Most people invert effort: three hours on a phone case, twenty minutes on a sofa. The matrix is how you pick how much AI (and human) work a buy deserves.
| Low research needed | High research needed | |
|---|---|---|
| Low cost (<$50) | Validate in one pass — then buy | Quick rank of 3 options |
| $50–$500 | Feature / compatibility check | Full matrix, return window |
| $500–$5k | Unusual — ask why research is low | Multiple sources, used vs new |
| $5k+ | Red flag | Multi-session workflow, human confirm |
How to use it with a model
Do not paste “what laptop should I buy?” Put the cell in the spec: “This is a $1,200 high-research buy. Produce a five-row matrix. Do not recommend a $4,000 machine.”
Tie this to buy / wait / skip. High-research cells almost never skip the wait option (new chip next month, sale cycle, measure twice).
AI-specific traps
- Models average review-blog cadence and sound certain
- Prices in training data are stale — you click the live page
- “Best overall” is not a cell on this matrix