nVidia Bullying Reviewers, Forcing RT Focused Coverage

Chaosphere · December 12, 2020, 07:20:14 AM

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXn9O-Rzb_M&[video=youtube;iXn9O-Rzb_M]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXn9O-Rzb_M[/video]

Watch at least the first few minutes. The video is a long dive into the topic.

The short, written summary -

nVidia removed the YouTube based review group Hardware Unboxed from their list of approved FE card reviewers - they won't be getting the green pre-release cards anymore for review.
nVidia did this because they were unhappy with how Hardware Unboxed reviewed the cards - they felt they focused on rasterization tech at the expense of ray tracing.
nVidia claimed this was against the grain of not only gaming development but the gaming community's interests as a whole.

So nVidia are saying you can only review our cards if you focus on what we want you to focus on. This is despite the fact that uptake of ray tracing and DLSS remains minimal. There are still very few titles that support it, and arguably even fewer still gamers that are using it. Rasterization remains hugely important.

What is worse is that HW Unbox DID do a really good video going through RTX and DLSS, in addition to their regular reviews. In my opinion, HW Unbox have always been a factual, fair, and professional reviewer, and I continue to enjoy their content. nVidia are fighting a personal battle trying to scare reviewers into favourable reviews at the threat of being cut off from future content.

Even if HW Unboxed DIDNT cover RTX, nVidia shouldn't be punishing them for reviewing the product in the way they see fit - they are still providing valuable information to consumers in a fair and accurate way. No number fudging, no falsity, just good, high quality reviews focused on what they want to know about the cards, and what they believe their viewers want to know. If viewers want to know more or different information, they watch another reviewer, or another video!

This sort of thing can have huge impacts to these companies. If you can't get the product at the same time as everyone else, you can't get your review out on time, and by the time you do everyone has already watched your competition's content instead. You don't get the views, you don't get the income.

I am disgusted, and really feel for HW Unboxed. I was waiting to hear more about the AMD RT and DLSS equivalents to make my mind on future card purchases, but unless nVidia seriously turn around and make up on this, I categorically won't be buying team green next year.

RizZy · December 12, 2020, 08:23:41 AM

Hopefully people keep the heat on nVidia, can't have companies only letting people review stuff if they're nice about what they're reviewing. I started watching hardware unboxed last year while researching my new build & they seem very honest & thorough in their reviews.

albert · December 12, 2020, 10:45:46 AM

I think that every one of these big companies has a bully attitude and thinks they can get away with it. It's unacceptable to silence impartial reviewers although just look at the examples of silencing this week alone, Google firing Timnit Gebru. Now being an employee is different to public reviews but all the same, big corp not liking something so kill it off. Google are basically saying if anyone expect to be able to voice concern about the ethics of their work in a safe environment, we'll just fire you. They have not become any better with their "diverse approach".

TeaLeaf · December 12, 2020, 11:11:33 AM

That approach sucks. It's a slippery slope if reviewers get treated like this, so kudos for those that just deliver the facts irrespective of it being good or bad. If the product is good then they'll get good reviews, when will manufacturers learn?

Quote from: Chaosphere;443907I was waiting to hear more about the AMD RT and DLSS equivalents to make my mind on future card purchases, but unless nVidia seriously turn around and make up on this, I categorically won't be buying team green next year.

We might be waiting a while for that, it's very early days in the cycle for AMD and RT as a whole as at decently high resolutions even the 3090's performance is crippled without DLSS turned on, so AMD has a ways to catch up with their alternative offering. Should be interesting to see though as the tech matures and becomes playable at 4k.

albert · December 12, 2020, 06:07:48 PM

I was testing MSFS2020 on a 4K Acer Predator Monitor/ 3080 today. Ultra settings everything on, 50-55 fps. I found that pretty much as good as to be expected for a horribly unoptimised game. There's no DLSS on or RT, but the 4K load pushed the 3080 to 1980MHz, highest I've seen it go and temps in the high 70s.

sulky_uk · December 12, 2020, 06:30:31 PM

tbh jay2cents and linus have both told AMD/NVIDIA/put major pc component builder here, in the past that they will give honest reviews, MSI actually blocked linus for a bit and asus jay2cents, and their reviews, although showing nividia and amd in good light, do have negative remarks in it, mainly when comparing RT and jay and linus aint afraid

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GyaSfOi6fs
[video=youtube;3GyaSfOi6fs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3GyaSfOi6fs[/video]

Chaosphere · December 12, 2020, 08:29:29 PM

[Video=YouTube;U0Ay8rMdFAg]https://youtu.be/U0Ay8rMdFAg[/video]

Delighted this is the first video they post after the nVidia announcement.

Linus, in the video in my first post, also showed on the nVidia website some time ago a quote used by nVidia, from HW Unboxed, about the promise of DLSS. nVidia were using it as marketing / promotional advertising on their site.

Just ridiculous, really. What a shame.

Edit- TY for the Jay video sulks, watching now.

I regularly watch content from Jay, GN, Linus, HWUnboxed... I like all of the different slants and info given. Having one snuffed out because nVidia doesn't like their take is just offensive. Really tilts me. Consumers need fair and balanced reviews from different perspectives and opinions, especially when these are big purchases that last years for many of us.

Chaosphere · December 13, 2020, 07:04:21 AM

https://www.youtube.com/post/UgyTjHKwnPQTk_6J5zZ4AaABCQ

aaaand nVidia apologised and walked it back.

It remains scummy that they even tried this in the first place. And I am still very much wanting to go AMD on my next build, I might just go for it anyway and see what happens.

Still, I am glad that someone in nVidia realsed their mistake and that HW Unboxed no longer has to suffer for their reviews p***ing someone at team green off.

RizZy · December 13, 2020, 07:34:11 AM

This isn't the 1st time nVidia have tried to pull bs either, remember the GeForce Partner Program? seems they're quite comfortable with trying to bully companies to keep themselves at the top of the pile & only seem to grow a conscience once enough people call them out.

smilodon · December 13, 2020, 11:12:27 AM

Like EA, Ubisoft, Microsoft etc they only change when they see a hit to their revenue or a huge backlash, which they fear will be a hit to their revenue down the line. I bet right now they are just watching and waiting to see what sort of traction the uproar gets and whether they will get away with it. I'd assume they are looking to send a message to other review sites. Of course if every major review site and Youtube channel dumped all their Nvidia reviews and just said 'Buy AMD' that would force Nvidia's hand in a heartbeat. But it will never happen. Loyalty only goes so far.

As long as enough are willing to keep spending the money they will keep taking the $$$$. If regardless of benchmark results our next purchase is AMD that's really all we can do

TeaLeaf · December 14, 2020, 10:39:13 AM

[video=youtube;wdAMcQgR92k]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdAMcQgR92k[/video]

Chaosphere · December 14, 2020, 01:48:25 PM

Nice to hear their response, understandably they remain angry at the whole situation

.

The nVidia apology e-mail just reads insincere. "Sorry we got caught".

Looking for a 6800 XT now in 2021, I think!

Sneakytiger · December 15, 2020, 10:15:35 AM

to be honest i'm not bothered by some youtube reviewer, i like to make my own mind up, and i'll always stay nvidia until amd drivers are where there supposed to be, got burnt by amd once.

Chaosphere · December 15, 2020, 11:12:35 AM

This had nothing to do with the cards or drivers sneaks, but an attempt at forceful manipulation of free media by a bullying company. Censorship.

Whether you personally listen to reviewers or not, people should be allowed to do so without worry those reviewers are being paid off or forced into saying certain things. That turns informational and objective media into propaganda in support of one side's agenda.

On a totally unrelated aside, 4 more years!

Ahem.

:flirty:

/s

smilodon · December 15, 2020, 11:18:20 AM

That's an opinion I suppose.

However you wouldn't be able to make up your own mind if reviewers were never allowed to do objective reviews, which is exactly what Nvidia were trying to stop. They were trying to stop you reading or watching any negative reviews about their products. You only make up your own mind when you have free unbiased reviews to refer to. If no one dared write or say anything negative about Nvidia at all what then. Exactly how do you make up your own mind unless you buy all the products yourself and do your own extensive tests.
And to be honest it's not 'Some YouTube Reviewer'. It's people trying to make an honest living, earn a wage and pay their bills. It's someone trying to write fair, unbiased and non fanboy reviews of computer products. So you and I can read and watch them and actually learn about the products and make intelligent buying choices. So I do care quite a bit about them myself as I suspect do others here.

Boom and Chaos goes first