Don't get SCAMMED when you buy an SSD - WAN Show December 4, 2020

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: The episode blends a Secret Shopper Q&A with broader tech news. Sarah Budd discusses how she handled Dell’s sales tactics, her comfort with customer service, and the value of genuine support, while Linus and Luke debate SSD bait-and-switching, GPU shortages, RISC-V efficiency gains, DRAM supply disruption, and Resizable BAR support on Z490 boards. The show also launches new LTT merch and explores product design/pricing decisions.

Main Topics: Secret Shopper Q&A with Sarah Budd (Priority: 5/5): Sarah reflects on being the latest Secret Shopper, how she handled long holds, warranty pressure, and breaking hardware on camera, while Linus and Luke ask how the experience felt and what stood out most. Dell sales tactics and customer trust (Priority: 5/5): The discussion centers on Dell’s aggressive upselling, hidden warranty inclusion, and whether the company’s process reflects a systemic issue rather than just one bad rep. Content methodology and buying-computer realism (Priority: 4/5): Linus explains why Secret Shopper uses phone sales instead of email/chat and why the format is chosen for entertainment and to expose pressure sales behavior, even if it isn’t every buyer’s path. SSD bait-and-switching and silent hardware revisions (Priority: 5/5): The hosts discuss Tom’s Hardware’s reporting on SSDs changing controllers/NAND over time, the ethics of silent revisions, and how such changes can severely alter performance without changing the product name. GPU market shortages and RTX 3060 Ti launch (Priority: 4/5): They note the 3060 Ti sold out immediately, tying the launch to console competition, scalping, and market timing that favors high-demand, high-margin products. RISC-V efficiency and ARM competition (Priority: 4/5): A Micromagic RISC-V prototype is highlighted for record efficiency, prompting discussion about how open architectures could become increasingly relevant versus ARM and x86 over time. LTT merch launches and product design decisions (Priority: 3/5): The episode closes with new merch reveals: toques/beanies and a CPU pillow. They discuss materials, pricing, hem tags, alpaca wool blends, and how design choices affect cost and feel.

Key Arguments: Sarah’s calm phone demeanor was due to years of customer service experience and a naturally patient personality, not indifference. Linus argues Secret Shopper is meant to evaluate the service companies say they offer, especially where sales pressure is highest. The Dell issue is framed less as one rogue employee and more as a sales system that incentivizes upselling and maximization of commission. Silent SSD revisions are acceptable only if they don’t worsen consumer-relevant performance or if the revision is disclosed clearly. Changing SSD controllers, not just NAND, can effectively create a different product while keeping the same name, which is misleading. The RTX 3060 Ti launch timing appears strategically aimed at capturing would-be next-gen console buyers. RISC-V’s open licensing model creates room for rapid innovation and could eventually reshape low-power compute markets. Merch pricing is heavily driven by materials, manufacturing realities, and the desire for a better tactile product rather than pure markup. The Secret Shopper format intentionally uses live phone calls because that is where companies can most effectively apply pressure. Sarah and Linus both value genuine, personable customer service over scripted upselling, even when technical accuracy matters. The episode suggests that product reviews and public criticism can expose systemic vendor behavior and pressure companies to improve.

Data Points: Dell prepaid amount: $1,500 - The Secret Shopper purchase budget discussed by Leland and Sarah Foldiing@home shirt fundraising: about $60,000 - Linus mentions the amount raised by the Folding@home T-shirt project RTX 3060 Ti launch price: $400 - Referenced as the card price compared with a next-gen console Micron fab outage duration: 1 hour - A Taiwan fab went offline briefly, affecting DRAM pricing Micron fab share of global DRAM supply: approximately 8.8% - The affected facility’s share of world DRAM output Micron fab monthly output: about 125,000 wafer starts per month - Production capacity cited during the DRAM discussion SSD performance drop: 41% slowdown - Tom’s Hardware reported file copy performance degradation on the ADATA XPG SX8200 Pro after revisions Light workload decline: 500 MB/s decline - Documented drop in lighter workload performance after unreported changes RISC-V prototype efficiency: 69 mW at 3 GHz - MicroMagic’s claimed 3 GHz configuration power use CoreMark result: 13,000 CoreMark at 5 GHz and 1.1 V - Performance claim for the RISC-V prototype CoreMark comparison on Apple M1: 10,947 iterations/sec/watt - Ars Technica comparison value cited in discussion CoreMark comparison on Ryzen 7 4700U: 13,956 iterations/sec/watt - Ars Technica comparison value cited in discussion Secret Shopper merchandise price: $19.99 - Price mentioned for the LTT beanie/toque CPU pillow pricing: $40 for small alpaca version / over $100 for large alpaca version - Explained as the reason for blending alpaca wool with polyester

Pivotal Quotes: "I don't know if you can see it, I'm like a super patient person so like those kind of calls don't bother me at all." — Sarah Budd: Sarah explains why the Dell phone calls and hold times didn’t frustrate her "It was a system where Dell is not investigating these problems obviously; Dell is incentivizing their sales people to just badger the customer effectively." — Linus: Linus argues the Dell issue reflects incentives built into the sales process "This should be illegal" — Linus: Linus reacts to SSD manufacturers silently revising products while keeping the same name

Implications: Consumers should watch for hidden upsells and silent product revisions, especially in PCs and storage. Reviewers can expose systemic vendor behavior, while open architectures like RISC-V and transparent product design may pressure the industry toward better value and honesty.