Data Methodology
How we collect, verify, and maintain quantum hardware data. Updated when our practices change.
Data Collection
hardware.co collects hardware specifications from the following source hierarchy, in priority order. When sources conflict, higher-priority sources take precedence. All numeric values cite a primary source.
We do not use AI-generated specifications.
- IBM Quantum technical documentation
- IonQ technical specifications
- Quantinuum system card
- Rigetti QPU documentation
- IQM technical sheets
- QuEra device specifications
- PASQAL technical documentation
- D-Wave system documentation
- Amazon Braket device documentation
- Azure Quantum provider documentation
- IBM Quantum Experience documentation
- Published benchmark papers
- Architecture research papers
- Performance characterization studies
Research papers are dated and may not reflect current hardware. We note the publication date and flag when specifications may have been superseded.
- Company press releases
- Conference presentations
- Blog posts from official company sources
- Technology journalism
- Industry reports
Only cited when primary sources are unavailable. Always clearly noted.
Specification Verification
Each specification includes a source URL and access date. We mark data with one of the following status indicators:
Unknown or Undisclosed Data
When specifications are unknown or unpublished, hardware.co displays — rather than estimating or inferring values. We do not extrapolate specifications. An absent value is not the same as a zero — it means the data is not available from a primary source.
Benchmarks
Benchmark data is reported as published by manufacturers or cloud providers. hardware.co does not run independent benchmarks. We note when:
- A metric is vendor-defined and has not been independently verified
- Metrics are not directly comparable across architectures
- Measurement methodologies differ between providers
Comparison Methodology
Some specifications — qubit count being the most common example — cannot be fairly compared across architectures without context. A processor with 100 trapped-ion qubits and all-to-all connectivity serves fundamentally different computational tasks than one with 100 superconducting qubits and nearest-neighbor connectivity.
hardware.co surfaces these nuances in comparison tools and does not oversimplify cross-architecture comparisons. Where a direct comparison would be misleading, we add contextual notes.
Editorial Independence
No manufacturer, cloud provider, or third party can pay to change factual rankings, specifications, or benchmark data on hardware.co. Sponsored placements and commercial relationships are disclosed separately from editorial content.
hardware.co does not have equity relationships with any quantum hardware manufacturer.
If you see something that looks like it contradicts this, we want to know. Please use our contact form to flag it.
Data Corrections
If you identify an error in our data, please submit a correction. We review all correction requests and update records when corrections are supported by primary source documentation. Corrections that cannot be verified against a primary source will not be applied.
Submit a data correction →Update Frequency
We aim to review specifications for actively deployed hardware every 90 days, and update immediately when major changes are announced by manufacturers or cloud providers. Each data point includes a "last verified" date so you can assess its freshness.