EVEN MORE Ryzen Leaks! - WAN Show Nov 15, 2019

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: The episode covers several tech-news headlines and behind-the-scenes WAN Show updates: upcoming LTT collabs, an underwear promo, AMD’s Ryzen 9 3950X and Threadripper 3990X, Apple’s 16-inch MacBook Pro, Google’s Project Nightingale, and Motorola’s Razr reboot. The hosts debate pricing, product strategy, storage needs, privacy risks, and whether foldables actually solve a real problem.

Main Topics: Upcoming LTT collaborations and production updates: Linus explains why he was late: the team had been producing time-consuming videos, including a new AMD value build guide and a garage-to-home-theater conversion. He also previews collabs with Bitwit and iJustine, and discusses how these projects affect his schedule. LTT store underwear promotion and sponsor reads: Nick promotes a three-pack underwear deal bundled with a discounted water bottle, and the hosts joke about product photos, promo mechanics, and future underwear offers. Several sponsors are briefly read during the show. AMD Ryzen 9 3950X and Threadripper 3990X pricing/yield discussion: The hosts analyze AMD’s 16-core Ryzen 9 3950X as a strong value proposition versus Intel, then broaden into a detailed explanation of chip binning, yields, disabled cores, commodity pricing, and why high-end parts can still be bargains. They also mention the leaked 64-core Threadripper 3990X. Apple 16-inch MacBook Pro launch strategy and specs: They react to Apple quietly launching the 16-inch MacBook Pro without an event, criticize the company for treating Macs like second-class citizens, and review its spec upgrades: better keyboard, larger battery, more RAM/storage, and high price. Google Project Nightingale and medical data privacy: They discuss the Wall Street Journal report that Google and Ascension collected health records of 50 million Americans. The conversation focuses on privacy risks, insurance implications, and the tradeoff between centralized medical data and exposure to misuse. Motorola Razr foldable phone skepticism: The hosts assess the $1,500 foldable Razr, arguing that it offers a compromised value proposition because it doesn't expand the device category much, uses mid-range hardware, and mostly trades on nostalgia rather than solving a meaningful portability problem.

Key Arguments: AMD’s 3950X looks expensive in isolation, but becomes a bargain when compared against Intel’s flagship and mainstream CPUs because it delivers far more cores and strong performance-per-dollar. High-end chips and GPUs are often sold with disabled cores/units because manufacturers optimize product stacks around demand and yield, not just maximum possible performance. Intel still benefits from owning its own fabs; AMD cannot fully control supply because it depends on TSMC and other customers for manufacturing capacity. Apple’s silent MacBook Pro launch feels inconsistent and unfair compared with the attention given to iPhone launches, especially since the Mac is also a major product line. A laptop with 8 TB of internal storage is hard to justify for most users; if huge storage is needed, external storage is often a better choice. Project Nightingale is concerning because medical data is extremely sensitive and can be exploited by insurers or leak into systems that affect premiums and risk scoring. A centralized health database might be useful for interoperability, but Google is not the trusted entity that should own it. Foldable phones only make sense if they meaningfully increase screen area or improve portability; the Razr’s unfoldable size is not large enough to justify its compromises and price. Nostalgia-driven branding can mislead buyers; the modern Razr is technologically and commercially very different from the original device. Product value should be judged on current utility and specs, not legacy name recognition or emotional attachment. The best book, product, or device for a user is often the one they will actually use, not the one with the most prestige or hype.

Data Points: Ryzen 9 3950X core count: 16 cores - Discussed as AMD’s high-end consumer CPU Ryzen 9 3950X threads: 32 threads - Part of the CPU’s performance positioning Threadripper 3990X leak: 64 cores / 128 threads - MSI accidentally confirmed the part’s existence Intel Core i9-9900K price: $480 - Used as a comparison point for AMD value discussion Intel Core i9-9900KS price: $581 - Amazon pricing mentioned during the comparison Intel Core i7-9700K price: $319 - Another mainstream Intel comparison in the CPU value debate Google health records affected: 50 million Americans - Project Nightingale report MacBook Pro battery capacity: 100 watt-hours - Apple’s 16-inch MacBook Pro battery spec MacBook Pro battery life: 11 hours - Apple claimed battery life for the new model MacBook Pro maximum RAM: 64 GB - Configurable memory ceiling MacBook Pro maximum storage: 8 TB - Configurable SSD ceiling MacBook Pro starting price: $2,400 - Base price for the 16-inch model MacBook Pro top price: $6,000 - Configured with higher-end options Razr display size: 6.2 inches - Main flexible display size Razr external display size: 2.7 inches - Secondary display when folded Razr RAM: 6 GB - Foldable phone specifications Razr storage: 128 GB - Foldable phone specifications Razr battery capacity: 2,510 mAh - Foldable phone specifications Razr launch price: $1,500 - Announced pricing for the foldable phone

Pivotal Quotes: "Google apparently collected the health records of 50 million Americans without their knowledge." — Host narration: Intro to Project Nightingale discussion "I think it could be kind of cool. I kind of like it." — Linus: Considering an AMD CPU and Intel GPU hybrid system "What year is it? 1986?" — Linus: Criticizing the lack of modern electronic medical record interoperability

Implications: Listeners get a clear view of how hardware value is shifting around AMD, why privacy concerns around health data are serious, and why not every “innovative” device form factor is a good buy. The episode suggests consumers should prioritize utility, privacy, and actual specs over branding and hype.