround sound that truly comes from behind you.

• DSLR vs mirrorless camera

  Choose mirrorless if you are buying new today: bodies are lighter, autofocus and video are generally better, and it is where brands are putting their new lenses. A DSLR still makes sense if you find a good price, prefer an optical viewfinder or want longer battery life.

• Front load vs top load washing machine

  Choose a front load machine if you want the most thorough, gentler wash and lower water use, and can afford the higher price. Choose a top load machine for a lower price, shorter cycles and easy loading without bending.

• Single door vs double door refrigerator

  Choose a double door fridge for a family of three or more: it holds more, the freezer is separate and most models are frost free. Choose a single door fridge for one or two people, tight spaces and the lowest price.

• Frost free vs direct cool refrigerator

  Choose frost free if you want no manual defrosting and more even cooling, which suits most families. Choose direct cool if the price matters most and you are fine defrosting it yourself now and then.

• Gaming laptop vs normal laptop

  Choose a gaming laptop only if you play modern games or do GPU-heavy work such as video editing or 3D. For study, office work and coding, a normal laptop is lighter, quieter, lasts longer on battery and costs much less.

• Gaming monitor vs normal monitor

  Choose a gaming monitor if you play fast games: 144 Hz or more looks visibly smoother. For office work, reading and movies, a normal monitor with a good IPS panel is enough and usually costs less.

• Monitor vs TV for PS5

  Choose a TV if you play from a sofa, since 50 inches or more is hard to beat for the price. Choose a monitor if you sit at a desk and care about responsiveness. For 4K at 120 Hz, check that either one lists HDMI 2.1.

• Laptop vs tablet for students

  Choose a laptop if you write assignments, code or need full desktop software. Choose a tablet if you mostly read, watch lectures and take handwritten notes with a pen, and want something lighter and cheaper.