Did Linus Do It Again? ... Misleading Laptop Buyers

Summary

The video script criticizes Linus's review of Snapdragon laptops, accusing him of rushing hype videos without thorough research. It argues that Linus's conclusions on application compatibility, battery life, and performance efficiency are misleading and not supported by his own findings. The script calls for transparency, thorough testing, and clear recommendations, emphasizing the responsibility of influencers in guiding tech buyers.

Takeaways

• 😕 The speaker expresses disappointment in Linus's video on Snapdragon laptops, suggesting that conclusions were not well-supported by research and testing.
• 🏃‍♂️ The script criticizes YouTubers for 'rushing out' hype videos on trending topics without thorough research, highlighting a wider issue in the tech review community.
• 🤔 The speaker questions Linus's claim of 'shocking day one completeness' for the new laptops, pointing out that many applications and games do not work well with the new architecture.
• 🎥 Linus's video is accused of not disclosing a potential sponsorship with Qualcomm, which could influence the review's objectivity.
• 🕵️‍♂️ The script emphasizes the importance of thorough testing and real-world usage before making conclusions about a product's performance and suitability.
• 🔋 The battery life and power efficiency claims made in Linus's video are challenged, with the speaker noting that high-performance tasks significantly affect battery life and performance per watt.
• 📊 The speaker points out that Linus's analysis of power efficiency lacks depth, as it does not account for battery size normalization or actual power draw measurements.
• 💻 The script suggests that Linus's conclusions about the performance of different Snapdragon processors are not backed by testing or data, and that performance is more dependent on manufacturer settings.
• 🎮 The gaming performance of the new laptops is deemed unsuitable by the speaker, contradicting Linus's positive portrayal of their integrated graphics capabilities.
• 📉 The speaker argues that Linus's overall positive communication of the laptops' performance does not align with the findings presented in the video.
• 🛠️ The speaker commits to a policy of thorough testing and transparent communication in their reviews, aiming to provide trustworthy content for making informed buying decisions.

Q & A

What is the main concern raised by the speaker about Linus's video on Snapdragon laptops?

The speaker is concerned that Linus's video may be misleading due to rushed conclusions, lack of thorough research, and not clarifying who should actually be buying the product.

What does the speaker accuse Linus of not doing in his video?

The speaker accuses Linus of not testing key applications necessary to justify his conclusions, not showing sufficient battery life tests, and not demonstrating the performance hits when running non-native applications.

What is the speaker's issue with Linus's claim about the 'shocking day one completeness' of the new laptops?

The speaker's issue is that Linus's own findings and their own tests did not support the claim of 'shocking day one completeness', as they found application compatibility issues, especially for specialist applications and gaming.

How does the speaker describe the testing approach of their team compared to Linus's?

The speaker describes their team's approach as more thorough, using real-world testing as daily drivers before publishing reviews, unlike Linus who tested games in a live stream after publishing his review.

What is the speaker's critique of Linus's demonstration of battery life and power efficiency?

The speaker criticizes Linus for showing only a single test of battery life with low-resolution YouTube video playback and not demonstrating battery drain during performance tasks or normalizing for battery size.

What is the issue the speaker has with Linus's communication of performance?

The speaker's issue is that Linus's communication is overwhelmingly positive, which does not match the findings that show the laptops are behind in single-core performance and unsuitable for most gaming.

What is the speaker's opinion on Linus's statement about the gaming performance of the Snapdragon laptops?

The speaker believes Linus's statement about the strong gaming performance is misleading, as their tests showed the laptops are not suitable for most gaming due to compatibility and performance issues.

What is the speaker's view on Linus's assumption about the performance of different Snapdragon Elite SKUs?

The speaker views Linus's assumption as unfounded because he did not test or provide data to back up his claims about the performance differences between different Snapdragon Elite SKUs.

What does the speaker suggest is the responsibility of influencers when reviewing tech products?

The speaker suggests that influencers have a responsibility to be transparent, clear, and thorough with their advice, ensuring that their research matches their conclusions and that they clarify who should be buying the product.

What is the speaker's commitment to their audience regarding their review process?

The speaker commits to performing every task on the laptops they review as part of their daily routine before publishing reviews, and not rushing out videos to chase hype, ensuring their content is trustworthy for making informed buying decisions.

Outlines

00:00

😕 Disappointment in Tech Reviews

The speaker expresses disappointment in the tech review community, particularly calling out Linus for his video on Snapdragon laptops. They argue that some YouTubers are releasing videos on trending topics without thorough research or clear advice for potential buyers. The critique focuses on the lack of transparency and the rush to publish content, which can mislead consumers. The speaker uses Linus's video as an example, pointing out discrepancies between his conclusions and their own findings, as well as the lack of testing for certain applications and games.

05:02

🔍 Questioning Claims on Battery Life and Efficiency

This paragraph delves into the specifics of battery life and power efficiency claims made in tech reviews. The speaker challenges Linus's assertion that Snapdragon laptops have incredible battery life, pointing out that his testing was limited to a single scenario of playing a low-resolution YouTube video. They argue for a more comprehensive approach to testing, including performance tasks and power draw measurements, which were not addressed in Linus's video. The speaker also criticizes the lack of normalization for battery size across different laptops when comparing efficiency.

10:03

🚀 Commitment to Thorough Testing and Transparency

In the final paragraph, the speaker pledges to maintain a commitment to thorough testing and transparency in their reviews. They emphasize the importance of performing real-world tasks on the laptops under review to provide an accurate depiction of user experience. The speaker also promises not to rush out videos to capitalize on hype, aiming to produce content that viewers can trust to inform their purchasing decisions. They conclude by reiterating their dedication to providing 'largely Flawless' reviews, in contrast to the perceived shortcomings in Linus's approach.

Keywords

💡Snapdragon laptops

Snapdragon laptops refer to portable computers that utilize the Snapdragon chipset, which is typically found in smartphones. In the video, the script discusses the new generation of these laptops and their performance capabilities. The term is central to the video's theme, as the script critiques Linus's video on these laptops and their purported 'shocking day one completeness'.

💡Co-pilot plus

Co-pilot plus is a term used in the script to describe a feature or aspect of the Snapdragon laptops that may enhance user experience, possibly by providing additional assistance or capabilities. The script does not define it explicitly, but it is implied that it is a significant selling point of the laptops being discussed.

💡Research matches conclusions

This concept highlights the importance of ensuring that the findings of a study or review align with the conclusions drawn from it. In the context of the video, the script criticizes Linus for allegedly making conclusions that do not align with his test results, suggesting a lack of thorough research.

💡Application compatibility

Application compatibility refers to the ability of software applications to function properly on a given platform or system. The script points out that the new Snapdragon laptops have issues with application compatibility, especially for specialist applications and gaming, which is a key concern for potential buyers.

💡Performance hits

Performance hits describe the decrease in the efficiency or speed of a system when running certain tasks, especially non-native applications. The script mentions that the Snapdragon laptops experience significant performance hits, which contradicts Linus's claims of their efficiency.

💡Battery life

Battery life is a measure of how long a device can operate on a full charge. The script disputes Linus's claims about the impressive battery life of the Snapdragon laptops, arguing that high-performance tasks negatively impact their battery efficiency.

💡Power efficiency

Power efficiency refers to how effectively a device uses power, often measured in performance per watt. The script challenges Linus's assertion that the Snapdragon laptops have incredible power efficiency, pointing out that this claim was not substantiated with proper testing.

💡Unsponsored

Unsponsored indicates that a video or content is not paid for or influenced by a sponsor. The script criticizes Linus for claiming his video was unsponsored while having previously been sponsored by Qualcomm, suggesting a potential conflict of interest.

💡Gaming performance

Gaming performance relates to how well a device can run games, including factors like frame rates and graphical quality. The script points out that Linus's video overstates the gaming capabilities of the Snapdragon laptops, which the script's own tests found to be unsuitable for gaming.

💡Multi-core performance

Multi-core performance is the combined performance of all the cores in a processor, which is important for tasks that can be parallelized. The script acknowledges that the Snapdragon chips have strong multi-core performance but also notes that they fall behind in single-core performance, which is crucial for many applications.

💡Trust

Trust is a central theme in the script, as it emphasizes the responsibility of influencers and reviewers to provide accurate and reliable information. The script contrasts its own approach of thorough testing and transparency with what it perceives as Linus's misleading claims.

Highlights

Disappointment with Linus's video conclusions on Snapdragon laptops, suggesting a wider issue of YouTubers rushing hype videos without thorough research.

Concern about influencers' responsibility to provide transparent, clear, and thorough advice on tech products.

Critique of Linus's declaration of being unsponsored, pointing out a previous sponsored video about the same topic.

Findings of application compatibility issues on new architecture laptops, specifically for specialist applications and gaming.

Lack of testing on professional applications like SketchUp Pro, Virtual box, and Record box, which may not work on new laptops.

Misleading claims about the gaming capabilities of Snapdragon laptops, with many games not running or performing poorly.

The importance of real-world testing before publishing reviews, as exemplified by Linus's follow-up live stream.

Performance hits when running non-native applications on Snapdragon laptops, affecting overall efficiency.

Battery life tests' limitations, with a need for more comprehensive testing during high-performance tasks.

The misleading portrayal of battery life efficiency without normalization for battery size.

Lack of power draw measurements, which are crucial for assessing true efficiency.

The discrepancy between Linus's overwhelmingly positive communication of performance and the actual findings.

The overemphasis on gaming performance despite the Snapdragon laptops' unsuitable nature for most gaming.

Unfounded assumptions about the performance of different Snapdragon Elite SKUs without testing.

Call for transparency and thoroughness in tech reviews, especially from influential figures like Linus.

A commitment to performing every task on reviewed laptops to ensure reliable content for viewers.

A promise to not rush out videos, prioritizing thoroughness over timeliness in tech reviews.

Transcripts

I just watched Linus's video on the new

co-pilot plus Snapdragon laptops and I

had to hop on today because I'm pretty

disappointed his conclusions differ

significantly from our own which by

itself is totally fine but I feel this

video highlights a wider issue on

YouTube right now YouTubers are rushing

out hype videos on trending topics

without spending the time to ensure that

their research matches their conclusions

and without clarifying who should

actually be buying the product that they

are pitching in his video there were

many examples where his conclusions were

missing key tests necessary to justify

them or where his own test results did

not support what he was claiming laptops

are major purchasers and we as

influencers have a responsibility to be

transparent clear and thorough with our

advice with great power comes great

responsibility even from the moment his

video opened up I felt uncomfortable he

started with this giant Hooper about how

his video was unsponsored so he can say

whatever he truly feels gone are my

sponsor obligations to Qualcomm about

their new Snapdragon ex Elite chips I

can say everything I want folks you are

smart people he was literally sponsored

by qualcom to talk about these very

processes in another video that went

live 3 weeks before do you think that

whether Qualcomm is paying for that

specific video keeping a paying customer

like them happy may affect the way you

speak about their products come on so

like lus fallacy number one these

laptops have shocking day one

completeness one of the first major

points that lonus implies in his video

is that most applications work as they

should in fact he States it three times

throughout his video including in the

all important intro and conclusion

shocking day one completeness shocking

lack of Jank for a first gen product has

been largely Flawless his own findings

did not match these bold statements and

neither did ours we found application

compatibility for this new architecture

was lacking for those who use specialist

applications and or enjoy gaming he

mentioned testing solid works but he

didn't cover testing any other

professional applications we tested a

ton everything from SketchUp Pro for

interior designers to Virtual box for

cyber security folks all the way to

record box for DJs we found that there

were many of these applications that did

not work even many of Adobes

applications used to advertise some of

these laptops right now do not work and

when it comes to gaming lus spends a

good amount of the video stating that

many games do not run on these laptops

requires avx2 support simply won't open

or if a game has kernel level antiche

League of Legends the game I personally

play does not work he even did a

follow-up live stream a day after his

video was published to test the games in

that stream many games failed they even

saw physics issues in games that

technically ran but ran poorly doing a

live stream to test compatibility is a

great great idea 100% we did one but

shouldn't he have done it before

publishing his review where he stated to

over a million people how largely

Flawless these laptops are that's what

we did in fact at the end of his video

he asked you to like the video for him

and Alex to switch to these laptops as

their daily drivers like if you guys

want to see Alex and I switch to these

laptops fulltime for a month we use

these as our daily drivers before making

our video how else can we tell you what

they are actually like and by doing that

we discovered issues that real world

users may experience for example on a

web conference call our surface laptop 7

just completely Switched Off black

screen I would not have found that issue

if we just did a quick test of its

webcam anyway in his video he continues

to demonstrate that there are

significant performance hits when

running non-native applications ones

that must be translated his results were

indeed similar to ours showing a far

greater performance hit than what early

stage YouTube videos showed like Dave

2DS but again

how can lonus conclude so confidently

that these laptops have shocking day one

completeness especially at the opening

of his video which we know a lot of

people will drop after watching lineus

policy number two these laptops have

incredible battery life and power

efficiency and the battery life makes

every other processor company blush to

justify his claims he showed us a single

test of running these laptops on battery

playing a low resolution YouTube video

he did not show us any example measuring

battery drain during performance tasks

one of our biggest findings with these

laptops was that when you run high

performance tasks on them their

performance per watt becomes much worse

closer to an Intel processor rather than

an apple one and this significantly

affects their battery life instead he

highlighted the excellent battery life

of the HB Omni book but he didn't show

you that the Omni book significantly

throttles its performance when on

battery in fact the day after he

launched his video HP issued us a note

that there is currently an issue with

the Omni book around performance on

battery one that may be fixed in the

next Windows update he should have

noticed this in his testing and not

highlighted the Omni book as an example

of great battery life our HP omnibook X

able to crack 15 hours and here's what

we said this is if you take out the

omnibook result by the way that laptop

is an exception because its performance

is dropped by a ludicrous amount when on

battery furthermore when it comes to

comparing the power efficiency between

these laptops processors when on battery

that is you need to normalize for the

size of the laptop's battery these

laptops all have different sized

batteries only then can you start to see

how efficient they actually are he

didn't do this at all in fact he didn't

even measure power drawer not even when

plugged in he just shows you that

Hardware info doesn't work which again

is in conflict with his conclusions that

these are largely Flawless instead he

assumes power draw based on the

manufacturer specifications this is a

nice Thumb in the air which we used in

our early stage Snapdragon video but

there are two issues with his analysis

firstly many laptops boost their

processor's power drawing more wattage

than what the manufacturer specifies so

this analysis could be incorrect and

secondly it isn't really an analysis he

doesn't show you the power draw of the

other laptops that he's comparing this

one with if he did you'd be able to see

how much more power the MacBooks are why

didn't his team just do what we did and

go and buy the tools necessary to

measure power draw from the wall I'd be

shocked if he didn't already have such a

tool in his giant lab how can you claim

so confidently that these laptops are so

efficient without running these tests

there's no denying both the sheer

efficiency and the shocking day one

completeness of the entire package the

final issue that I want to raise is how

performance is communicated he com

across overwhelmingly positive but his

findings don't really match that yes he

does show that these laptops have very

strong multi-core performance but he

also shows that they are behind Apple's

M3 in single core and Apple's M4 is

right around the corner and he also

demonstrates that these laptops are

really unsuitable for most gaming at

least right now either games just don't

run or the laptop's performance is too

low to be viable but they don't seem to

come through in his overall excit M for

these products for example at one point

he emphasizes the strong gaming

performance of these laptops integrated

Graphics now the raw performance of the

Snapdragon chips very impressive

rivaling both AMD and Intel's integrated

Graphics out of all laptops right now

both those with just integrated and

those that have dedicated these laptops

are probably the worst to buy if you are

a gamer and on performance he also made

assumptions about the various ex Elite

SKS he implied that laptops with

qualcomm's lowest end xelite chips have

poorer performance due to their lack of

dual core boost this is the slowest

variant of the ex elete chip which

entirely lacks dual core boosting and

has the lowest multi-core speed but he

didn't test this or have any data to

back it up we did test it what we found

is that these laptops performance is far

more dependent on how much power the

manufacturer feeds to them you should

not be buying one of these laptops

expecting more performance just because

it has a higher tier Qualcomm XLE

processor look I'm not saying we do

perfect testing either of course not we

are a small team and we like Linus's

team are human beings but we try to be

transparent with you these results are

not statistically significant we

definitely need to do more testing but

they're the best we've got for you right

now at this early stage and I'd call

them directionally correct he did the

opposite at the beginning of his video

he stated following our lab running

their most rigorous tests look I want to

be Crystal Clear we do like these new

Snapdragon laptops for many types of

buyers but not all and we do agree with

many parts of Linus's video like how

close to useless AI on laptops is right

now

this is the number of times that we used

AI outside of explicitly testing it for

this video but for a lot of people a

laptop is a big purchase all of us

YouTubers owe it to you to be as

thorough in our analysis and as clear in

our recommendations as we can rather

than just broadly hyping up a piece of

tech with sweeping statements with

little justification lonus is a leader

and a Pioneer in this industry and he

has more resources at his disposal than

any other Tech YouTuber and that is why

it's just so disappointing for him to

come out with a video like this that

just feels half-baked and is pretty

misleading for a lot of buyers

especially as Gamers Nexus just called

him out on this sort of thing a mere 10

months ago and with that said I'm going

to end by just turning my focus to my

own team to ensure that we can do the

best job that we can as that is

something that I can control as laptop

reviewers we will continue with our

policy of Performing every task that we

do on the laptops that we are reviewing

that way we can tell you about our

experience using them whether it's

writing our scripts editing our videos

playing our favorite games or coding our

custombuilt website and we will not rush

out videos other than perhaps this one

so continue to expect that our videos

will come out a week or so after the

hype tuber ones we want to keep creating

content that you can trust trust to make

the right buying decisions or as lonus

would say largely Flawless till next

time go do something awesome with your

day and I will catch you later