Among the many hardware and technology YouTube channels, Linus Tech Tips might be the most popular, often focusing on general audience-appealing experiments and tests with computers, TVs, and other devices. However, channels like Gamers Nexus take a more serious approach, analyzing real-world problems and tackling industry injustices, often exerting enough pressure to drive change. Yet, Gamers Nexus’s frequent criticisms of AMD have reportedly led to the company being blacklisted, with AMD no longer sending them CPUs for review.
AMD, Intel, and NVIDIA are the primary PC hardware companies, releasing processors and graphics cards used by billions worldwide. Each launch is significant, marking a new generation of CPUs or GPUs and fueling competition between brands. When a new processor or graphics card model is released, reviews are crucial to assess its performance and value.
Gamers Nexus Criticizes AMD and Lands on the Company’s Blacklist
Typically, prominent tech websites, influencers, YouTubers, and streamers receive CPU and GPU samples for review. These reviews garner significant viewership, and brands should leverage this for increased visibility. YouTube channels like Gamers Nexus, with its 2.6 million subscribers, should be a priority for companies like AMD. However, they have not received the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 and claim AMD is ignoring them, concluding it’s “retaliation” for their past criticisms.
Gamers Nexus points to several criticisms they believe led to this situation, including issues with AMD’s drivers, particularly in the past before the Adrenalin software improvements. A decade ago, AMD drivers were notoriously poor, with frequent crashes reported during the R9 200 and R9 300 series era. More recently, criticism has been directed at the abandonment of support for products like the Z1 Extreme in handheld devices.
Another area of contention involved AMD’s alleged involvement with U.S. surveillance and defense companies like Palantir and Flock Safety, with speculation that AMD is secretly collaborating with them. This is further linked to policies favoring the construction of more data centers and power plants for AI, potentially disregarding the significant economic and environmental impact.
Evidence Suggests AMD and Lisa Su’s Involvement with Palantir and Donations to Pro-Donald Trump PACs
Political matters have also been part of the criticism. AMD made a $1 million donation to a Super PAC associated with Donald Trump. Furthermore, AMD CEO Lisa Su is known to have close ties to prominent U.S. political figures. Gamers Nexus has presented substantial evidence suggesting that AMD is not the idealized company some perceive it to be, admitting that it doesn’t always operate perfectly or make the best decisions. This ongoing criticism, coupled with the fact that they have little left to lose, seems to have contributed to their current situation. Additionally, JayzTwoCents, another prominent YouTuber in the sector, mentioned that other reviewers had also been denied units, indicating that this issue might not be exclusive to Gamers Nexus.
Regardless, the “Jesus of Hardware” channel acknowledges that they are not dependent on AMD and can always purchase hardware for their reviews. Therefore, they intend to continue criticizing and raising concerns about companies and their questionable or unfair practices. Furthermore, they state that the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 is not a significant loss, as early reviews (even those from blacklisted outlets) indicated it offered less than a 1% improvement over the Ryzen 9 9950X3D.
