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Sami13496

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 25, 2022
454
1,077
There’s been a lot of discussion about Max Tech YT channel and their reviews on M series chips (mainly the SSD topic). I used to find them too focused on benchmarks and bashing Apple, creating huge problem that is non issue. Now I understand how detailed their comparisons are and how they actually test different scenarios. Not only video making and photography, but also developer and designer use cases. I appreciate their channel more now and especially the amount of work they put into it. I just hope the names of their videos will be more factual, sometimes I feel that they are named to get more clicks which is annoying. And I hope they will emphasize more whether a problem (like SSD speed) affects all users or only a certain workflow. Because sometime normal user might miss out on great Apple product if they think a problem affects them, when it’s really not. Just wanted to say this because some of my comments about then have been pretty harsh. What do you think about them?
 

sirio76

macrumors 6502a
Mar 28, 2013
571
405
He stopped to be informative a long long time ago, his videos were decent at the beginning. Maybe he still have some good videos here and there, but once users understand the logic behind the clickbait system is hard to get your credibility back. There are still a few good places to get honest informations so why waste time on a channel that exist only to make money.
 

NT1440

macrumors G5
May 18, 2008
14,674
21,138
For comparisons, sure.

But the utterly embarrassing lack of understanding of the engineering process is truly astonishing.

Their tests, pretty good. Their explanation of the underlying technology and speculation of the engineering process jumps out every time.

It reminds me of gamers who know all the buzzwords but can’t understand how hyper threading is not a desirable process but instead a workaround for fundamental shortcomings to designs (but has become standard due to inertia), just as an example. Don’t even get me started on the idiocy I’ve seen from this guy when it comes to explaining throttling…
 

Hrududu

macrumors 68020
Jul 25, 2008
2,299
627
Central US
There is a difference between guys on YouTube who know Apple and tech, and the "influencers" who have nice lighting and production, but don't actually know anything. The Max Tech's and Luke Miani's of the world do little more than produce nice looking visuals packed with noise and personal option. They like to hear themselves talk, they regurgitate headlines they've read, and spew off-the-shelf benchmarks they've run that literally anyone could do. Like PauloSero said, they're all about clicks and YouTube income.
 

Sami13496

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 25, 2022
454
1,077
Yeah I’m not subscribed to them, far from it. I subscribe to a very few YT channels actually. Their coverage of M2 MacBook Air and the SSD “issue” frankly pissed me of because they made it sound like the laptop is slow for majority of users when in reality it’s like the best thin and light laptop one could buy (at least imho). Now when M2 Mini and M2 MacBook Pros came out I watched some of their videos again, seemed more tame, but I’m not sure. I’m not very technical person, I don’t care about benchmarks and deep dives in specs. I care much more about overall user experience and real world performance. That’s why I’m subscribed to different YT channels to get my main reviews. But I do use some processor and memory intensive apps so I’m interest in avoiding making mistakes in configurations I buy. Would be sad to buy some config just to find out that it’s not enough because Apple cut corners.
 

Sami13496

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 25, 2022
454
1,077
But if they are what you say, there’s still a lot of people who just admire then in the comments. I read the comments on some of their videos and struggled to find any negatives one.

I just hope normal users don’t miss out on great Apple product after watching their video. Imagine someone wanting to buy M2 MacBook Air and then go for some Windows laptop because Max Tech said it’s slow.

I hope they will be more responsible with their content in the future. A large group of people are watching them.
 
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BeatCrazy

macrumors 601
Jul 20, 2011
4,962
4,285
They are fine.

The understand the ins-and-outs of Apple's entire product line, and do excellent comparisons of the tech features that everyone around here is always foaming the mouth about (RAM size and SSD speeds impact on real-world performance), so they get extra credit.

I don't like how they reference Mark Gurman and all the other 'speculators' so often. But I understand they have to fill content outside of the 8-10X per year when new products actually get released. The photo comparisons are fun, and I have no doubt they put in long hours to get out respectable content in a timely manner.
 

iObama

macrumors 65816
Nov 16, 2008
1,035
2,227
One too many clickbait videos from them for me. Unsubbed a while ago and won't be resubbing. Luke Miani I enjoy every once in a while. EverydayDad, MKBHD, MobileTechReview, iJustine, MacAddress/LMG, and a few others are where I go for Apple stuff that isn't all fluff.
 
Last edited:

Unregistered 4U

macrumors G3
Jul 22, 2002
9,937
7,860
He stopped to be informative a long long time ago, his videos were decent at the beginning. Maybe he still have some good videos here and there, but once users understand the logic behind the clickbait system is hard to get your credibility back. There are still a few good places to get honest informations so why waste time on a channel that exist only to make money.
This is, of course, the “arc of Youtube”. You get enough attention for just being “a good solid resource”, then use that to catapult to further fame by becoming a “heel”. Folks that used to like you will be engaged with the video and folks that never knew you but like you know because you “speak the truth” are engaged as well. Lather rinse repeat.

In the end, while far from your beginnings, you’re pulling in so much consistently by being intentionally inconsistent (causing the groups of folks above to engage… now for opposite reasons). They morph from being information to entertainment… that’s where the money is. That and merch. :)
 

3Rock

macrumors 6502a
Aug 25, 2021
598
601
One too many clickbait videos from them for me. Unsubbed a while ago and won't be resubbing. Luke Miani I enjoy every once in a while. EverydayDad, MKBHD, MobileTechReview, iJustine, MacAddress/LMG, and a few others are where I go for Apple stuff that isn't all fluff.
I also like Dave2D. Your selection above is OK until you mention iJustine. She’s too silly for me.
 

James_C

macrumors 68030
Sep 13, 2002
2,817
1,822
Bristol, UK
I find Max Tech to be pretty useful to be honest. While I understand some of the click bait comments, that is pretty much how how you grow your channel on YouTube - if you don't like it then avoid YouTube.

Their comparisons are valuable as sometimes it can hard to decide against different Apple products - At the moment I am deciding between the base Studio or the M2 Pro Mini - it is these types of comparison videos that I find useful.
 

leman

macrumors Core
Oct 14, 2008
19,203
19,062
They do a lot of tests and look at different scenarios, as you say, which is great. Unfortunately they like to talk a lot about topics where they have very little practical knowledge (e.g. inner workings of hardware and software), and have perpetuated a bunch of nonsensical and harmful myths about Apple Silicon. If they were more humble and have focused on things they do well it would have been a great channel. It’s a shame that they prefer to create sensationalist content instead.
 

Lounge vibes 05

macrumors 68040
May 30, 2016
3,582
10,521
I think their videos themselves are fine, it’s just the titles that get on my nerves.
Especially since I’ve noticed more than once them change video titles hours after the video released to something even more click-bate.
Makes it quite annoying when they upload a really good video, and then I go to find it again to show someone and… Oops, now it’s got the most horrendous video title imaginable.
“STOP! Do NOT Buy the NEW $599 M2 Mac mini.. 🤦”
“iPhone 14 Pro Camera is BAD? (vs Pixel 7 Pro & S22 Ultra!)”
“iPhone 14 Pro Camera got WORSE? No.. (Sorry MKBHD)”
“CONFIRMED! Apple is Leaving China! Here's Why..”
“iPhone 15 Pro LEAKS: Why Android doesn’t stand a chance!”
“Intel just KILLED the M2 Max chip before it even released..”
“Why ALL M1 Chip-Killers have FAILED (& will continue to)”
Not only are the titles dumb, they’re contradictory as well.
Intel just destroyed the M2… But nothings surpassing the M1.
Samsung is going to invent the iPhone killer! But the iPhone 15 is going to destroy the competition.
It’s just…. weird and so obviously fake.
 

NT1440

macrumors G5
May 18, 2008
14,674
21,138
They do a lot of tests and look at different scenarios, as you say, which is great. Unfortunately they like to talk a lot about topics where they have very little practical knowledge (e.g. inner workings of hardware and software), and have perpetuated a bunch of nonsensical and harmful myths about Apple Silicon. If they were more humble and have focused on things they do well it would have been a great channel. It’s a shame that they prefer to create sensationalist content instead.
My thoughts in a nutshell. If they didn’t pretend to know about things they clearly don’t the videos would be hugely useful. Their testing between devices is both useful and done in a viewer friendly format.

It’s when the guys tries to elaborate on things that he clearly doesn’t understand is where he loses me entirely.
 
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boss.king

macrumors 603
Apr 8, 2009
6,142
6,900
There’s been a lot of discussion about Max Tech YT channel and their reviews on M series chips (mainly the SSD topic). I used to find them too focused on benchmarks and bashing Apple, creating huge problem that is non issue. Now I understand how detailed their comparisons are and how they actually test different scenarios. Not only video making and photography, but also developer and designer use cases. I appreciate their channel more now and especially the amount of work they put into it. I just hope the names of their videos will be more factual, sometimes I feel that they are named to get more clicks which is annoying. And I hope they will emphasize more whether a problem (like SSD speed) affects all users or only a certain workflow. Because sometime normal user might miss out on great Apple product if they think a problem affects them, when it’s really not. Just wanted to say this because some of my comments about then have been pretty harsh. What do you think about them?
Their content is garbage wrapped in clickbait. No one should watch it.
 

Lounge vibes 05

macrumors 68040
May 30, 2016
3,582
10,521
I guess another issue I have with not this channel in general, but just the majority of the internet tech spaces is an over-reliance on benchmarks.
Benchmarks are good, they can be informative, but when it comes to the actual usage of a machine, they don’t tell the entire story.
And I feel like most of the technology these days has gotten so good that the only thing to compare is benchmarks.
And while again, benchmarks can be good, they are not the entire machine.
And Maxtech especially likes to take benchmarks, and just absolutely run them into the ground.
Forget how good the actual computers case, camera, operating system, user experience, battery, all of that is, it’s just benchmarks benchmarks benchmarks.
The only thing that matters is benchmarks.
Which leads to extreme hyperbolic statements like “STOP! Do NOT Buy the NEW $599 M2 Mac mini.. 🤦”.
why does he not want you to buy the new Mac mini?
Not because it’s not a good deal, because it is.
Not because the processor is bad, because it’s not.
Not because the experience is bad, and the computer won’t last you a really long time, because it will.
But because the SSD benchmarks slightly slower than last year‘sSSD.
An annoying little gripe to have with the machine? Sure.
A thing that customers should absolutely know about? Yes.
A big enough problem to paint the machine in the worst light possible and squeeze out over a weeks worth of YouTube videos and headlines talking about only this one subject? No!
And this also goes for other minor things that the majority of people won’t notice like the M2 thermal throttling quicker than the M1 when doing heavy benchmarking. Something that should be noted in a review, sure. Something that makes the machine an absolute waste of money, no.
The only reason these annoying little things get blown up to the biggest problem in the world is because negativity sells, and Apple has the biggest audience
 

iObama

macrumors 65816
Nov 16, 2008
1,035
2,227
Seriously

Her gushing over anything apple is just too much, I prefer something with substance, she's just all about apple worship
I understand that argument! But she also does really good unboxings and is just generally fun to watch. I get plenty of substance from the others.

I think ~80% of the iJustine hate is because she's a pretty woman. (Not saying you, just making a point.) She's been in the game longer than pretty much anyone else.
 

MBAir2010

macrumors 603
May 30, 2018
6,433
5,920
there
there is a great How to person who can explain OCLP and MacBook
reviews without the over graohics-hype on Twitter who yo'tubes.

besides getting info here, that is all we need.
 

MBAir2010

macrumors 603
May 30, 2018
6,433
5,920
there
Seriously

Her gushing over anything apple is just too much, I prefer something with substance, she's just all about apple worship
she would have to complete and compete 10 windows tasks within (I think) 2 seconds each with Linus years ago?
 
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