Introduction
If you browse around our website for a bit, you’ll probably have noticed that products can get awards. Most of these awards are linked to our reviews, but some have a link to how/if a product is used in the pro scene. In this article, we’ll tell you all about our awards and how they work.
Review Awards
These awards are selected by our reviewer(s) to highlight what truly makes a product stand out. Instead of focusing on a long list of similar-sounding badges which can make it difficult to see the forest for the trees, we keep things focused and limited to a few meaningful distinctions.
That also means a strong product might not receive an award. These labels are not the sole measure of quality. We always recommend reading the full review, and ideally other perspectives as well, before deciding if a product is right for you.
Staff’s Choice
The Staff’s Choice award is given out to products that are exceptional in their field. They’re products with little to no objective downsides and are products that our staff would happily use in their personal setup due to their overall quality. A product with the Staff’s Choice award is a product that’s at the top of its category at the time of review.
Budget Award
The Budget Award is reserved for products that offer exceptional value within their category. It’s important to understand that this is always evaluated in context. We compare products against their direct competitors, not against the market as a whole.
For example, if a gaming mouse features the latest sensor and flagship-level internals at $80, while comparable models with similar specifications retail for $150, that product may earn a Budget Award. So in essence, this reward is not about being the cheapest product on the market but rather about delivering standout performance and features at a price that significantly undercuts its true peers.
Innovation Award
The Innovation Award is given to products that move their category forward. These are products that introduce meaningful new technology or bring genuinely fresh ideas to the table, whether that’s in functionality, shape, design, or overall concept.
With that said, innovation doesn’t have to benefit every single player or apply equally across all games to matter. Sometimes a breakthrough is especially impactful for a specific audience or playstyle, and that’s perfectly valid, too.
This award was introduced in February of 2026, so products reviewed before that date could not receive this award.
Pro Usage Awards
We’re a website with a strong focus on gear made for and use by pro players. As such, it’s only fitting that some ProSettings awards focus on the pro scene. These awards are based on our data and the usage of products in the pro scene.
Pro’s Choice
The Pro’s Choice award is given to products that have been used by at least 50 professional players simultaneously for a minimum of 30 consecutive days. In short, it indicates that the product has achieved meaningful adoption at the highest levels of play.
It’s important to note that this award is permanent. Once a product earns Pro’s Choice status, it retains that distinction.
GOTY (Gear Of The Year)
The Gear of the Year Award is given out at the end of the year to one product per category, per game. It goes to the product that was used the most by professional players for most of that year.
To give out this award, we look at our usage data month by month. If one product was the number one most-used option in its category for the majority of the year, and more than any competing product, it wins Gear of the Year. There is only one winner per category in each game.
This award shows long-term popularity and trust from pros, not a short spike in usage. And just like the Pro’s Choice Award, it stays with the product permanently once it’s earned.
Products can earn multiple GOTY awards. For example, one mouse can be the #1 VALORANT Mouse of 2025 while also being the #1 Fortnite Mouse of 2025.
The GOTY award started in 2024, so there is no data for the years prior to that.
#1 Brand
This award is not given to products, but to brands. As such, these awards will only be visible on brand pages.
At the end of each year, we analyze usage data across every game and category to determine which brands led the pack. If a brand had the highest number of professional users across its entire product lineup for the majority of the year, it earns the #1 Brand award for that specific game and category.
Brands can earn multiple #1 Brand titles. For example, a company might be the #1 Mousepad Brand of 2025 in CS2 while also holding the #1 Headset Brand of 2025 position in VALORANT. Each award reflects category-specific dominance over a sustained period.
#1 Brand awards get given out at the end of each year.
The #1 Brand award started in 2024, so there is no data for the years prior to that.
Conclusion
With the ProSettings awards system, we keep things simple and intentional. We don’t hand out a long list of overlapping badges that all mean roughly the same thing. Instead, we focus on a small number of clear distinctions, each with a specific purpose.
Looking for gear that’s widely used by professional players? Our pro usage awards make that easy to spot. Want something that delivers serious value for the money? We highlight that too. Every award exists to give you meaningful context.
At the end of the day, the goal is straightforward: help you make a more informed decision when choosing new gear. If you have suggestions or feedback on our system, feel free to share them in the comments.
