Entry № 041-3 / V-739 · 0:00 synced

I Hired Randoms on Facebook to Build me a Gaming PC... Let's See if I Get Scammed!

Linus Tech Tips@LinusTechTips3.7M viewsAug 21, 202421:19
Source
YT
Views
3.7M
Subscribers
16.8M
Critic
?
Audience
?

0 up · 0 down · 0 ratings

Promos

Get 20% off DeleteMe US consumer plans when you go to joindeleteme.com and use promo code LTT20 at checkout. DeleteMe International Plans: international.joindeleteme.com

Check out the MSI MAG PANO M100R PZ at lmg.gg Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist and eBay can be great places to find deals on used GPUs, CPUs, RAM, and even NON-computer stuff. But are they great places to get a custom-built PC? To find out, we gave money to 3 random people on Facebook Marketplace to see if we would get scammed, or the deal of a lifetime! Discuss on the forum: linustechtips.com Components of Teenage Engineering AMD Ryzen 7 5700X CPU: lmg.gg Gigabyte B550 Gaming X V2 Motherboard: lmg.gg T-Force 3600MTs CL18 2x8GB DDR4 RAM: lmg.gg Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE ARGB CPU Cooler: geni.us TEAMGROUP T-Force Vulcan Z 1TB SSD: lmg.gg Acer Predator BIFROST AMD Radeon RX7600 OC Graphics Card: lmg.gg NZXT H5 Flow Compact ATX Case: lmg.gg TP-Link Wi-Fi 6E AXE5400 WiFi Card: geni.us Components of The Hobbyist AMD Ryzen 5 5600 CPU: lmg.gg ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming Motherboard: lmg.gg Corsair Vengeance 3200MTs CL16 DDR4 RAM: lmg.gg Kingston NV2 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD: lmg.gg Gigabyte Radeon RX 7700 XT GAMING OC Graphics Card: lmg.gg Montech X3 Mesh ATX Mid Tower Case: lmg.gg Cooler Master MWE GOld 850W 80+ GOld PSU: lmg.gg Components of The Professional (that are worth buying...) Buy a PNY XLR8 Gaming VETRO RTX 4060 Graphics Card: lmg.gg Purchases made through some store links may provide some compensation to Linus Media Group. ► GET MERCH: lttstore.com ► GET EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ON FLOATPLANE: lmg.gg ► GET A VPN: piavpn.com ► SPONSORS, AFFILIATES, AND PARTNERS: lmg.gg ► EQUIPMENT WE USE TO FILM LTT: lmg.gg ► OUR WAN 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 1:50 PC 1 - Build Quality/Communication 4:40 PC 2 - Build Quality/Communication 5:50 PC 3 - Build Quality/Communication 8:23 Performance 13:43 Value 14:45 Beauty 16:42 Final Scores 17:19 Meeting the Winner 21:06 Outro

Start
AI OverviewDefault language

The video opens with a provocative premise: could random people on Facebook Marketplace actually assemble a functional gaming PC, or would you get scammed in broad daylight? Linus and team set a clear budget of 1,250 Canadian dollars for each builder and assign a small undercover team to collect the parts in person, then evaluate build quality, communication, and overall value. The first builder, presented as experienced with an online presence, delivers an invoice and a system that looks promising on paper but quickly reveals troubling gaps in reliability and signaling an incomplete warranty. The narrative then shifts to the second builder, Miroslav, a teenage seller who is motivated by saving for college. His build shows solid component choices and a reasonable price, but some minor compromises, like a SATA SSD instead of NVMe, keep the evaluation honest and grounded in tangible tradeoffs. The third participant, dubbed the professional, promises near flagship performance but relies on a questionable engineering sample CPU and a sparse warranty, which becomes a central point of contention in the comparison. Across these three builds, the team meticulously documents packaging, box contents, and perceived professionalism, all while staging a dramatic 5 minute drag race between the systems to test gaming performance and thermals. By the time the performance data lands, it’s clear that the “hobbyist” build hits the sweet spot for 1440p gaming at a strong price, while the engineering-sample machine underdelivers in many workloads. The final reveal features the winner being gifted the entire PC back to the builder who outperformed the others on value, and a broader discussion about the viability of this kind of side hustle, the trust required to buy used parts, and the evolving ecosystem of buyers and sellers on these marketplaces. The video closes with advice for shoppers to be savvy, highlights the importance of warranties and reliable components, and teases similar future experiments while noting a sponsor segment and a call to action about data privacy services. Each segment builds on concrete observations: from the initial unboxing of random parts and the unexpected brands to the hands-on testing, the narrative emphasizes transparent communication, build quality, and the practical realities of buying from non-traditional vendors. The drag race results are presented with context, showing real differences in gaming frames, thermals, and noise, which ultimately informs the final scoring. The winner’s generosity and passion for hands-on PC building are celebrated, while the other participants are fairly critiqued for specific missteps. The conclusion frames the entire exercise as a realistic exploration of whether Facebook Marketplace can reliably yield a good value gaming PC, concluding that while luck plays a role, a savvy buyer can still improve outcomes by choosing builders who balance price, warranty, and component quality. The closing message invites viewers to consider the broader implications for consumer electronics purchases, and to stay tuned for future experiments and recommendations. Finally, the video integrates a sponsor and a data privacy plug, reminding viewers of ongoing deals and services while keeping the core lesson front and center: due diligence matters most when deals seem too good to be true.

Topics · technology · gaming_pc · consumer_electronics · online_marketplaces · experimentation · reviews

Questions answered

What was the budget given to each builder for the random Facebook Marketplace PC project?
Each builder received a budget of 1,250 Canadian dollars.
Which builder won the competition and why?
The hobbyist Keaton won because his build offered the best value for money, with solid components and good build quality, despite some tradeoffs compared with the others.
What major issue arose with the professional build?
The professional build relied on an engineering sample CPU and had a questionable warranty, which hurt its long-term reliability and value.
What was Miroslav’s price point and what did he provide?
Miroslav charged about 100 Canadian dollars for the build and offered solid parts with good cooling and a reasonable system, though a SATA SSD was used instead of NVMe.
What lesson did the video emphasize for viewers shopping on marketplaces?
Be savvy, check warranties, prefer quality and reliable components, and be aware that prices and value vary; a trusted, clearly explained build often matters more than flashiness.