The Hardware Unboxed Podcast

Episoade

• 
  Is the RX 9050 4GB AMD's Worst Ever GPU? 19.09.2026 1h 30min

  Episode 116: Steve managed to obtain and test the Radeon RX 9050 4GB so we discuss just how bad it is, and the way it prays on customers. Then we have a chat about DLSS 5, the direction of graphics, how long until this feature is good and whether it even makes sense.CHAPTERS00:00 - Intro01:53 - Steve Tests the RX 9050 4GB15:10 - It's an Anti-Consumer Scam Product31:23 - Is the RX 9050 4GB Usable in Some Games?43:02 - We've Tested DLSS 5 Now1:01:45 - Are Graphics the Most Important Part of PC Games?SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCASTAudio: https://shows.acast.com/the-hardware-unboxed-podcastVideo: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqT8Vb3jweH6_tj2SarErfwSUPPORT US DIRECTLYPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/hardwareunboxedLINKSYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Hardwareunboxed/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HardwareUnboxedBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hardwareunboxed.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• 
  We Killed $3000 of DDR5 Memory 11.09.2026 1h 30min

  Official Store – Insta360 Link 2: https://bit.ly/MonitorsBFLink2storeAmazon – Insta360 Link 2: https://geni.us/pByQNbInsta360 Webcam Collection: https://store.insta360.com/collections/4k-webcamsEpisode 115: We update everyone on the current situation with the YouTube view count. Then we dive into Steve's story about how he managed to kill several sticks of DDR5 memory on an Asrock motherboard.CHAPTERS00:00 - Intro00:42 - The YouTube view count change has increased our views12:38 - Steve killed a few kits of DDR5 memory47:47 - Steve's network troubles with Telstra 5G1:00:08 - Tim installed a new SSD (thanks Samsung)1:15:50 - Updates from our boring livesSUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCASTAudio: https://shows.acast.com/the-hardware-unboxed-podcastVideo: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqT8Vb3jweH6_tj2SarErfwSUPPORT US DIRECTLYPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/hardwareunboxedLINKSYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Hardwareunboxed/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HardwareUnboxedBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hardwareunboxed.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• 
  Our Melting RTX 5090 and Early DLSS 5 Impressions 04.09.2026 1h 30min

  Episode 114: Two big topics in this week's podcast: Steve had a melting incident with his RTX 5090, and we chat about the re-announcement and release of DLSS 5 technology. CHAPTERS00:00 - Intro00:48 - Steve had a 5090 melting incident42:41 - DLSS 5 initial impressions1:14:44 - Updates from our boring livesSUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCASTAudio: https://shows.acast.com/the-hardware-unboxed-podcastVideo: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqT8Vb3jweH6_tj2SarErfwSUPPORT US DIRECTLYPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/hardwareunboxedLINKSYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Hardwareunboxed/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HardwareUnboxedBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hardwareunboxed.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Zen 6 on AM5 Confirmed, Absent DLSS 5 and Golden Samples 28.08.2026 1h 21min

  Official Store – Insta360 Link 2: https://bit.ly/MonitorsBFLink2storeAmazon – Insta360 Link 2: https://geni.us/pByQNbInsta360 Webcam Collection: https://store.insta360.com/collections/4k-webcamsEpisode 113: We chat about Nvidia's Gamescom announcements, including DLSS 4.5 Ray Reconstruction, the ReBAR toggle and the absence of DLSS 5. We also discuss the recent semi-confirmation of Zen 6 on AM5 and what to expect, and look at a GPU tweaking tool that potentially exposes dangerous settings.CHAPTERS00:00 - Intro01:53 - Nvidia at Gamescom13:04 - Where was DLSS 5?21:04 - Zen 6 on AM5 Confirmed30:21 - mvolt utility exposes dangerous settings48:18 - Golden samples discussion1:05:22 - Updates from our boring livesSUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCASTAudio: https://shows.acast.com/the-hardware-unboxed-podcastVideo: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqT8Vb3jweH6_tj2SarErfwSUPPORT US DIRECTLYPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/hardwareunboxedLINKSYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Hardwareunboxed/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HardwareUnboxedBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hardwareunboxed.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Radeon RX 9070 XT or GeForce RTX... 5060 Ti? 21.08.2026 1h 17min

  Episode 112: For some reason, YouTube decided to change the view counter. Also, AMD didn't bother sampling RX 9050s for review, but we reviewed it anyway. Later in the podcast we chat about some of the weird matchups between AMD and Nvidia that have been created due to high GPU pricesCHAPTERS00:00 - Intro00:39 - YouTube Changes the View Counter13:44 - RX 9050 Review Samples were Blocked41:00 - Nvidia vs AMD GPU Pricing51:36 - Nova Lake Naming Leak58:49 - Updates From Our Boring LivesSUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCASTAudio: https://shows.acast.com/the-hardware-unboxed-podcastVideo: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqT8Vb3jweH6_tj2SarErfwSUPPORT US DIRECTLYPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/hardwareunboxedLINKSYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Hardwareunboxed/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HardwareUnboxedBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hardwareunboxed.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• 
  Are Reviewers Truly Unbiased and Independent? 14.08.2026 1h 33min

  Episode 111: Are reviewers who get review samples, get early access to products and have affiliate links truly independent? We discuss this in the podcast, after we watched a video from someone claiming MKBHD is not truly independent. A good one to hear our thoughts on how we approach reviews and conflicts of interestPeter's video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8ccXGQfXikBuy a mattress using our Amazon affiliate link, which we earn a commission from: https://amzn.to/4xE8bVQCHAPTERSThe entire podcast discusses this one topicSUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCASTAudio: https://shows.acast.com/the-hardware-unboxed-podcastVideo: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqT8Vb3jweH6_tj2SarErfwSUPPORT US DIRECTLYPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/hardwareunboxedLINKSYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Hardwareunboxed/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HardwareUnboxedBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hardwareunboxed.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  4GB Gaming GPUs are "Not for Gaming" Apparently 07.08.2026 1h 19min

  Episode 110: Fanboys on Reddit got very upset that we trashed the upcoming Radeon RX 9050 and 4GB GPUs in general, claiming that these models are not sold to consumers, and also not actually gaming GPUs. So we naturally decided to take on and dismantle these idiotic comments in this week's podcast.CHAPTERS00:00 - Intro01:00 - Reddit gets upset about our 4GB GPU video46:17 - Asus rejects RTX 5090 sale then jacks up price56:47 - Updates from our boring livesSUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCASTAudio: https://shows.acast.com/the-hardware-unboxed-podcastVideo: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqT8Vb3jweH6_tj2SarErfwSUPPORT US DIRECTLYPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/hardwareunboxedLINKSYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Hardwareunboxed/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HardwareUnboxedBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hardwareunboxed.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• 
  The Radeon RX 9050 4GB is Absolutely Diabolical 31.07.2026 1h 19min

  Episode 109: AMD has done something unfathomable: they're releasing a brand new 4GB GPU in the year 2026. We talk about the new Radeon RX 9050 and why this graphics card seems like a giant turd, both the 8GB and 4GB variants.CHAPTERS00:00 - Intro00:30 - AMD Radeon RX 9050 Discussion Begins40:24 - Why Not Just Re-Launch an Old GPU?48:12 - The Days of Good Cheap GPUs are Over1:09:02 - Updates From Our Boring LivesSUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCASTAudio: https://shows.acast.com/the-hardware-unboxed-podcastVideo: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqT8Vb3jweH6_tj2SarErfwSUPPORT US DIRECTLYPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/hardwareunboxedLINKSYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Hardwareunboxed/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HardwareUnboxedBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hardwareunboxed.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• 
  LG Screws Customers With Bloatware, and Nvidia Tones Down DLSS 5 24.07.2026 1h 16min

  Episode 108: LG has been very naughty, caught installing their bloatware application on to PCs without the consent of monitor buyers. Seems dodgy, so we talk about that. We also look over the latest DLSS 5 announcements from Nvidia's recent presentation.CHAPTERS00:00 - Intro00:40 - LG Installs Bloatware on Monitor Buyers' PCs33:35 - Nvidia Shows More DLSS 5 Details56:20 - Updates From Our Boring LivesSUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCASTAudio: https://shows.acast.com/the-hardware-unboxed-podcastVideo: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqT8Vb3jweH6_tj2SarErfwSUPPORT US DIRECTLYPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/hardwareunboxedLINKSYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Hardwareunboxed/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HardwareUnboxedBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hardwareunboxed.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• 
  Nvidia Hid Important GPU Info, and the 5800X3D is a Good Deal 17.07.2026 1h 16min

  Episode 107: We chat about some of the latest CPU releases, including the Ryzen 7 5800X3D 10th Anniversary Edition, and the Ryzen 7 7700X3D, which doesn't make a ton of sense when nobody is doing platform upgrades. Also, we thought it was quite amusing that Nvidia's hotspot GPU temperature has now been uncovered, so we discuss that whole situation.CHAPTERS00:00 - Intro01:02 - The Ryzen 7 7700X3D has Launched08:32 - The Ryzen 7 5800X3D Actually Makes Sense24:53 - Nvidia GPU Hotspot Temperature Situation40:24 - Steam Machine Thermals and HDMI-CEC01:04:55 - Updates From Our Boring LivesSUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCASTAudio: https://shows.acast.com/the-hardware-unboxed-podcastVideo: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqT8Vb3jweH6_tj2SarErfwSUPPORT US DIRECTLYPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/hardwareunboxedLINKSYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Hardwareunboxed/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HardwareUnboxedBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hardwareunboxed.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• 
  Sony Kills Physical Games, Nvidia GPU Struggles & The Future of Gaming 10.07.2026 1h 24min

  Episode 106: We chat about Sony ending production of physical games in 2028, and the implications that has for game ownership. Plus we talk about the challenges Nvidia faces with improving GPU performance, and the future of gaming as a result.CHAPTERS00:00 - Intro00:30 - Life Update02:35 - A chat about recent content06:00 - Playstation ending disc support32:06 - Has GPU performance really hit a ceiling?44:00 - The future of gaming?53:34 - Is Radeon in the same boat as Nvidia?01:01:03 - Why games aren't getting better?01:19:36 - Our Boring LivesSUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCASTAudio: https://shows.acast.com/the-hardware-unboxed-podcastVideo: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqT8Vb3jweH6_tj2SarErfwSUPPORT US DIRECTLYPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/hardwareunboxedLINKSYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Hardwareunboxed/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HardwareUnboxedBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hardwareunboxed.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• 
  Valve Stuffed Up the Steam Machine 26.06.2026 1h 13min

  Episode 105: We give some additional thoughts on how bad the Steam Machine is, and yes, we think it is very bad. Then we chat briefly about the Ryzen 7 5800X3D being re-released.CHAPTERS00:00 - Intro00:31 - Yeah we haven't changed our mind on the Steam Machine16:45 - Microsoft increased the price of the XBOX21:20 - Steam Machine is the new Verge PC28:28 - Pre Built as a HTPC34:33 - Playstation/XBOX is easier to use than Windows46:22 - Our thoughts on Valve50:00 - 5800X3D is back and a good buy?1:01:24 - Updates from Our Boring LivesSUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCASTAudio: https://shows.acast.com/the-hardware-unboxed-podcastVideo: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqT8Vb3jweH6_tj2SarErfwSUPPORT US DIRECTLYPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/hardwareunboxedLINKSYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Hardwareunboxed/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HardwareUnboxedBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hardwareunboxed.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• 
  "Joke of a Product" - The Radeon RX 9070 GRE Hasn't Impressed Us 20.06.2026 1h 6min

  Episode 104: Upon our return from Computex, we chat about the current graphics card market, including AMD's bizarre release of the Radeon RX 9070 GRE.CHAPTERS00:00 - Chat About the Radeon RX 9070 GRE22:42 - The Current State of GPU Sales50:08 - Updates From Our Boring LivesSUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCASTAudio: https://shows.acast.com/the-hardware-unboxed-podcastVideo: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqT8Vb3jweH6_tj2SarErfwSUPPORT US DIRECTLYPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/hardwareunboxedLINKSYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Hardwareunboxed/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HardwareUnboxedBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hardwareunboxed.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• 
  Are We Wrong About Ray Tracing? 09.05.2026 1h 3min

  Episode 103: Some people got upset that we claimed Nvidia didn't deliver on their promised ray tracing future. So we discuss that, the RTX 20 series, how ray tracing was marketed, and whether we think it's lived up to the original hypeCHAPTERS00:00 - Chat About Ray Tracing 55:12 - Updates From Our Boring LivesSUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCASTAudio: https://shows.acast.com/the-hardware-unboxed-podcastVideo: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqT8Vb3jweH6_tj2SarErfwSUPPORT US DIRECTLYPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/hardwareunboxedLINKSYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Hardwareunboxed/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HardwareUnboxedBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hardwareunboxed.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  No 9950X3D2 for Gamers Nexus and LTT... What's Going On? 01.05.2026 1h 16min

  Episode 102: We chat about the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition situation: the CPU itself and how it performs, AMD's decision not to provide review samples and more.CHAPTERS00:00 - Chat About 9950X3D21:04:20 - Updates From Our Boring LivesSUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCASTAudio: https://shows.acast.com/the-hardware-unboxed-podcastVideo: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqT8Vb3jweH6_tj2SarErfwSUPPORT US DIRECTLYPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/hardwareunboxedLINKSYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Hardwareunboxed/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HardwareUnboxedBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hardwareunboxed.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Everyone Hates DLSS 5, Here's Our Thoughts 20.03.2026 1h 11min

  Episode 101: What are our thoughts on Nvidia's DLSS 5 reveal? Time to chat about that, along with Crimson Desert, which we've been benchmarkingCHAPTERS00:00 - Intro00:31 - Our Initial Thoughts on DLSS 508:14 - DLSS 5's Artistic Changes27:36 - Possible Technical Challenges42:07 - The Reaction to DLSS 549:24 - Crimson Desert Impressions1:08:03 - Final ThoughtsSUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCASTAudio: https://shows.acast.com/the-hardware-unboxed-podcastVideo: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqT8Vb3jweH6_tj2SarErfwSUPPORT US DIRECTLYPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/hardwareunboxedLINKSYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Hardwareunboxed/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HardwareUnboxedBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hardwareunboxed.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Memory Stops Working? You're Screwed 13.03.2026 1h 16min

  Episode 100: A brief chat on some news topics again, including Intel's announcement of Arrow Lake Refresh CPUs at attractive price points and FSR Diamond. Then we chat about a customer getting screwed over after his DDR5 memory diedCHAPTERS00:00 - Intro01:53 - New Intel Arrow Lake Refresh CPUs11:34 - AMD Announces FSR Diamond14:27 - DLSS 4.5 Dynamic Frame Gen Release15:59 - Umart, Corsair and Memory Failures1:07:02 - Updates From Our Boring LivesSUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCASTAudio: https://shows.acast.com/the-hardware-unboxed-podcastVideo: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqT8Vb3jweH6_tj2SarErfwSUPPORT US DIRECTLYPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/hardwareunboxedLINKSYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Hardwareunboxed/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HardwareUnboxedBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hardwareunboxed.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Is Future Proofing No Longer Possible? 06.03.2026 1h 26min

  Episode 99: A brief chat on some news topics, like Nvidia's recent driver issues and the rumored RTX 5050 9GB, then into our main chat. Is it really no longer possible to future proof your PC? Or is this one of the better times for PC hardware longevity?CHAPTERS00:00 - Intro00:37 - The RTX 5050 9GB Rumors06:49 - New AMD Ryzen APUs for AM511:55 - Nvidia Driver Issues18:52 - Future Proofing Your GPU, Is It Possible?52:39 - CPU Longevity?1:12:16 - Updates From Our Boring LivesSOURCESJay's video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqIf5yvQdbcRTX 5050 9GB: https://videocardz.com/newz/nvidia-reportedly-plans-geforce-rtx-5050-with-9gb-memory-and-96-bit-busSUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCASTAudio: https://shows.acast.com/the-hardware-unboxed-podcastVideo: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqT8Vb3jweH6_tj2SarErfwSUPPORT US DIRECTLYPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/hardwareunboxedLINKSYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Hardwareunboxed/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HardwareUnboxedBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hardwareunboxed.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Our Experiences with AI, Crazy Marketing Lies, Red Flags and The Bubble 28.02.2026 1h 22min

  Episode 98: Two goobers give their thoughts on AI. We've used it, the marketing claims don't match the capabilities at all. We chat about the financial investments so far, how that's likely going to be a big problem, and the overall status of the 'bubble'.CHAPTERS00:00 - Intro10:56 - Our Experiences Using AI29:54 - The Insane Investment into AI38:33 - Are They Going to Run Out of Money?52:40 - The Bubble1:06:00 - Updates From Our Boring LivesSUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCASTAudio: https://shows.acast.com/the-hardware-unboxed-podcastVideo: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqT8Vb3jweH6_tj2SarErfwSUPPORT US DIRECTLYPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/hardwareunboxedLINKSYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Hardwareunboxed/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HardwareUnboxedBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hardwareunboxed.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The Problems with OLED, New 2026 Monitors, and Does 5K Gaming Make Sense? (feat. TFTCentral) 13.02.2026 1h 31min

  Episode 97: Simon from TFTCentral joins us after the wave of announcements at CES 2026 to chat about upcoming monitor technology, the current flaws with WOLED and QD-OLED panels, the types of screens we'd love to see, burn in, G-Sync Pulsar and moreTFTCENTRALCheck out Simon's channel: https://www.youtube.com/@tftcentralCheck out Simon's website: https://tftcentral.co.uk/CHAPTERS00:00 - Intro02:43 - New Ultrawides for 202611:19 - New RGB Stripe WOLED20:36 - Does 5K Gaming Make Sense?30:16 - 500Hz 1440p LCDs36:38 - The OLED Formats We'd Like to See & Future of OLED55:50 - Status of OLED Burn In and Other Flaws1:14:41 - G-Sync PulsarSUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCASTAudio: https://shows.acast.com/the-hardware-unboxed-podcastVideo: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqT8Vb3jweH6_tj2SarErfwSUPPORT US DIRECTLYPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/hardwareunboxedLINKSYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Hardwareunboxed/Twitter: https://twitter.com/HardwareUnboxedBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/hardwareunboxed.bsky.social Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.