PLEASE Stop Buying These

[Plouffe]

Why build a new machine when you can save some money and buy used, repurposed parts slapped into a case with RGB and a tempered glass side panel from Ebay? Well, big surprise, they're not as good as you might be led to believe.

 

Buy an Intel Core i3-12100F CPU: https://geni.us/vCm3

Buy an ASRock H610M-HVS Micro ATX LGA1700 Motherboard: https://lmg.gg/0bsrc

Buy Silicon Power 3200 CL16 2x8GB DDR4 RAM: https://geni.us/vY6RQ8s

Buy a Team Group T-Force Vulcan Z 1TB 2.5" SSD: https://lmg.gg/8Vk1M

Buy a PNY XLR8 GeForce GTX 970 Graphics Card: https://geni.us/MkDU4

Buy a Deepcool MATREXX 40 Micro ATX/Mini ITX Tower Case: https://lmg.gg/wpLnz

Buy an EVGA 700 BR 80+ Bronze 700W PSU: https://geni.us/R5GiJv

 

Purchases made through some store links may provide some compensation to Linus Media Group.

 

 

[emosun]

Almost got real angry before i watched the first 60 seconds and was like " oh yeah , that is a problem" lol

[Zodiark1593]

As someone that runs 8 year old hardware for my main system, and serves as the family techie, screw both the sellers for taking advantage of terrible branding practices, and screw the manufacturer for having terrible branding practices. When Joe Average has to ask someone like me to translate the product naming, and recommend something, you dun goofed. 

[AndreiArgeanu]

That corsair PSU is really old. The green label is telling. I vaguely remember them not being recommended for having some kind of problems.

Also from the looks of it, the motherboards for thse are pulled from old OEM systems like HPs and Dells, maybe also why they have so bad and archaic IO even for their time to some extent.

[manikyath]

i might be missing something.. but what is the "budget pc" they're comparing against?

[emosun]

2 minutes ago, manikyath said:

i might be missing something.. but what is the "budget pc" they're comparing against?

They listed the parts nearish to the end. Basically the same price but better parts

[wONKEyeYEs]

3 minutes ago, manikyath said:

i might be missing something.. but what is the "budget pc" they're comparing against?

@10:18?

[emosun]

4 minutes ago, manikyath said:

i might be missing something.. but what is the "budget pc" they're comparing against?

@10:20

[poochyena]

I would like to have heard how much the PC was actually worth, and what should happen with the old computers. $250 maybe?

[manikyath]

Just now, poochyena said:

 and what should happen with the old computers. $250 maybe?

the point is they're not old computers, but companies buying up old hardware (in bulk) and throwing it together in a dashing case to make it *look* like a stunning deal to prey on the people who  dont know any better.

 

likewise, refurbishers scrubbing up those old office critters are doing a good thing for getting affordable computers to those who need them instead of in a landfill.

but those companies that just put a vinyl wrap on them and barely care about even dusting it out, let alone replacing the dying hard drive (reference back to the video...) are just cranking up prices because they're buying everything and selling it for more than it's worth "because it's dashing", and give people bad experiences in the end.

[Timme]

Double thumbs-up for using the "YT elite" position for education and the greater good. LTT let's go!

R.I.P. cooling memes. 

 

Spoiler

But holly-molly! There is serious profit potential and business opportunity here. Ethical, even! Trash-shopping alixpres and flipping the "Ali pre-build" on p2p markets. Of course, none of that eBay trash, but a proper 10100f gaming rig with SSDs, hookers, and a premium RGB build! Win 11 as an option. No scam. All that for as little as +150$* more - a steal of a deal, everyone's happy!

[poochyena]

6 hours ago, manikyath said:

likewise, refurbishers scrubbing up those old office critters are doing a good thing for getting affordable computers to those who need them instead of in a landfill.

but those companies that just put a vinyl wrap on them and barely care about even dusting it out, let alone replacing the dying hard drive (reference back to the video...) are just cranking up prices because they're buying everything and selling it for more than it's worth "because it's dashing", and give people bad experiences in the end.

I don't really see the difference. Making old tech look good visually isn't a bad thing I don't think. Its a lot of work to acquire these components and put them in a new, good looking, case.

[kiid]

Oooof I just bought something similar on eBay two days ago. Hopefully it doesn't turn out too bad.

Ngl I didn't look too much into the processor either  

(incase anyone is curious)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/364357738022?nma=true&si=B%2FhEObTowJfwv1cjShRVKov26Sk%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

[manikyath]

1 hour ago, poochyena said:

I don't really see the difference. Making old tech look good visually isn't a bad thing I don't think. Its a lot of work to acquire these components and put them in a new, good looking, case.

making it look good isnt the problem - the problem is the way they market it towards the less technological inclined, making it *look* like a killer deal on a modern pc, because the target audience doesnt know any better.

[tkitch]

10 hours ago, kiid said:

Oooof I just bought something similar on eBay two days ago. Hopefully it doesn't turn out too bad.

Ngl I didn't look too much into the processor either  

(incase anyone is curious)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/364357738022?nma=true&si=B%2FhEObTowJfwv1cjShRVKov26Sk%3D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

you probably overpaid some, none of that tech there is less than 6 years old.

 

That being said:  you overpaid a SHIT TON LESS than linus did on his 400$ piece of crap RGB Box.  

 

Be warned:  That case is very warm.  It does NOT cool well. 

[Senzelian]

I never understood how anyone could drop a couple hundred bucks on something that they don't understand anything about...

[NF-A12x25]

11 hours ago, kiid said:

Oooof I just bought something similar on eBay two days ago. Hopefully it doesn't turn out too bad.

you got absolutely screwed but not as bad as the one Linus bought. That thing is worth maybe $100 or $150 max as a system. Somewhat modern chip, old but not garbage GPU. It’ll play games, but you shouldn’t have bought it for that price.

[tkitch]

16 minutes ago, NF-A12x25 said:

you got absolutely screwed but not as bad as the one Linus bought. That thing is worth maybe $100 or $150 max as a system. Somewhat modern chip, old but not garbage GPU. It’ll play games, but you shouldn’t have bought it for that price.

Not that badly:

GPU is probably in the 60-75$ range
CPU / Board / RAM is 100$ worth

So all in all, 200-230 would have been a fair price.   (Free shipping also means that dude lost a chunk of the sale price on it.)

[NF-A12x25]

1 hour ago, tkitch said:

So all in all, 200-230 would have been a fair price

Nah- I always take a chunk off, usually between 50 and 100, for selling it as a system. What you get for it parted out =/= what it’s worth as a system.

 

1 hour ago, tkitch said:

(Free shipping also means that dude lost a chunk of the sale price on it.)

however I hadn’t considered this and that’s very true

[Radium_Angel]

This all boils down to one basic phrase, "caveat emptor" and as with all things that need to be purchased, research and education are required to get the best deal.

[poochyena]

16 hours ago, manikyath said:

making it look good isnt the problem - the problem is the way they market it towards the less technological inclined, making it *look* like a killer deal on a modern pc, because the target audience doesnt know any better.

how should it be marketed?

 

[manikyath]

51 minutes ago, poochyena said:

how should it be marketed?

 

oh.. i dont know.. perhaps for what it is? with at least an ounce of honesty and integrity?

 

a $300 computer sells itself assuming that it works at all. marketing a product like this honestly works better than this glam BS because there is *always* a moment where the user realises that behind the RGB fans this thing is absolute trash.. in the example of the video probably when that ancient hard drive dies. it preys on those who either dont know any better or cant afford any better.

 

how about:

$300 entry level gaming computer

built from refurbished components guaranteeing at least a basic gaming capability in esports titles on a tight budget.

comes with new SSD to ensure fast boot times.

 

because if you pay your staff at all, a basic SSD is cheaper than wiping spinning rust.