Most internet drama is relegated to only films, shows, fandoms, music, etc. It’s not every day one gets to see the controversy over the review of a tech product. Now, before buying a product, most of us check out reviews of it from various sites.

Many watch videos from several tech channels testing the product to see if it’s worth the money. Basically, if reputed tech reviewers give a genuinely positive review of a product, then people are more inclined to buy it.

Linus Tech Tips, a famous tech review YouTube is trusted by many to deliver unbiased and accurate assessments of the latest tech. However, a rival team deemed their study of a Billet Labs product substandard. But that’s not all. What they did with the product was outrageous.

Linus Tech Tips posted an unfair review of Billet Labs’ 3090ti monoblock on their YouTube channel. The reviewer tested the one-of-a-kind cooling prototype on a 4090 graphics card when it was made for 3090ti. So they concluded by saying that the product was subpar and didn’t cool properly. So it shouldn’t be bought. Gamers Nexus made a rebuttal video pointing out this discrepancy and disclosed that LTT had auctioned off the prototype without Billet Labs’ permission.

What Did Linus Tech Tips Do?

Linus Tech Tips (LTT), headed by Linus Sebastian, is a well-regarded tech review channel that has been operating since 2008. It has a fervent fanbase that trusts them due to their accurate reviews of tech products over the years. Now, Sebastian employs a whole group of creators under the Linus Media Group banner.

However, many now feel that the quality of their reviewing has gone down the drain because they refuse to test the products well and show favoritism towards some brands. Their latest review of Billet Labs’ 3090ti monoblock was the final nail in the coffin for many viewers.

The issue became so bad that even the mainstream audience, which isn’t tech-obsessed, knows about the drama. While reviewing Billet Labs’ product, LTT explained that the monoblock was supposed to ensure the cooling of the computer’s graphics and main processor.

Linus used the monoblock on a 4090 graphics card, but it didn’t cool as well as expected. Since it couldn’t cool the 4090 card well, LTT concluded the video by saying that the product wasn’t good and people shouldn’t buy it.

They did this even though Billet Labs had communicated that their product was for the 3090ti device. However, LTT responded by saying that they wanted to see if the product could work with the higher-end superblock, which it couldn’t.

Gamers Nexus’ Steve Burke made a 40-min long video about LTT and pointed out the various issues in the monoblock product review. Burke said there were mistakes with the analysis, especially during the testing phase of the monoblock cooler.

He also stated that these errors showed that it was a low-effort video. However, what made Burke mad was that instead of re-filming the testing portion, LTT added a small note while editing the video.

This wasn’t the only review video of LTT that Gamers Nexus focused on. Burke mentioned multiple occasions when LTT failed to give a well-researched and tested review. In one part of the long video, he said that one of their reviewers didn’t remove the plastic cover from a mouse sensor, thus, making the device not work to the best of its ability.

This made it seem like LTT was lazy and had set a time limit for making their videos. As a result, the employees were stressed to deliver the reviews under the deadline, accuracy be damned. Doing this has degraded their product reviews. Due to this practice, the reviews undersold some tech companies’ products and misled consumers.

However, giving a poor review isn’t the only thing LTT has done wrong. They also decided to sell  Billet Labs’ 3090ti monoblock, a costly one-of-a-kind prototype, against the company’s wishes. The product was only given to LTT for review, and they were supposed to return it. Now, due to this mishap, the product can land in the hands of Billet Labs’ direct competitor.

Linus Tech Tips Responds To Controversy

Linus Tech Tips responded after Gamers Nexus’ scathing video, saying that Stevie Burke should have contacted him to get a comment before putting out that rebuttal. Also, Sebastian noted that neither he nor the employees at LMG are perfect.

Moreover, he stood by his company’s review of Bilet Labs’ monoblock. Sebastian said:

“Our intention wasn’t to hurt anyone. We wanted no one to buy it (because it’s an egregious waste of money no matter what temps it runs at), and we wanted Billet to make something marketable (so they can, y’know, eat).”

He also made an apology video that has now come under fire for being monetized. Regarding selling off the one-of-a-kind monoblock prototype, LTT has reportedly compensated Billet Labs for that. However, Gamers Nexus, in his reply, revealed that this happened only after he posted the video.

Also, LTT had not answered emails from Billet Labs before Burke’s video went viral, and they got into a social media controversy. Billet Labs confirmed the timeline of events reported by Gamers Nexus and said that they received an email from LTT saying that they had auctioned off the product on August 10.

After this, they asked for monetary compensation. Their mail was left unanswered until Gamers Nexus released the analysis video on August 14. That’s not all. A former employee, Madison, has alleged sexual harassment and poor workplace working conditions at LTT as well.

LTT’s followers have severely criticized Sebastian’s actions and have requested him to mend his ways.

What do you think about the Linus Tech Tips controversy? If you followed them before, was Gamers Nexus’ analysis video, right?

Let us know in the comments below.

Source: Madison’s post

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