SCAMMED on Chinese Craigslist...
0 up · 0 down · 0 ratings
Promos
Get the AI-Powered, Auto-Tracking 4K Webcam OBSBOT Tiny 4K now with an early bird deal at: lmg.gg For Canadian viewers, you can get the 1080p edition OBSBOT Tiny on sale at Bestbuy here: lmg.gg Linus tries to get Intel 12th Gen early by buying an Engineering Sample CPU off China's version of Craigslist....But will the motherboards play nice? Discuss on the forum: linustechtips.com ►GET MERCH: lttstore.com ►SUPPORT US ON FLOATPLANE: floatplane.com ►LTX EXPO: ltxexpo.com AFFILIATES & REFERRALS --------------------------------------------------- ►Affiliates, Sponsors & Referrals: lmg.gg ►Check out our podcast gear: kit.co ►Private Internet Access VPN: lmg.gg ►Our Official Charging Partner Anker: lmg.gg ►Secretlabs Gaming Chairs: lmg.gg ►MK Keyboards: lmg.gg ►Nerd or Die Stream Overlays: lmg.gg ►Green Man Gaming lmg.gg ►Amazon Prime: lmg.gg ►Audible Free Trial: lmg.gg ►Our Gear on Amazon: geni.us FOLLOW US ELSEWHERE --------------------------------------------------- Twitter: twitter.com Facebook: @LinusTech Instagram: @linustech Twitch: twitch.tv FOLLOW OUR OTHER CHANNELS --------------------------------------------------- Mac Address: lmg.gg Techquickie: lmg.gg TechLinked: lmg.gg ShortCircuit: lmg.gg LMG Clips: lmg.gg Channel Super Fun: lmg.gg They're Just Movies: lmg.gg MUSIC CREDIT --------------------------------------------------- Title: Laszlo - Supernova Video Link: youtube.com iTunes Download Link: itunes.apple.com Artist Link: soundcloud.com Outro Screen Music Credit: Approaching Nirvana - Sugar High 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
This video follows Linus from Linus Tech Tips as he tries to obtain an early Intel 12th Gen Alder Lake CPU by purchasing an engineering sample from a Chinese Craigslist listing. He carefully examines the physical package, noting unusual features such as an oblong shape and extra contact pads, and explains what those pads might imply about power delivery and connectivity. The host walks through the purchasing context, explaining how engineering samples are distributed to platform partners before official launch to test compatibility with motherboards, memory, and other components. He highlights the inherent risks of buying non-retail, non-sealed chips, including potential tampering, faults, or radically different performance, and sets expectations for what an ES2 sample could reasonably deliver. The video then documents a multi-motherboard troubleshooting journey, showing failed POSTs and BIOS compatibility hurdles, which ultimately lead to the finding that a recent Intel management engine update may break ES chip compatibility with current BIOS revisions. He closes with reflections on the realities of early-access hardware, the likelihood of returns, and the value of such experiments for viewers who enjoy watching hardware in the throes of development. The sponsor segment for OBSBOT Tiny 4K is interwoven, describing the webcam’s AI framing, gesture controls, privacy features, and 4K or 1080p options, while tying back to the broader theme of evaluating cutting-edge tech under real-world conditions. The overarching conclusion is that engineering samples are a double-edged sword: they can reveal performance expectations and platform support, but they often come with quirks, instability, and questionable purchase-risk tradeoffs, making them suitable mainly for enthusiasts who enjoy hands-on tinkering and market-watch analysis.
Topics · hardware · technology · review · science-and-technology
Questions answered
- What is an engineering sample in the context of Intel CPUs and why are they sold?
- An engineering sample is an early, non-retail version of a processor used to test hardware compatibility with motherboards and other components before official launch. They are often distributed to partners and testers and may appear on the open market, but they can have different performance, clocks, and compatibility issues compared to final retail CPUs.
- What caused the compatibility issues with the ES2 Alder Lake sample in this video?
- The video suggests a combination of factors, including a recent Intel management engine update that appears to break compatibility with ES2 CPUs on certain BIOS versions, and the ongoing evolution of the platform that makes ES chips harder to support across multiple motherboards.
- Should consumers buy engineering samples to get early access to new CPUs?
- Buying engineering samples is risky and not recommended for the average user due to potential tampering, instability, and compatibility problems. It may yield early-access insights for enthusiasts, but there is a real chance of ending up with a non-functional piece or a very limited usable product.