AnandTech closed

[RejZoR]

1 hour ago, anirudthelinuxwIzard said:

This. I know literally ONE person besides me who has ever built a PC.

Most people these days use phones or a laptop as far as computers go. For gaming it's consoles, but for proper gaming you just need a high end PC. Consoles deliver that in their first 2 years of existence and then struggle with basically everything after.

[Bitter]

1 hour ago, anirudthelinuxwIzard said:

This. I know literally ONE person besides me who has ever built a PC.

It's due to the proliferation of mobile devices

[monopoly_hater]

Just now, Bitter said:

It's due to the proliferation of mobile devices

Which is terrible as it's reducing technical literacy and increasing e-waste.

[Bitter]

5 minutes ago, anirudthelinuxwIzard said:

Which is terrible as it's reducing technical literacy and increasing e-waste.

Capitalism, baby.

Reducing unnecessary knowledge and creating new markets for exploitation.

[thewelshbrummie]

Sad news. Anandtech was very technically focused and while it's been lacking in recent years it still had some reviews that convinced me to purchase the reviewed item (the SK Hynix Gold review comes to mind, I've used at least 2 of those in builds and now get the Platinum version when needed).

 

It's nearly 3 years since Bit-Tech and Hexus both shut down (a massive loss for UK based online tech journalism) and with Anandtech written online journalism in the tech space is left being pretty empty outside of the one or 2 large players.

2 hours ago, starsmine said:

Anandtech has been such a great source, im glad that they are keeping the articles up for everyone to read for now. I hate video sources past launch windows due to searchability. GN refocusing on text and eventually some day LTT labs will help fill in the gaps.

That's something both Bit-Tech and Hexus did as well - and I appreciate that - though their forums are essentially dead. Anandtech noted that due to spam they've disabled sign-ups and won't reopen them so those forums may well die out faster.

 

And that's not necessarily an improvement. The forums here are far busier than any other forum I've used previously but it does mean that it's possible for a topic requesting help being buried from page 1 very quickly (sometimes within hours, rather than being page 1 for at least a few days and therefore likely to get at least a response). Reddit also clearly shares some of that blame though, I hadn't realised just how bid some of the tech-focused sub-reddits are.

6 hours ago, ToboRobot said:

Anandtech had a few issues:

It missed the print to video transition and podcasting.

Not everyone wants that. I definitely prefer reading text for opinions and podcasting is of no help for pictures of the product. In-jokes and style are usually non-existent in written journalism and while some may like their existence in YouTube videos I definitely prefer videos without them.

Quote

Nothing has to last forever.  AnandTech was mismanaged, and because of that new outlets like LTT, GN, etc have risen to fill the void.  

Both of those mentioned are video focused. And sometimes jokes/memes (especially with LTT but GN aren't immune to it) get in the way of blunt objective coverage and waste time getting to the point. Written journalism gets to the point much quicker due to limited print space or a word limit. YouTube videos can easily be lengthened by a minute or 10 if you wish. It has its advantages but for product reviews I always prefer the written article over a video where possible.

[porina]

2 hours ago, ToboRobot said:

Turns out, LOTS of people care about using tech to play games and stuff, but don't really care about it beyond getting the best or best value or parts that can do X for $, and lots of the traffic for written articles and now videos, is people looking to make a buying choice and doing research, and a large part of the audience picks watching video over reading articles.

AT was not after that audience. If they did change to that, it would not be AT any more. We do not need more generalist content. AT's content during their more successful times covered wider and future looking topics the mainstream sites might only mention in passing at most.

 

If, big if, they converted to video to deliver the same content, maybe they could have remained viable? But the content will still be very different from the likes of LTT/GN.

 

If you haven't already, watch the video in the 2nd post. It does include more behind the scenes stuff at AT. IMO Ian pretty much carried AT through the last decade when he was there. Lack of revenue/funding meant signs of trouble were already there and when he left, that was the nail in the coffin.

[Curufinwe_wins]

I don't mean to be an ass here, but Anandtech has been dead walking for years. I love this site, and I beg for its heyday back, but for years, it has been 95+% poorly done sponsored content (or inarguably terribly done buyer guides), with occasional technical content that was often terribly edited or blatantly incorrect. Basically the only content of note post-Ian was for mini-pcs and that honestly had no buisness being dished out non-stop when it simply never mattered to anyone IMO (not more than one or two a year). Without Ian's (or Andreas) content... It wasn't even worth checking in, for me, a former diehard fan. And if Anandtech couldn't keep tech diehards engaged... it lost the niche it really used to be dominant in.

 

Technical analysis has been extremely late to the punch (not days, but months) or even just never showed up.

 

Anandtech, I miss your corpse, but not your recent life.

[ToboRobot]

1 hour ago, thewelshbrummie said:

Sad news. Anandtech was very technically focused and while it's been lacking in recent years it still had some reviews that convinced me to purchase the reviewed item (the SK Hynix Gold review comes to mind, I've used at least 2 of those in builds and now get the Platinum version when needed).

 

It's nearly 3 years since Bit-Tech and Hexus both shut down (a massive loss for UK based online tech journalism) and with Anandtech written online journalism in the tech space is left being pretty empty outside of the one or 2 large players.

That's something both Bit-Tech and Hexus did as well - and I appreciate that - though their forums are essentially dead. Anandtech noted that due to spam they've disabled sign-ups and won't reopen them so those forums may well die out faster.

 

And that's not necessarily an improvement. The forums here are far busier than any other forum I've used previously but it does mean that it's possible for a topic requesting help being buried from page 1 very quickly (sometimes within hours, rather than being page 1 for at least a few days and therefore likely to get at least a response). Reddit also clearly shares some of that blame though, I hadn't realised just how bid some of the tech-focused sub-reddits are.

Not everyone wants that. I definitely prefer reading text for opinions and podcasting is of no help for pictures of the product. In-jokes and style are usually non-existent in written journalism and while some may like their existence in YouTube videos I definitely prefer videos without them.

Both of those mentioned are video focused. And sometimes jokes/memes (especially with LTT but GN aren't immune to it) get in the way of blunt objective coverage and waste time getting to the point. Written journalism gets to the point much quicker due to limited print space or a word limit. YouTube videos can easily be lengthened by a minute or 10 if you wish. It has its advantages but for product reviews I always prefer the written article over a video where possible.

Of course, but the few that do, DON'T PAY THE BILLS.  

Thats why these once thriving businesses are shutting down.  Because there isn't a sustainable audience for that form of content.  


 

[LAwLz]

29 minutes ago, thewelshbrummie said:

Not everyone wants that. I definitely prefer reading text for opinions and podcasting is of no help for pictures of the product. In-jokes and style are usually non-existent in written journalism and while some may like their existence in YouTube videos I definitely prefer videos without them.

It’s worth noting that Anandtech did have a podcast and made some videos, but they were too "boring" for the demographic that prefers quick, flashy content. Most of the podcast episodes uploaded to Youtube doesn't even reach 3000 views.

 

Honestly, it's saddening to see people bringing up YouTubers like LTT as an alternative to the old Anandtech. To me, it’s like comparing fast food to fine dining. LTT is like junk food. Quick, easy, and made for mass appeal, but lacking in depth and substance. Anandtech was more like a gourmet meal. Carefully crafted, detailed, and rich in quality for those who truly wanted to understand the intricacies of technology.

 

It’s no surprise that McDonald's makes more money than fine dining restaurants. It’s accessible and appeals to a wide audience. Similarly, LTT’s (and other channels like it) easily digestible content attracts a large viewer base. Unfortunately, just as many fine dining establishments have closed due to changing tastes and economic pressures, we’re seeing fewer outlets like Anandtech that offer in-depth, thoughtful analysis.

 

Comparing LTT to Anandtech is like saying fast food can replace a five-star dining experience. They serve different needs. The decline of high-quality tech journalism is a loss for those who value substance, reflecting a broader trend where convenience often outweighs quality.

 

Consider, for example, the type of content Anandtech produced in their Samsung Galaxy S10+ Review.

Custom-written tests that delve into microarchitecture details, placing them in a historical context, are not just informative but reflect deep expertise. It’s this level of detail that led to some of Anandtech's writers being hired by leading tech companies like NUVIA.

I doubt this kind of content would even fit well into a YouTube video. The technical depth and density are too high for the format’s typical audience and the medium.

 

One key thing that I think differentiated old Anandtech from other tech sites was its proactive approach. If you read Anandtech and understood its writing, you could often make fairly good predictions about the future of technology trends. The articles provided proactive knowledge rather than reactive commentary. For example, when Brian Klug wrote about smartphone imaging, he not only highlighted the unsustainability of current trends but also offered insights into potential solutions.

 

Most other tech-related media feel far more reactive, focusing on new product releases and superficial benchmarks. While many YouTube viewers are interested in benchmark graphs and quick conclusions, Anandtech’s real value was in the detailed explanations between the graphs. Why the results looked the way they did and what that meant for future developments.

[Curufinwe_wins]

43 minutes ago, LAwLz said:

It’s worth noting that Anandtech did have a podcast and made some videos, but they were too "boring" for the demographic that prefers quick, flashy content. Most of the podcast episodes uploaded to Youtube doesn't even reach 3000 views.

 

Honestly, it's saddening to see people bringing up YouTubers like LTT as an alternative to the old Anandtech. To me, it’s like comparing fast food to fine dining. LTT is like junk food. Quick, easy, and made for mass appeal, but lacking in depth and substance. Anandtech was more like a gourmet meal. Carefully crafted, detailed, and rich in quality for those who truly wanted to understand the intricacies of technology.

 

It’s no surprise that McDonald's makes more money than fine dining restaurants. It’s accessible and appeals to a wide audience. Similarly, LTT’s (and other channels like it) easily digestible content attracts a large viewer base. Unfortunately, just as many fine dining establishments have closed due to changing tastes and economic pressures, we’re seeing fewer outlets like Anandtech that offer in-depth, thoughtful analysis.

 

Comparing LTT to Anandtech is like saying fast food can replace a five-star dining experience. They serve different needs. The decline of high-quality tech journalism is a loss for those who value substance, reflecting a broader trend where convenience often outweighs quality.

 

Consider, for example, the type of content Anandtech produced in their Samsung Galaxy S10+ Review.

Custom-written tests that delve into microarchitecture details, placing them in a historical context, are not just informative but reflect deep expertise. It’s this level of detail that led to some of Anandtech's writers being hired by leading tech companies like NUVIA.

I doubt this kind of content would even fit well into a YouTube video. The technical depth and density are too high for the format’s typical audience and the medium.

 

One key thing that I think differentiated old Anandtech from other tech sites was its proactive approach. If you read Anandtech and understood its writing, you could often make fairly good predictions about the future of technology trends. The articles provided proactive knowledge rather than reactive commentary. For example, when Brian Klug wrote about smartphone imaging, he not only highlighted the unsustainability of current trends but also offered insights into potential solutions.

 

Most other tech-related media feel far more reactive, focusing on new product releases and superficial benchmarks. While many YouTube viewers are interested in benchmark graphs and quick conclusions, Anandtech’s real value was in the detailed explanations between the graphs. Why the results looked the way they did and what that meant for future developments.

Well it also IMO tells you why Anandtech died. They don't do that anymore. Anandtechs technical prowess died before the site did. Ryan didn't write technical gpu stuff anymore. Andrei left (and so mobile deep dives died), Ian left (and so cpu shriveled up even more), etc etc.

 

I think the honest truth is that LTT (Labs) and GN and both of them trying to pivot upstream (in terms of technical quality) are showing that there is actually a market for higher quality stuff, even if they are still quite a way back from Anandtechs heyday.

[FlyingPotato_is_taken]

It was a good ride.

Anandtech was the tech website with probably the highest integrity of all of them.

 

Sites rising and falling is the normal lifecycle:

Some people retire/die like basic thinking/robert basic.

Other sites get mismanaged like Mobilegeeks.

And some are still going but publishing low effort content and maybe even sneak advertisements like notebookcheck.

 

6 hours ago, anirudthelinuxwIzard said:

First Emily leaving LMG, then this.

LMG being able to have such high retention on early employees is outstanding. Either it is mafia like and you can't leave or it is a good workplace.

[StDragon]

11 hours ago, leadeater said:

I remember a time when YouTube used to recommend to me 1-2 documentary videos, not at all for a while now.

It's out there, you just have to know where to look.

 

https://youtube.com/@asianometry?si=E-dWXRIElijlMd2w

 

 

[Doobeedoo]

Had some really good reads, data and info on number of things. 

[TudorFinalBosz]

Not surprised. As I wrote on another topic, current-generation PC hardware is so capable it doesn't feel like you need to get some really high-end or special hardware to be able to get anything computable done fast and well. A midrange setup will be just fine.

So it makes sense that this kind of media, that obsessively pores over the details of various PC components, can't find much of an audience anymore.

What is the point of following the latest updates on the state of RAM, CPUs or storage, when if you build a PC with midrange components you're going to have a strong enough setup for pretty much anything.

The age of fantasising about tech is kinda over. The "mobile revolution" also heavily contributed to this, as the vast majority of people don't feel any need to build or buy a PC, when they use their pocketable smartphones for everything.

 

The mobile revolution sparked by Steve Jobs' ideology of dumbing down technology and making it so accessible it wouldn't need any competence, learning or skills, just a finger tap, is starting to reach its full consequences.

[LAwLz]

4 hours ago, TudorF said:

Not surprised. As I wrote on another topic, current-generation PC hardware is so capable it doesn't feel like you need to get some really high-end or special hardware to be able to get anything computable done fast and well. A midrange setup will be just fine.

So it makes sense that this kind of media, that obsessively pores over the details of various PC components, can't find much of an audience anymore.

What is the point of following the latest updates on the state of RAM, CPUs or storage, when if you build a PC with midrange components you're going to have a strong enough setup for pretty much anything.

The age of fantasising about tech is kinda over. The "mobile revolution" also heavily contributed to this, as the vast majority of people don't feel any need to build or buy a PC, when they use their pocketable smartphones for everything.

 

The mobile revolution sparked by Steve Jobs' ideology of dumbing down technology and making it so accessible it wouldn't need any competence, learning or skills, just a finger tap, is starting to reach its full consequences.

I think it's a bit of an oversimplification to say that the decline in PC hardware interest is because technology has been "dumbed down," especially by smartphones. If anything, smartphones are incredibly advanced pieces of technology. They’re far more complex than most desktop PCs because they integrate a wide range of components into a small form factor. Everything from high-performance CPUs and GPUs to cameras, modems, sensors, and more. Smartphones have to manage power efficiency, thermal constraints, and connectivity in ways that desktop PCs don't. If anything, smartphones are more advanced and fascinating to dig into than desktops. At least if you ask me.

 

As for Anandtech, I don’t think people followed the site just to fantasize about the latest shiny gadget. Anandtech attracted readers who were genuinely interested in understanding how things worked at a deep level. The site wasn’t just about the specs or the superficial details. It was about the underlying technology, the architecture, the why and how of performance, and the broader implications of technological advancements.

 

The value of Anandtech was in its depth and detail. It catered to an audience that wasn’t satisfied with just knowing the basics or the flashy marketing points. They wanted to understand the technology thoroughly, often using that knowledge to make informed decisions or simply to feed their curiosity about how the world around them works. So, while midrange hardware may be sufficient for most tasks today, that doesn’t diminish the importance of having resources like Anandtech that provide deep dives into the tech that powers our devices.

 

Technology isn't just about what's on the surface or what gets the job done. It's about the innovation and the engineering behind it.

[Zodiark1593]

30 minutes ago, LAwLz said:

I think it's a bit of an oversimplification to say that the decline in PC hardware interest is because technology has been "dumbed down," especially by smartphones. If anything, smartphones are incredibly advanced pieces of technology. They’re far more complex than most desktop PCs because they integrate a wide range of components into a small form factor. Everything from high-performance CPUs and GPUs to cameras, modems, sensors, and more. Smartphones have to manage power efficiency, thermal constraints, and connectivity in ways that desktop PCs don't. If anything, smartphones are more advanced and fascinating to dig into than desktops. At least if you ask me.

 

As for Anandtech, I don’t think people followed the site just to fantasize about the latest shiny gadget. Anandtech attracted readers who were genuinely interested in understanding how things worked at a deep level. The site wasn’t just about the specs or the superficial details. It was about the underlying technology, the architecture, the why and how of performance, and the broader implications of technological advancements.

 

The value of Anandtech was in its depth and detail. It catered to an audience that wasn’t satisfied with just knowing the basics or the flashy marketing points. They wanted to understand the technology thoroughly, often using that knowledge to make informed decisions or simply to feed their curiosity about how the world around them works. So, while midrange hardware may be sufficient for most tasks today, that doesn’t diminish the importance of having resources like Anandtech that provide deep dives into the tech that powers our devices.

 

Technology isn't just about what's on the surface or what gets the job done. It's about the innovation and the engineering behind it.

Reading in depth about mobile SoCs was definitely a big draw for me. Such as the architecture designs of that Apple A7 chip. That was a remarkable bit of engineering, and took the rest of the industry by total surprise. 
 

Unfortunately, some of the architectures I was really curious about, such as original Kryo, and the Cortex A73, wouldn’t have a lot of detail until far later on, courtesy of Chips and Cheese. Interesting to see that, in the case of Kryo, a shitty cache setup can completely hamstrung an otherwise solid architecture. Cache is something Apple never skimped on in their architectures. 

[Bitter]

49 minutes ago, LAwLz said:

I think it's a bit of an oversimplification to say that the decline in PC hardware interest is because technology has been "dumbed down," especially by smartphones. If anything, smartphones are incredibly advanced pieces of technology. They’re far more complex than most desktop PCs because they integrate a wide range of components into a small form factor. Everything from high-performance CPUs and GPUs to cameras, modems, sensors, and more. Smartphones have to manage power efficiency, thermal constraints, and connectivity in ways that desktop PCs don't. If anything, smartphones are more advanced and fascinating to dig into than desktops. At least if you ask me.

 

As for Anandtech, I don’t think people followed the site just to fantasize about the latest shiny gadget. Anandtech attracted readers who were genuinely interested in understanding how things worked at a deep level. The site wasn’t just about the specs or the superficial details. It was about the underlying technology, the architecture, the why and how of performance, and the broader implications of technological advancements.

 

The value of Anandtech was in its depth and detail. It catered to an audience that wasn’t satisfied with just knowing the basics or the flashy marketing points. They wanted to understand the technology thoroughly, often using that knowledge to make informed decisions or simply to feed their curiosity about how the world around them works. So, while midrange hardware may be sufficient for most tasks today, that doesn’t diminish the importance of having resources like Anandtech that provide deep dives into the tech that powers our devices.

 

Technology isn't just about what's on the surface or what gets the job done. It's about the innovation and the engineering behind it.

My view is that for most people if a tablet or phone can do for them 99% of what a desktop PC can do then why would they ever bother with a desktop PC? You can't build a phone or tablet or laptop like how you build a PC.

[TudorFinalBosz]

8 hours ago, LAwLz said:

I think it's a bit of an oversimplification to say that the decline in PC hardware interest is because technology has been "dumbed down," especially by smartphones. If anything, smartphones are incredibly advanced pieces of technology. They’re far more complex than most desktop PCs because they integrate a wide range of components into a small form factor. Everything from high-performance CPUs and GPUs to cameras, modems, sensors, and more. Smartphones have to manage power efficiency, thermal constraints, and connectivity in ways that desktop PCs don't. If anything, smartphones are more advanced and fascinating to dig into than desktops. At least if you ask me.

 

As for Anandtech, I don’t think people followed the site just to fantasize about the latest shiny gadget. Anandtech attracted readers who were genuinely interested in understanding how things worked at a deep level. The site wasn’t just about the specs or the superficial details. It was about the underlying technology, the architecture, the why and how of performance, and the broader implications of technological advancements.

 

The value of Anandtech was in its depth and detail. It catered to an audience that wasn’t satisfied with just knowing the basics or the flashy marketing points. They wanted to understand the technology thoroughly, often using that knowledge to make informed decisions or simply to feed their curiosity about how the world around them works. So, while midrange hardware may be sufficient for most tasks today, that doesn’t diminish the importance of having resources like Anandtech that provide deep dives into the tech that powers our devices.

 

Technology isn't just about what's on the surface or what gets the job done. It's about the innovation and the engineering behind it.

Not really. There used to be a public that was interested in tinkering with devices, building their own PC, setting up their own network, reading about the newest hardware. That public was a lot larger back in the late 90s, early 00s, than just super-specialised niche groups of discord-socialised on-the-spectrum individuals that still have an interest in obsessing over technology. That public has disappeared or shrunken.

 

Why, because of convenience. I was part of that group and I stopped reading tech news at least 5 years ago. Why? Because it's useless and it's boring and it makes no difference. I don't need to know the latest SSD technology that makes file transfer faster by 1Gbps if I already have a good enough SSD. Or to know that Ay-eM-Dee will triple the number of cores that will make your latest hyped game run so much faster with double FPS count. It's got to a point where it doesn't matter, you can just buy average PC parts and most of the tasks will be done just fine. No need to waste your time reading about abstruse SoC details and software optimisations, unless you're planning on working in the field. It's a complete waste of time.

 

And smartphones having complex electronics does not by itself make people more interested in how they're built. On the contrary, the mobile revolution has also brought this abomination of components being glued on the motherboard so you can't replace or upgrade them anymore. Anyone say thank you Apple for bringing such awesome innovation to lock users out of upgrades, make the device obsolete faster and force them to buy another one in just a few years. So it's funny to hear you say how smartphones being more complex has somehow made people more interested, when we're talking about un-modifiable devices with glued-on components.

[StDragon]

1 hour ago, TudorF said:

Not really. There used to be a public that was interested in tinkering with devices, building their own PC, setting up their own network, reading about the newest hardware. That public was a lot larger back in the late 90s, early 00s, than just super-specialised niche groups of discord-socialised on-the-spectrum individuals that still have an interest in obsessing over technology. That public has disappeared or shrunken.

 

Why, because of convenience.

I think there's element of truth in that for sure. We live in a "disposable society" where tech quickly churns. No longer are the days where you can go down to radio shack and repair components (it's not worth it, let alone being technically feasible). The PC is no longer revolutionary, but mainstream with standards that just get revised (DDR, PCIe, etc); that's a good thing to reach that level of maturity however.

People will tinker with rooting phones, but it's really the industry that's spearheading technology; not some geeks in a garage that form a new business.

Also, there's generational cultural changes happening too. In my option, the current zeitgeist is one of a social media fixation with insta-gratification and blind hedonism. That doesn't bode well for a society that strays from rational thought and a thirst for knowledge.

[leadeater]

On 8/31/2024 at 5:48 PM, StDragon said:

It's out there, you just have to know where to look.

I know it's out there, the point was you HAVE to look aka not suggested (by YouTube) anymore.

[LAwLz]

17 hours ago, Bitter said:

My view is that for most people if a tablet or phone can do for them 99% of what a desktop PC can do then why would they ever bother with a desktop PC? You can't build a phone or tablet or laptop like how you build a PC.

9 hours ago, TudorF said:

Why? Because it's useless and it's boring and it makes no difference.

I think you both may have missed the main point I was trying to make. I didn't read Anandtech just to find out how the newest hardware performed or what it could do for me practically. I read it because I genuinely enjoyed learning about how things worked.

 

For me, the appeal of Anandtech wasn't just about keeping up with the latest tech specs or building the most powerful PC. It was about understanding the underlying technology, from SoC details to software optimizations, and appreciating the engineering and innovation that goes into the devices we use every day. To say that learning about these things is a "waste of time" misses the point entirely.

 

Take, for example, Samsung’s decision to design its own CPU cores between 2015 and 2020. Their cores didn’t always perform that well compared to their competitors, but I found it fascinating to learn about why that was the case. I didn’t read about Samsung’s CPU designs because I thought it would somehow get me more FPS in Fortnite or whatever. I read it because I wanted to understand how Samsung’s approach differed from others and why their designs led to different performance outcomes. Learning about these details was fun in and of itself for me.

 

Honestly, it’s a bit sad to see this kind of sentiment on a forum for tech enthusiasts, where people often pride themselves on knowing more than the so-called “normies” about technology. Ironically, by dismissing the value of understanding how computers work and focusing solely on what the hardware can do for them, like getting higher FPS in the latest flavor of the month game, they’re actually aligning more with the average user mindset they claim to rise above. 

 

I view computers as more than just a means to an end. They are fascinating in and of themselves. Learning about the intricacies of hardware and software isn’t just about practical applications or performance boosts. It's about the joy of discovery and understanding. Just because most people might not need to know every detail doesn’t mean it’s worthless to learn about them. I think that a lot of Anandtech readers felt the same way.

 

For those of us who truly appreciate technology, there’s always value in diving deeper into its complexities, even if it’s just for fun. The satisfaction comes from the knowledge itself, the insights gained, and the appreciation for the innovation behind these machines, not just the end result of what they can do.

[monopoly_hater]

1 hour ago, LAwLz said:

I think you both may have missed the main point I was trying to make. I didn't read Anandtech just to find out how the newest hardware performed or what it could do for me practically. I read it because I genuinely enjoyed learning about how things worked.

 

For me, the appeal of Anandtech wasn't just about keeping up with the latest tech specs or building the most powerful PC. It was about understanding the underlying technology, from SoC details to software optimizations, and appreciating the engineering and innovation that goes into the devices we use every day. To say that learning about these things is a "waste of time" misses the point entirely.

 

Take, for example, Samsung’s decision to design its own CPU cores between 2015 and 2020. Their cores didn’t always perform that well compared to their competitors, but I found it fascinating to learn about why that was the case. I didn’t read about Samsung’s CPU designs because I thought it would somehow get me more FPS in Fortnite or whatever. I read it because I wanted to understand how Samsung’s approach differed from others and why their designs led to different performance outcomes. Learning about these details was fun in and of itself for me.

 

Honestly, it’s a bit sad to see this kind of sentiment on a forum for tech enthusiasts, where people often pride themselves on knowing more than the so-called “normies” about technology. Ironically, by dismissing the value of understanding how computers work and focusing solely on what the hardware can do for them, like getting higher FPS in the latest flavor of the month game, they’re actually aligning more with the average user mindset they claim to rise above. 

 

I view computers as more than just a means to an end. They are fascinating in and of themselves. Learning about the intricacies of hardware and software isn’t just about practical applications or performance boosts. It's about the joy of discovery and understanding. Just because most people might not need to know every detail doesn’t mean it’s worthless to learn about them. I think that a lot of Anandtech readers felt the same way.

 

For those of us who truly appreciate technology, there’s always value in diving deeper into its complexities, even if it’s just for fun. The satisfaction comes from the knowledge itself, the insights gained, and the appreciation for the innovation behind these machines, not just the end result of what they can do.

Agree wholeheartedly, guess Steve Jobs' master plan to kill traditional computers is working.

[TudorFinalBosz]

16 hours ago, LAwLz said:

I think you both may have missed the main point I was trying to make. I didn't read Anandtech just to find out how the newest hardware performed or what it could do for me practically. I read it because I genuinely enjoyed learning about how things worked.

 

For me, the appeal of Anandtech wasn't just about keeping up with the latest tech specs or building the most powerful PC. It was about understanding the underlying technology, from SoC details to software optimizations, and appreciating the engineering and innovation that goes into the devices we use every day. To say that learning about these things is a "waste of time" misses the point entirely.

 

Take, for example, Samsung’s decision to design its own CPU cores between 2015 and 2020. Their cores didn’t always perform that well compared to their competitors, but I found it fascinating to learn about why that was the case. I didn’t read about Samsung’s CPU designs because I thought it would somehow get me more FPS in Fortnite or whatever. I read it because I wanted to understand how Samsung’s approach differed from others and why their designs led to different performance outcomes. Learning about these details was fun in and of itself for me.

 

Honestly, it’s a bit sad to see this kind of sentiment on a forum for tech enthusiasts, where people often pride themselves on knowing more than the so-called “normies” about technology. Ironically, by dismissing the value of understanding how computers work and focusing solely on what the hardware can do for them, like getting higher FPS in the latest flavor of the month game, they’re actually aligning more with the average user mindset they claim to rise above. 

 

I view computers as more than just a means to an end. They are fascinating in and of themselves. Learning about the intricacies of hardware and software isn’t just about practical applications or performance boosts. It's about the joy of discovery and understanding. Just because most people might not need to know every detail doesn’t mean it’s worthless to learn about them. I think that a lot of Anandtech readers felt the same way.

 

For those of us who truly appreciate technology, there’s always value in diving deeper into its complexities, even if it’s just for fun. The satisfaction comes from the knowledge itself, the insights gained, and the appreciation for the innovation behind these machines, not just the end result of what they can do.

Look, that's good for you, you're describing your motivation to read tech news sites to understand how things work.

 

I was writing with a focus on trends, not on whether there still are some individuals who like to read technical articles as a hobby.

What I'm claiming is that all these trends we're currently seeing are linked:

- shrinking interest in tech news media but also in media in general - AnandTech folding is just one canary in the mine, but others are also struggling or adapting like LTT did, by turning their output into something much more sensationalistic and less focused on reviewing technology

- younger generation abandoning news sites for social media: https://theconversation.com/young-people-are-abandoning-news-websites-new-research-reveals-scale-of-challenge-to-media-207659

- younger generations who grew up on phones are much less interested in building their own computers, in fact it's been widely reported they don't even understand how a file system works, they tend to put all their files in one place and have no concept of directory structure to keep things organised: https://www.theverge.com/22684730/students-file-folder-directory-structure-education-gen-z

- demand for desktop PCs has been declining for years, as mobile devices have become most people's Swiss knife for anything digital (2023 was the worst year in PC history, sales declining by 14.8%)

 

So yeah, Steve Jobs won, he made being technically illiterate cool.

[Kisai]

On 9/1/2024 at 4:15 AM, anirudthelinuxwIzard said:

Agree wholeheartedly, guess Steve Jobs' master plan to kill traditional computers is working.

Nah. What kills sites now is the death spiral of ad revenue. Combine that with the enshittening from AI generated garbage, and low-effort content.

 

Like, devil's advocate. Why would anyone want to operate a "tech website" when the only money being made is in short-form video (eg not "shorts", but 4-8 minute videos.) Nobody wants to watch a 2 hour video on a cool toy. You can review any product for a few hours, but ultimately the audience just wants to know if they should buy something rather than it's specs. When you don't , or can't trust the reviews due to AI generated garbage, you basically get into this situation that "well I trust BRAND, screw everyone else"

 

And that's how you get Apple winning the game. It does everything people wants, it's not that expensive compared to buying 2 or 3 other devices in the same category that have 1/3rd of the life span. If Apple's products were so terrible they only lasted 2 years, then something else would eat it's lunch. And if Apple's CEO was a complete tool, people would be abandoning it. Look at the Linux OS and how much of people won't touch it because of remarks made by Linus Torvalds and other people working on the kernel. Every OS built from the Linux Kernel has this same song-and-dance where they fork a distro because they don't like how the OS direction is going. Apple doesn't 900 different options. Google does. Google's entire problem is that it throws products away when they can't figure out how to monetize something, or it loses money. It's actually kind of surprising that Google hasn't dumped Android at this point, because third parties are clearly not making Google money.

 

[Curufinwe_wins]

I think all of the people focusing on the enshitification pushed by ad revenue are not necessarily wrong in general, but are massively misapplying it to Anandtech. 

 

The site has been coasting on its laurels for years, and regardless if the market couldn't support 10 different peak-anandtech style sites, there is no doubt in my mind whatsoever that it could have supported a few. (see how RTings has exploded in the last few years for a non-video example)

 

Mismanagement (favoring in-house Tom's Hardware) and loss of talent at dramatically higher speeds than recruitment seems to have been a much much larger issue than the site actually being a loss-leader financial anchor.

 

There literally isn't even a content reason to keep Anandtech anymore when even mobile content from them is non-existent. The only remaining content of note is the least relevant market to deep-dive review in all of tech (mini-pcs). 

 

Anandtech simply didn't enough value in any space to hold onto.