Terms of service
The terms you agree to when using these diagnostic tools, including the limits on what a browser test can tell you.
Agreement
By using this site you agree to these terms. If you don’t agree, please don’t use it.
What this site provides
Free browser based diagnostic tools for computer hardware and written guides about common hardware faults. Everything is provided at no cost and without registration.
The important limitation: what a browser test can and can’t tell you
Read this section even if you skip the rest.
These tools report what your browser can observe about your hardware. That is genuinely useful and it isn’t the same as a full hardware diagnosis. Specifically:
- A passing result doesn’t prove your hardware is healthy. Intermittent faults are intermittent. A mouse that chatters once a day will very likely pass a one minute test. A stick that drifts only when warm will read clean when cold.
- A failing result doesn’t always mean the hardware is broken. Driver problems, operating system settings, interfering software, faulty cables and USB port issues all produce symptoms identical to hardware failure. Our guides say so where relevant.
- Some things can’t be tested from a browser at all. The Fn key, mouse DPI and several other properties are simply not exposed to web pages. Where that is true, we say so on the page rather than guessing.
- Measurements are approximate. Refresh rate, frame rate and click timing are measured through browser interfaces with their own precision limits and are affected by what else your machine is doing.
Do not rely on these tools alone for a decision with a deadline or a cost. If you are deciding whether to return a monitor inside a return window, claim a warranty or buy a replacement, verify with the manufacturer’s own diagnostics or a qualified technician. We’re not responsible for a return window you miss or a warranty claim you don’t make.
No warranty
The site and its tools are provided “as is” and “as available”, without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy or non-infringement. We don’t warrant that the site will be uninterrupted, error free or that results will be accurate or complete.
Limitation of liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, we’re not liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential or punitive damages or any loss of data, hardware, profits or revenue, arising from your use of this site, whether based on warranty, contract, tort or any other legal theory, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.
Nothing in these terms excludes liability that can’t be excluded under applicable law.
Acceptable use
Please don’t use this site to break the law, attempt to gain unauthorised access to it, interfere with its operation or scrape it at a volume that degrades it for other people. Automated access that respects our robots.txt and doesn’t impose unreasonable load is fine.
Intellectual property
The site’s text, design and code are ours unless stated otherwise. Hardware names, brands and trademarks referenced in our guides and model pages belong to their respective owners and are used for identification only. We’re not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by any hardware manufacturer mentioned on this site.
Third party links
We link to manufacturer documentation, forums and other external resources. We don’t control those sites and aren’t responsible for their content or their privacy practices.
Advertising
This site is supported by advertising. Ads are served by third parties and their presence isn’t an endorsement. See the privacy policy for what advertising partners collect.
Changes
We may update these terms. Continued use after a change means you accept the updated terms. The effective date at the top of this page shows when they last changed.
Contact
Questions about this page or requests under it, go to [email protected]. Idea Incubator, LLC operates Hardware Detective and these terms are governed by the laws of the State of Wyoming, United States.