Think about it this way: Will the user "lose their place" on your page if they click a link and go back? Will the user lose any filtering or search options? If the answer is yes to either, open in a new tab. I personally make this determination all the time, especially on social media after I've scrolled a lot and don't want my "progress" to be lost.

Opening in a new tab has become some kind of standard UX. Regardless of that, for this kind of site it would be very useful for product spec comparison.

I think not forcing links to open in a new tab is the right call.

However, the point about losing one's place is a valid one, and I agree with the other commenter that said it would be good to encode the state in the URL to solve that.

Always open in new tab. Ill keep track of the 437 I have open in 7 different FF windows, and the couple Edge tabs to hide cookies ThankYouVeryMuch

EDIT: Yes ctrl-click is too much effort. Middle-click even.

(Many forget a middle click on a mouse-wheel is also a ctrl-click/new-tab button, and the thumb button MOUSE4 is back)