What do YouTube tech reviewers do with all the tech?
What do YouTube tech reviewers do with all the tech?
As asked in the title. Anyone have insider information? Speculations are welcomed. It just seems such an e-waste, but at the same time some reviewing more well known techs are helpful. But those whose goal is to make their video entertaining rather than informative like going on a tech shopping spree on Amazon or Aliexpress to show the "smallest" gadget in a certain category or something similar is adding to the waste.
LTT have videos showcasing their warehouse of old stuff, explaining how they have to expand it and explaining that some things they use for later comparisons. But sure, all the tech they store is not used much.
They've also auctioned some of it off, including the well-known case where they were not exactly supposed to.
Woopsie daisy! You mean this experimental prototype wasn't meant to be auctioned off for our profit? Stopped watching LTT as soon as I learned that.
Yes, I remember that goof up
Sometimes it might be sold off. I know LTT sold their Steam Deck to DankPods because Valve still haven't brought it into Australia.
AFAIK a lot of the tech that they show off also isn't actually theirs, it gets sent to them for unboxing / showcasing and then they have to send it back.
Some get sent back as they are demo units. I assume they then get salvaged for parts which show up in later reviews.
I have not done this for Youtube, but I have done it for tech reviews as a ghost writer. Basically, a lot of those tech reviews done under a pseudonym in magazines. No, I won't tell you which ones, I like getting paid. Anyway, I'd say about 40% I had to send back in a set amount of time, about 50% I am told to destroy or keep, and 10% they don't tell me and won't answer my queries. Reselling is almost always a huge no-no, and that also applies to giving stuff away.
Sounds fun, but some of this stuff is utter, unworkable crap. So many SBCs that never see the light of day, or have the most impotent release announcements on the planet. Like, "this is set for release Jan 3rd, 2024." Then it's not ever mentioned on any main page on their website, is listed as a .gz image in their repo (which is on gdrive), but only one release candidate and it's the same one you reviewed where the wireless chip just randomly stops responding until you reboot. Maybe has a byline on their products page under "this power adapter works with [list of models, including the one they don't have for sale on the same site]."
I have two HUD displays I got in 2022, which look amazing, but the screen never powered on (which is why I have 2, they sent me a replacement, which was broken the same way), and I am considering at this point making them some cosplay item or taking it to a rave, because it glows super sexy. But with no working LED screen, kinda useless.
Thanks for your input. I was also curious about the legality of reselling those review units.
It really depends on the YouTuber and the items in question.
A lot of stuff is loaned out to them as review samples and they have to return them. This is the case for TVs, for example.
Stuff they purchased themselves, like gamers Nexus tends to do, they either keep, use it themselves, give it away, or sell it off.
I don't think many bother to keep the stuff. After a certain point you have too much stuff.
They eat it
Depends, a really big tech reviewer probably gifts some stuff to his friends and family - other than that they all have a huge amount of physical storage. Like others pointed out, big companies like Linus Tech Tips have a huge Warehouse.
Some do giveaways on patreon.
I wouldn't want to hang on to it. can you imagine a warehouse full of aging lipo batteries
I’ve seen a video of YouTuber who built a custom cabinet just to hold the phones he reviews. Sorry can’t remember his name.
They also go through frequent battery checks just to make sure none of them puffs.
That was the English guy? DIY Perks built the cabinet for the other fella who reviews the phones?
Edit: this one?
I think already know the answer.