Building the PERFECT Linux PC with Linus Torvalds
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Description
Get a free 15-day trial of Odoo’s all-in-one business solution and see how it can make your life easier! Check it out at odoo.com It is finally here, the computer build you have (and possibly the whole world) been waiting for. The Linus Tech Tips and Linus Torvalds Collab PC build! Linus Torvalds talks through Linux development, parts selection, and even gives a glimpse into some cool projects he works on in his spare time. This project was made with a lot of hard work from our team and of course Linus Torvalds generous time. Discuss on the forum: linustechtips.com
Check out the parts from the build: AMD Ryzen Threadripper 9960X: geni.us GIGABYTE TRX50 AERO D Motherboard: geni.us Samsung SSD 9100 PRO 2TB SSD: geni.us Noctua NH-U14S TR5-SP6 Cooler: geni.us Intel Arc B580 GPU: geni.us Fractal Design Torrent E-ATX Case: geni.us Seasonic PRIME TX-1600 1600W 80+ Titanium PSU: geni.us ASUS ProArt Display PA32QCV 31.5" 6K HDR Monitor: geni.us
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Check out our Channel Partners: Secretlab - Get up to $249 off during their Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale (ends Dec. 5 2025): lmg.gg PIA - Get the VPN of our choice: piavpn.com dbrand - Buy a "Circuit" series skin for your device: dbrand.com ► GET OUR MERCH: lttstore.com ► GET EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ON FLOATPLANE: lmg.gg ► SPONSORS, AFFILIATES, AND PARTNERS: lmg.gg Purchases made through some store links may provide some compensation to Linus Media Group. Affiliate links powered in part by affilimate.com Linus Sebastian is an investor in Framework Computer, Inc CHAPTERSs ---------------------------------------------------0:00 Intro 2:42 Autobiography 4:08 Linus Builds a PC 6:20 CPU: What Does he Need it For 8:30 Motherboard: Why is ECC Important to you 11:18 Linus T Hates Zoom Calls 11:40 Linus T Side Projects 13:20 Storage: How Much Storage does Linus Need 15:00 Git or Linux? What are you more proud of? 17:35 Cooler: Why Noctua? 20:07 What do you do to relax? 21:22 If you could start Linux over again, what would you change? 22:40 Have you thought about other companies profit using Linux? 23:38 How do you feel about Microsoft owning GitHub? 25:18 Youtuber Merch 26:48 Have you ever wanted to walk away from Linux? 28:10 Case Choice 28:30 Cats or Dogs? 29:55 Power Supply 30:50 Here you go Reddit... 31:14 Gif or Jif? 31:40 What happens to Linux if you "Vanish"? 33:13 What are your Thoughts on AI? 35:25 Intel GPU? 36:25 How much code does Linus T Write? 38:23 Blame Linus for the Computer 38:40 How much do you travel for work? 41:10 Linus or Linus? 42:00 Does Linus T know about Linus S Linux Adventures? 43:20 You can see Linus S almost cry LMAO 43:50 Turning on the Computer 44:26 The Computer Lives! 44:40 Xbox, PlayStation or Nintendo? 45:26 Setting Up Linux with Linus 45:43 Why Fedora Linux? 46:45 Is there too many Linux options? 48:30 Linus S broke Linux again... 49:48 Linus T Email Hyenine 50:40 Linus T Background! 51:10 iPhone or Android? 51:37 The Final Question 53:26 Outro
The video centers on an ambitious collaboration between Linus Torvalds and Linus Tech Tips to build the perfect Linux powered PC. It opens with framing around the idea that a truly flawless Linux PC may not exist, but a practical and powerful build is within reach. Early moments emphasize the personalities involved, the humor of a collaborative project, and the goal of demonstrating Linux-friendly hardware and a thoughtful component selection process. Linus narrates high level goals for the build, including reliability, ECC memory support, and a balanced approach to performance versus noise and power consumption. The team discusses the ethos of choosing parts that will run Linux smoothly, with ECC memory highlighted as a critical reliability feature for developers and kernel work. Throughout, the dialogue blends technical rationale with lighthearted banter, including jokes about “fake Linus” and the camaraderie of collaboration. The central hardware decisions focus on a Threadripper CPU for heavy multitasking and kernel compilation workloads, a motherboard with robust ECC support, and a cooling solution aimed at quiet operation and long-term reliability. The discussion then shifts to storage strategy, with Linus noting a preference for internet-based backups and public sharing over local archival NAS solutions, followed by a deep dive into memory reliability and end-to-end ECC. As the build progresses, the team debates the merits of air cooling versus water cooling, exploring noise, reliability, and potential failure modes. The conversation broadens to cover broader Linux philosophy, including the GPL license, leadership style, and the evolution of Git and Linux in a landscape of large-scale collaboration. Technical anecdotes about kernel development workflows, release management, and the roles of various contributors illuminate the scale of open source projects. The session also touches on AI and its impact on coding, the economics of GPU choices, and the shifting technology ecosystem as Linux expands into gaming and cloud workloads. The video closes with reflections on Linus Torvalds’ career, travel, and the ongoing collaboration dynamic, culminating in a sense of shared curiosity and a lighthearted sense of accomplishment about the finished hardware project.
Topics · technology · open_source · hardware · linux · computing · software_development · ai
Questions answered
- Why is ECC memory considered essential in the Linus Torvalds PC build, and what issues did Linus describe before adopting it?
- Linus emphasized end-to-end ECC as crucial for reliability in a machine used for kernel development and massive compilations. He described past experiences where non-ECC RAM led to memory errors and hard-to-trace failures, which appeared as software bugs but were actually hardware faults. This reinforced his stance that a developer machine must be trustworthy to avoid silent data corruption and unpredictable behavior.
- What was Linus Torvalds' stance on Linux licenses during the discussion, and which license did he defend?
- Linus defended the GPL version 2 license, arguing it remains the right license for Linux and expressing strong support for its principles and long-term viability.
- How does Linus view AI in relation to programming and code maintenance?
- He sees AI as a tool that can boost productivity and help with learning and code generation, particularly for new programmers, but he cautions that maintaining complex systems will still require skilled developers. He also warned of market hype and predicted a period of adjustment or a crash in AI markets.
- Why did the team opt for an Intel Arc GPU in the build, and was there a backstory to this choice?
- The Arc GPU choice was driven by the need for multiple 6K displays and a balance of power, noise, and gaming capability. The team noted that a full backstory existed in earlier conversations, including initial plans for a different Arc model, but time constraints during filming meant the final choice was what Linus was comfortable with at the moment.