GamersNexus is harshly criticizing Linus Tech Tips. We clarify why this is, how Linus is reacting – and what GN thinks of this reaction
In the video that can be seen above, which is almost 45 minutes long, the well-known YouTube channel GamersNexus raises accusations, some of them severe, against one of the biggest tech-YouTubers in the world. The target of the criticism is Linus Tech Tips and the Linus Media Group behind it.
The title of the video already addresses the central difficulties from GamersNexus” point of view: The problem with Linus Tech Tips: Accuracy, Ethics, and Accountability
Update, August 16, 12:45 p.m.: LTT has announced it will cease all video production in the wake of harsh criticism. At the same time, there are new allegations from a former employee that she experienced sexual harassment and extremely stressful working conditions at Linus Media Group, among other things.
Update, August 16, 09:59 am: GamersNexus has meanwhile responded with another (Video) to the answer of Linus Sebastian and also in relation to it again sharply criticizes. According to this, LTT billet Labs only offered to pay for the auctioned prototype after the first critique video appeared, which billet Labs itself (confirms).
In addition, GN defends the decision not to have contacted LTT in advance: In the case of large organizations, we don”t make contact in advance if the issue is already potentially harming customers or if the organization”s viewpoint itself doesn”t matter
, said GN host Steve Burke. There would also be a risk of potential viewpoint manipulation, which Burke also sees as a given with respect to Linus Sebastian”s statement
Overall, GamersNexus is very disappointed by the reaction, also because many of the points of criticism mentioned in the first video are not taken up by it. At the same time, they probably won”t go into further possible reactions, says Burke, because the first reaction has already clearly shown how LTT respectively Linus Sebastian thinks about the matter.
In essence, it”s about faulty data or faulty procedures, the handling of these errors and the consequences that are drawn from them. We summarize the main points of criticism in this article with examples for you.
In the forum of Linus Tech Tips, founder and main host Linus Sebastian has already taken a stand on the criticism with a (extensive post) response. We also go into the central contents of his response.
Table of Contents
These are the biggest points of criticism
1. errors in the data that are not noticed or are noticed too late
As GamersNexus (GN) illustrates with several examples, the videos from Linus Tech Tips sometimes contain errors that can take on a serious dimension. This includes incorrect information in overviews of technical data, but also incorrect values in benchmarks.
An extreme example comes from the review of the Geforce RTX 4090. According to GN, it initially featured a graphic for Cyberpunk 2077 showing that the RTX 4090 delivers over 300 percent more FPS than the RTX 3090 Ti without DLSS:
While the RTX 4090 is extremely snappy, its lead over the RTX 3090 Ti is usually more in the 60 to 70 percent range. There can be single outliers upwards, but not to such an extent.
The error was corrected later, but GN believes that such gross and obvious discrepancies in the benchmarks should have been noticed before the release.
2. how errors are corrected
GN is also partly bothered by the later handling of errors. These include corrections and comments in YouTube comments, some of which do not take all issues into account and/or are not pinned at the top, which would allow for the best visibility.
There are also improvements in videos themselves via text overlay, some of which are intended to iron out more serious blunders.
In one case, for example, Sebastian criticizes supposed stickers for labeling keys on a keyboard. But the correction via text overlay says as seen above: These “stickers” are printed on the keycaps
– or in other words: they are not stickers.
Better, on the other hand, is to record a new text or re-record scenes so that those who only listen to the video like a podcast also notice the correction. Or one cuts out the appropriate scenes before the publication, if they are not further of importance.
3. responsibility taken for the mistakes
GamersNexus is particularly critical of the handling of two gross errors, which can even damage the manufacturers of the respective products by an (unfairly) bad reputation.
The billet Labs case
In this case, the almost 800 euro water cooling block (MonoBlock by billet Labs) was tested with an RTX 4090 instead of the RTX 3090 Ti for which the prototype was officially intended. This is also criticized by billet Labs on its own homepage:
Reasonable criticism, because it is very important for the cooling performance that the cooling block fits exactly to the hardware. However, GamersNexus sees the fact that Linus Sebastian says the following in a later statement during an episode of the (WAN-Show) about this:
I”m not sure I can apologize for not spending another $100, $200, $300, or even $500 of several employees” time to find a workaround for a product that, quite regardless of the outcome, no one should buy.
The situation is not improved by the fact that the prototype was supposed to be returned to the manufacturer. But instead, according to GN, it was later auctioned off for charity at the LTT event (LTX 2023) without billet Labs” consent.
According to Linus Sebastian, this was a misunderstanding that has since been cleared up and billet Labs will get the money back for the cooling block (though probably not the cooling block itself).
The Pwnage Stormbreaker case
In the second case, criticism was voiced about the mouse”s supposedly poor gliding capabilities (Pwnage Stormbreaker) . However, they only arose because the tester previously neglected to remove the protective film from the mouse”s feet, which significantly worsens its gliding capabilities.
An initial statement in the YouTube comments arguably claimed the mistake didn”t happen. Then, in a second statement, the mistake was acknowledged, but the video was not taken offline, but replaced with a new one.
According to GN, this is only possible for the biggest YouTubers at all and can take over a day. So the faulty version continued to be seen online for quite some time.
Why this happens and what makes it so problematic
GamersNexus, in its review video, makes a major factor for the problems with some of Linus Tech Tips” videos and Linus Media Group”s side channels like ShortCircuit: The high time pressure.
That this can become a problem is confirmed by many Linus Media Group employees themselves in the following Behind-the-Scenes
video:
There it says among other things I am very rarely proud of any of the videos I have worked on, Let”s make fewer videos as well as More time for our projects would be good.
Linus Sebastian himself also says: “We never have time for a retrospective. It”s always just, “This video is done, what”s next?” But according to him, that”s not dictated by him, but by the platform, the clientele, and the tech industry in general. GN sees it differently.
The big goals of Linus Tech Tips
GamersNexus is particularly critical of LTT”s described problems against the background of the channel”s self-promoted goals.
The Linus Media Group has recently made large investments in expensive testing equipment and is working on automated testing processes. This is intended to enable data-based tech content on YouTube in the future, the likes of which have never been seen before.
However, human errors cannot be completely prevented even with the best equipment, and the more complex and expensive the data collection, the more important it is to have control instances and a responsible approach to any problems that arise.
What does Linus” initial response say?
In his (Forum Statement) Linus Sebastian admits to some criticisms and states, among other things, that LTT is aware that they are grad going through growing pains
. Internal processes and communication still need to be worked on at the same time, he said, which is already underway:
We have established key factors for our writing and lab team that affect accuracy, and we are constantly adding new controls to make sure things are getting better and better.
At the same time, he expresses disappointment with GamersNexus, who must not have contacted him in advance of the review video release.
He also dismisses some criticisms, such as those regarding the billet Labs cooler. Due to factors such as what he says is virtually non-existent compatibility with cases and radiators, he says he can”t recommend it to anyone, regardless of the exact testing conditions.
Sebastian nevertheless apologizes for the video with the following words:
I”m sorry […] that we didn”t put the cooling block in the best light. It was not our intention to hurt anyone. We didn”t want anyone to buy the cooling block (because it”s a big waste of money, no matter what temperatures it allows) and we wanted Billet to make something marketable (so they could, you know, have something to eat).
Finally, Sebastian again expresses his disappointment about the lack of communication beforehand and makes it clear that the criticism hits him and his team hard by saying Today is a rotten day
In contrast, he turned down a detailed public response as part of the WAN show.
Do you know and follow English-language tech YouTube channels like GamersNexus and Linus Tech Tips? What”s your take on the criticism GamersNexus gives to Linus Tech Tips? And can you understand Linus Sebastian”s disappointment with the lack of communication leading up to the video? Feel free to post it in the comments!
