Silicon Insights
@siliconinsights.org
Technical and in-depth analysis of technology, chips, and devices since 2024.
Watch our videos: youtube.com/@Silicon-Insights
Read our articles: siliconinsights.org
Watch our videos: youtube.com/@Silicon-Insights
Read our articles: siliconinsights.org
Finished up a piece about Bazzite's Deck 44 update from last month. My experience has been pretty great, to the point where my list of things I'd like to see fixed or implemented in Bazzite has gotten pretty short.
www.siliconinsights.org/bazzite-deck...
www.siliconinsights.org/bazzite-deck...
Bazzite Deck 44 is a great update for a SteamOS-like distro
I've finally tried out Bazzite Deck 44, and while its headline features aren't a big deal for me, it's the little details that make Deck 44 great.
www.siliconinsights.org
October 2, 2026 at 12:11 PM
Finished up a piece about Bazzite's Deck 44 update from last month. My experience has been pretty great, to the point where my list of things I'd like to see fixed or implemented in Bazzite has gotten pretty short.
www.siliconinsights.org/bazzite-deck...
www.siliconinsights.org/bazzite-deck...
This one is a little late coming out, but anyways here's a video version of the 8GB GPU performance testing I did a little while ago.
Also, I did a very extremely minimalist style of editing for this one. Let me know if it worked out or not.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3Wf...
Also, I did a very extremely minimalist style of editing for this one. Let me know if it worked out or not.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3Wf...
Is 8GB actually enough for a midrange GPU after all?
YouTube video by Silicon Insights
www.youtube.com
September 25, 2026 at 1:16 PM
This one is a little late coming out, but anyways here's a video version of the 8GB GPU performance testing I did a little while ago.
Also, I did a very extremely minimalist style of editing for this one. Let me know if it worked out or not.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3Wf...
Also, I did a very extremely minimalist style of editing for this one. Let me know if it worked out or not.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3Wf...
Wow I just discovered it's really easy to edit videos if you're lazy and just have one long clip to cut up and trim. Literally got done in like an hour.
September 24, 2026 at 6:33 PM
Wow I just discovered it's really easy to edit videos if you're lazy and just have one long clip to cut up and trim. Literally got done in like an hour.
Wrote a little thing about trying out my first OLED TV that I got a few months ago and why I'm not 100% happy with the technology. Kinda wishing I went with Mini LED instead.
www.siliconinsights.org/im-not-impre...
www.siliconinsights.org/im-not-impre...
I'm not impressed by my first OLED TV
The actuality of OLED just didn't measure up to the hype for me, mostly for one specific reason.
www.siliconinsights.org
September 22, 2026 at 4:11 PM
Wrote a little thing about trying out my first OLED TV that I got a few months ago and why I'm not 100% happy with the technology. Kinda wishing I went with Mini LED instead.
www.siliconinsights.org/im-not-impre...
www.siliconinsights.org/im-not-impre...
This week's massive article is about replacing your laptop with a desktop and everything you need to know before doing it. Or, if you've already done it, you can still take the advice I guess.
www.siliconinsights.org/the-ultimate...
www.siliconinsights.org/the-ultimate...
The ultimate guide to using your laptop as a desktop
I used to be a desktop user with a laptop, now I'm a laptop user that uses his laptop as a desktop. Here's everything you need to know about the laptop-as-a-desktop experience.
www.siliconinsights.org
September 18, 2026 at 4:22 PM
This week's massive article is about replacing your laptop with a desktop and everything you need to know before doing it. Or, if you've already done it, you can still take the advice I guess.
www.siliconinsights.org/the-ultimate...
www.siliconinsights.org/the-ultimate...
In less than four days, my CachyOS review has hit a thousand views! Really happy to see SI pick up right where it left off.
Well, my month with CachyOS is finally over. The verdict? I'm gonna keep my CachyOS installation, and I'll only be touching Windows 11 if I actually have to. The Windows experience got especially bad after reinstalling it on a new SSD.
Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqI5...
Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqI5...
CachyOS one month review: Linux at its best
YouTube video by Silicon Insights
www.youtube.com
September 15, 2026 at 2:50 PM
In less than four days, my CachyOS review has hit a thousand views! Really happy to see SI pick up right where it left off.
Well, my month with CachyOS is finally over. The verdict? I'm gonna keep my CachyOS installation, and I'll only be touching Windows 11 if I actually have to. The Windows experience got especially bad after reinstalling it on a new SSD.
Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqI5...
Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqI5...
CachyOS one month review: Linux at its best
YouTube video by Silicon Insights
www.youtube.com
September 11, 2026 at 5:59 PM
Well, my month with CachyOS is finally over. The verdict? I'm gonna keep my CachyOS installation, and I'll only be touching Windows 11 if I actually have to. The Windows experience got especially bad after reinstalling it on a new SSD.
Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqI5...
Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqI5...
Wrote up a quick thing about DLSS 5. While I do see potential in the technology, I'm also seeing significant problems that make me suspect this new version of DLSS 5 will not be very popular.
Read more: www.siliconinsights.org/who-is-dlss-...
Read more: www.siliconinsights.org/who-is-dlss-...
Who is DLSS 5 even for?
DLSS 5 has more baggage than just visuals.
www.siliconinsights.org
September 1, 2026 at 2:40 PM
Wrote up a quick thing about DLSS 5. While I do see potential in the technology, I'm also seeing significant problems that make me suspect this new version of DLSS 5 will not be very popular.
Read more: www.siliconinsights.org/who-is-dlss-...
Read more: www.siliconinsights.org/who-is-dlss-...
New article today! I tested out the 9060 XT 8GB the way I game on it to see if I ran into memory capacity issues. Is 8GB enough or not? You might be surprised.
Read here: www.siliconinsights.org/is-8gb-actua...
Read here: www.siliconinsights.org/is-8gb-actua...
Is 8GB actually enough for a midrange GPU after all?
We’ve all heard that you shouldn’t be buying a modern 8GB GPU because 8GB isn’t nearly enough memory for today’s powerful graphics chips, and running out of memory causes tons of performance issues. I...
www.siliconinsights.org
August 29, 2026 at 8:22 PM
New article today! I tested out the 9060 XT 8GB the way I game on it to see if I ran into memory capacity issues. Is 8GB enough or not? You might be surprised.
Read here: www.siliconinsights.org/is-8gb-actua...
Read here: www.siliconinsights.org/is-8gb-actua...
I swear there's a good explanation for why I'm doing this.
August 27, 2026 at 7:06 PM
I swear there's a good explanation for why I'm doing this.
This is the strangest thing, unplugging the Prestige 14 from the charger allows the B390 iGPU to get a couple extra watts which pushes the frequency from about 1700 MHz to 1900. I have no idea why this would be happening.
August 24, 2026 at 5:25 PM
This is the strangest thing, unplugging the Prestige 14 from the charger allows the B390 iGPU to get a couple extra watts which pushes the frequency from about 1700 MHz to 1900. I have no idea why this would be happening.
Well I just discovered that the performance boost profile on the MSI Prestige 14 with the 358H reduces gaming performance on the charger, somehow. Now I'm retesting the games and applications with the normal performance profile. Another demerit for Windows 11.
August 23, 2026 at 8:01 PM
Well I just discovered that the performance boost profile on the MSI Prestige 14 with the 358H reduces gaming performance on the charger, somehow. Now I'm retesting the games and applications with the normal performance profile. Another demerit for Windows 11.
So I'm continuing to evaluate CachyOS on my Panther Lake laptop, and I've tested out docked usage and have now moved onto normal laptop stuff off the charger.
The battery life estimate keeps going up. It's at 11 hours right now on a 70% charge. It's running off a USB stick. Incredible.
The battery life estimate keeps going up. It's at 11 hours right now on a 70% charge. It's running off a USB stick. Incredible.
August 20, 2026 at 12:54 AM
So I'm continuing to evaluate CachyOS on my Panther Lake laptop, and I've tested out docked usage and have now moved onto normal laptop stuff off the charger.
The battery life estimate keeps going up. It's at 11 hours right now on a 70% charge. It's running off a USB stick. Incredible.
The battery life estimate keeps going up. It's at 11 hours right now on a 70% charge. It's running off a USB stick. Incredible.
So this article was originally just about how cool it was the Steam Machine inspired more people to do SFF, then it turned into a big thing about how PC gaming is fundamentally changing. Hope you all enjoy!
www.siliconinsights.org/how-valve-sp...
www.siliconinsights.org/how-valve-sp...
How Valve sparked the SFF renaissance in the PC's dark ages
The SFF renaissance indicates the future of PC gaming will be about choice more than anything else.
www.siliconinsights.org
August 19, 2026 at 4:32 PM
So this article was originally just about how cool it was the Steam Machine inspired more people to do SFF, then it turned into a big thing about how PC gaming is fundamentally changing. Hope you all enjoy!
www.siliconinsights.org/how-valve-sp...
www.siliconinsights.org/how-valve-sp...
One of my first projects since rebooting SI is testing out CachyOS on my Panther Lake MSI laptop. If you've got questions about CachyOS and Panther Lake, let me know what you'd like me to explore. This is your chance to find out without doing it yourself!
www.siliconinsights.org/trying-out-c...
www.siliconinsights.org/trying-out-c...
Trying out CachyOS on the new MSI Prestige 14. What do you want me to test?
Let me know what you want me to benchmark when I use CachyOS on a Panther Lake laptop.
www.siliconinsights.org
August 15, 2026 at 9:34 PM
One of my first projects since rebooting SI is testing out CachyOS on my Panther Lake MSI laptop. If you've got questions about CachyOS and Panther Lake, let me know what you'd like me to explore. This is your chance to find out without doing it yourself!
www.siliconinsights.org/trying-out-c...
www.siliconinsights.org/trying-out-c...
So since SI went on hiatus, YouTube has added a bunch of new AI stuff for creators, including a thumbnail generator which I unfortunately accidentally clicked on.
God these thumbnails are weird. It's especially weird that they seem to be based on the old thumbnails I used to make.
God these thumbnails are weird. It's especially weird that they seem to be based on the old thumbnails I used to make.
August 15, 2026 at 3:56 PM
So since SI went on hiatus, YouTube has added a bunch of new AI stuff for creators, including a thumbnail generator which I unfortunately accidentally clicked on.
God these thumbnails are weird. It's especially weird that they seem to be based on the old thumbnails I used to make.
God these thumbnails are weird. It's especially weird that they seem to be based on the old thumbnails I used to make.
Reposted by Silicon Insights
If you're worried that you're spending too much money on RAM right now, you should see how much I spent in 2018. This kit is less than half the price today than it was almost a decade ago.
August 14, 2026 at 4:39 PM
If you're worried that you're spending too much money on RAM right now, you should see how much I spent in 2018. This kit is less than half the price today than it was almost a decade ago.
Article number one of the newly relaunched Silicon Insights and the brand-new website is now available. Give it a read.
www.siliconinsights.org/relaunch/
www.siliconinsights.org/relaunch/
What's old is new again
Silicon Insights is back up and running!
www.siliconinsights.org
August 14, 2026 at 3:19 PM
Article number one of the newly relaunched Silicon Insights and the brand-new website is now available. Give it a read.
www.siliconinsights.org/relaunch/
www.siliconinsights.org/relaunch/
Sign up before 11:14 AM EST (about 2 and a half hours from now) if you wanna get something special in your inbox.
www.siliconinsights.org
www.siliconinsights.org
Silicon Insights
Technical and in-depth analysis of technology, chips, and devices since 2024.
www.siliconinsights.org
August 14, 2026 at 12:33 PM
Sign up before 11:14 AM EST (about 2 and a half hours from now) if you wanna get something special in your inbox.
www.siliconinsights.org
www.siliconinsights.org
Studio lighting is just as bright as I remember.
August 12, 2026 at 7:58 PM
Studio lighting is just as bright as I remember.
Did we say Friday? We meant Monday. Who knew planning a wedding takes so much time and energy...
Anyways, today we've got a review of PNY's PRO Elite V3 external SSD, though it's really more like a supercharged thumb drive.
Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeuY...
Anyways, today we've got a review of PNY's PRO Elite V3 external SSD, though it's really more like a supercharged thumb drive.
Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeuY...
March 17, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Did we say Friday? We meant Monday. Who knew planning a wedding takes so much time and energy...
Anyways, today we've got a review of PNY's PRO Elite V3 external SSD, though it's really more like a supercharged thumb drive.
Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeuY...
Anyways, today we've got a review of PNY's PRO Elite V3 external SSD, though it's really more like a supercharged thumb drive.
Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeuY...
So we hit 600 subscribers today! Very cool.
Also, new video out on Friday.
Also, new video out on Friday.
March 12, 2025 at 1:19 PM
So we hit 600 subscribers today! Very cool.
Also, new video out on Friday.
Also, new video out on Friday.
Someone sent in this weird SSD that may or may not be Microsoft's Z1000, exclusive to their datacenters. We took a good look at this mystery drive to see what exactly it is.
Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cGM...
Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cGM...
Someone sent me a really weird SSD
YouTube video by Silicon Insights
www.youtube.com
February 28, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Someone sent in this weird SSD that may or may not be Microsoft's Z1000, exclusive to their datacenters. We took a good look at this mystery drive to see what exactly it is.
Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cGM...
Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cGM...
We're back from hiatus. Turns out doing two videos a week is a really good way to cause burnout! We're back to doing one high quality video a week.
Anyways, today's video covers a potential issue in our SSD benchmarking methodology.
Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyUj...
Anyways, today's video covers a potential issue in our SSD benchmarking methodology.
Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyUj...
Have we been testing SSDs wrong this entire time? Chipset vs. CPU PCIe 4.0 storage benchmarks
YouTube video by Silicon Insights
www.youtube.com
February 21, 2025 at 9:37 PM
We're back from hiatus. Turns out doing two videos a week is a really good way to cause burnout! We're back to doing one high quality video a week.
Anyways, today's video covers a potential issue in our SSD benchmarking methodology.
Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyUj...
Anyways, today's video covers a potential issue in our SSD benchmarking methodology.
Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyUj...