The WAN Show - #Bendgate, Maxwell GM200 Rumours - September 26, 2014

The WAN Show episode taped on September 26, 2014 covers a rapid-fire slate of topics spanning smartphones, graphics hardware, and industry moves, all anchored by Linus and the Newegg TV alumni Paul and Kyle who join for a special segment. The show opens with a brisk topics rundown and quick plug for sponsors, setting the tone for a fast-paced tech discussion. A central thread is Nvidia’s Maxwell GM200 rumor mill, including details about a possible big-core Maxwell die with over 2500 CUDA cores and expectations of a very large 384-bit memory bus, paired with speculation about launch timing in Q4 2014. The hosts debate whether this top-tier Maxwell card would target consumer gaming, a compute card, or possibly a professional line like Tesla or Quadro, and they acknowledge that Nvidia typically staggers big core releases. They also remark on the competitive landscape and how competition can influence R&D pace and feature delivery in HPC and gaming GPU design. The episode then shifts to overclocking chatter around Maxwell, citing a Mate 2 GHz overclock demonstrated under LN2 cooling by Mech 777’s forum post, with core clocks around 2103 MHz and memory around 1753 MHz, highlighting the ambitious overclocking community surrounding new Nvidia architectures. The conversation moves to Nvidia Shield controller support for PC, noting that GeForce Experience-enabled functionality does not currently enable wireless use on PC, and that the controller’s touchpad might not be fully supported outside native Shield devices. Linus voices strong frustration at the controller limitation, suggesting it undermines user experience for streaming and PC-game scenarios, and he promises to follow up with Nvidia for comment. The show then welcomes Kyle and Paul from Newegg TV, who explain their decision to go independent and pursue new channels such as PaulsHardware and AwesomeSauce Network, while maintaining some ties to Newegg. They discuss the creative and logistical shifts involved with leaving a long-time employer, including scheduling, content production cadence, and revenue strategies, such as pre-roll ads and possible freelance writing for tech sites, while acknowledging AdSense alone won’t sustain them yet. The guests share their plans to contribute one or more days per week to existing channels, while exploring new formats and keeping options open with former colleagues, as well as how their move may affect the Newegg channel. The hosts and guests explore the psychology of online handles and branding, as well as manufacturing and supply chain dynamics that influence technology coverage, including a note on an EVGA GTX 970 cooler design and speculation about direct-touch heat pipe implementations. The show delves into Bendgate, summarizing Lou from Unbox Therapy’s viral smartphone bending videos and Apple’s response, which attributes bending incidents to materials defects rather than design flaws, while acknowledging ongoing debate about the prevalence and significance of bendage. Apple’s announcement of reinforced stress locations and use of stronger glass is discussed, alongside commentary about potential Sapphire usage and its implications for rigidity versus scratch resistance. A segment on the HTC-built next Nexus tablet fueled by Nvidia Tegra K1 touches on Google, HTC, and Motorola partnerships in the Android ecosystem, while discussing the Tegra K1’s raw performance and thermal characteristics, particularly in mobile and tablet form factors. Throughout, Linus and the guests weave between hardware details, industry rumors, and practical user experience, with occasional light banter about on-air trolling, shirt logos, and the occasional technical snafu, all while keeping a strong emphasis on how emerging products and platform decisions affect the consumer, modder, and content creator communities. The discussion closes with a recap of key hardware stories, a nod to ongoing coverage on the channel, and a tease of future WAN Show episodes featuring more in-depth hardware testing, updates on drive to independent content creation, and potential guest appearances as technology news continues to unfold. The episode balances excitement for upcoming tech, caution about unverified rumors, and a transparent look at how creators sustain long-form tech content in a rapidly evolving industry. The WAN Show remains a hub for enthusiasts seeking a blend of gadget news, hands-on hardware insight, and the personalities behind one of the most recognizable tech talk formats on YouTube, with a recurring emphasis on practical, testable information over hype. In sum, the show delivers a mix of rumor evaluation, product critique, workflow transparency, and community interactions that define the Linus Tech Tips approach to technology media in 2014. The episode ends with a forward-looking vibe, inviting viewers to stay tuned for more hardware deep-dives, independent creator content, and ongoing coverage of the tech landscape as it evolves through late 2014. Finally, the show reinforces the value of supplier partnerships, transparent sponsorships, and the open exchange of ideas that empower viewers to make informed hardware decisions. The overall tone remains enthusiastic, inquisitive, and supportive of a growing independent creator ecosystem while maintaining rigorous skepticism toward unverified claims.

Topics · technology · hardware · video-technology · consumer-electronics · news · podcast