The Ultimate Gaming Minivan - Part 1
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Description
Thanks to EcoFlow for sponsoring this video!
Promos
Check out their power kits at: us.ecoflow.com These days, it’s possible to game almost anywhere if you are willing to make some compromises. But what if you’re not? What if you want high end hardware everywhere you go? In this episode of the ultimate gaming minivan, we set our van up to accommodate the PCs! Discuss on the forum: linustechtips.com Buy an AMD EPYC 7543P: geni.us Buy a kit of 256GB RAM 3200 (8x32): geni.us Buy an ASUS TUF RTX 3080 Ti: geni.us Buy an ASRock REMED8-2T Motherboard: geni.us Buy a Corsair AX1600i PSU: geni.us Buy a 2TB 970 Evo Plus SSD: geni.us Purchases made through some store links may provide some compensation to Linus Media Group. ► GET MERCH: lttstore.com ► SUPPORT US ON FLOATPLANE: floatplane.com ► AFFILIATES, SPONSORS & REFERRALS: lmg.gg ► PODCAST GEAR: lmg.gg FOLLOW US --------------------------------------------------- Twitter: twitter.com Facebook: @LinusTech Instagram: @linustech TikTok: @linustech Twitch: twitch.tv MUSIC CREDIT --------------------------------------------------- Intro: Laszlo - Supernova Video Link: youtube.com iTunes Download Link: itunes.apple.com Artist Link: soundcloud.com Outro: Approaching Nirvana - Sugar High Video Link: youtube.com Listen on Spotify: spoti.fi Artist Link: youtube.com Intro animation by MBarek Abdelwassaa @mbarek_abdel Monitor And Keyboard by vadimmihalkevich / CC BY 4.0 geni.us Mechanical RGB Keyboard by BigBrotherECE / CC BY 4.0 geni.us Mouse Gamer free Model By Oscar Creativo / CC BY 4.0 geni.us CHAPTERS --------------------------------------------------- 0:00 Intro 1:19 EcoFlow goodies! 5:09 Van installation 9:50 Monitoring made easy 11:20 Charging the batteries 19:00 But can we game? 24:48 Outro
The video follows Linus and the team as they begin the ambitious project of transforming a family minivan into a high end mobile gaming rig powered by EcoFlow equipment. The opening segment lays out the motivation, describing how normal car entertainment is insufficient for their goals, and introduces EcoFlow’s power kit as the backbone of the build. They discuss the concept of a near plug and play system designed to provide 120 volt power and a large battery bank for use inside a moving vehicle, with plans to make the install robust enough for a roadworthy, family friendly setup. The hosts explore the independence kit and the base kit contents, including a hub, a 4 kilowatt hour power kit, and a dedicated distribution panel, while joking about the impracticalities of a DIY approach and the advantages of a pre engineered solution for reliability. They also touch on the rationale for mounting a front end console for control, and the balance between performance and vehicle integration to keep the wife approval factor high. Throughout this section they tease the more permanent integration steps and warranty considerations, emphasizing that this is a pre production unit that will eventually be refined and tested more thoroughly. The tone remains playful yet focused on practical engineering, highlighting how the system can deliver AC power to gaming PCs without idling the engine and can be reconfigured for off grid camping trips. The episode ultimately frames the project as a long term build that will continue in a Part 2, promising larger alternators, more panels, and faster charging while maintaining a sense of humor about the challenges ahead.
Topics · technology · automotive · gaming · sustainability
Questions answered
- What is included in the EcoFlow independence kit and how is it used in this build?
- The independence kit includes a power hub, a large battery bank, and a console for control, all sourced to provide 120 volt AC power and a sizable energy reserve in the van. It is designed to be used in conjunction with the base kit, which supplies the battery and hub, while the prepared kit adds a fused distribution panel for safety-aware distribution of power. The team plans to mount and wire these components in the van so they can run gaming PCs without the engine running, and to allow charging from multiple sources including the alternator and solar panels.
- How do the hosts plan to power the van’s gaming setup while driving and when parked?
- They plan to use the van’s alternator to charge the EcoFlow battery bank while driving, with the system configurable to limit draw and avoid draining the car’s starting battery. When parked, they can run high wattage AC devices from the EcoFlow, and recharge via solar panels on the roof or AC power at a campsite or garage, potentially using multiple charging sources simultaneously.