Month: August 2026

Contraband Camera? Banned DJI Cameras Available on the Grey Market

The federal government’s efforts to restrict specific consumer electronics are beginning to manifest in tangible ways for American consumers. While earlier regulatory actions primarily targeted telecommunications infrastructure, the scope has expanded to include portable consumer devices.

In my latest video, I talk about how I acquired a DJI Osmo Pocket 4P, a compact vlogging camera that currently sits on the list of prohibited items for commercial sale in the United States. I also take a look at the status of DJI’s legal efforts to get themselves off the list.

The Osmo 4P features a one-inch sensor capable of 4K resolution at 60 frames per second and an integrated mechanical gimbal, offering a more streamlined experience than the mobile phone rigs I have used previously.

Because the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ban prevents new DJI products from being officially approved for the U.S. market, obtaining the camera required an unconventional approach. A friend purchased the device at retail price while on a work trip in Shanghai and brought it back into the United States in its original packaging.

This highlights a significant gap in the current enforcement; while commercial import for resale is restricted, personal possession and individual transport across the border have, thus far, continued without issue. On the secondary market, this same package is often marked up significantly, with prices reaching nearly $800 on some sites due to tariffs and the scarcity of domestic supply.

There is a specific technical hurdle for those attempting to use these devices domestically. The camera must be activated through a mobile application before it can be used. If the software detects a United States location during this initial setup, the device may refuse to activate. To bypass this, my unit was activated in China before being transported. Once that process was complete, I was able to pair it with my local app and set the interface to English.

For those who prefer to avoid these complications and maintain access to warranty support, companies like Insta360 offer hardware with similar specifications (compensated affilite link) that remains legal for sale in the U.S., though often at a slightly higher price point.

The legal tension surrounding DJI stems from the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, which tasked the Department of Defense with identifying companies linked to the Chinese military. DJI was added to this list, a designation the company has challenged in court. A recent appeals court ruling noted that the government had not provided a public rationale for this classification, as the relevant evidence was classified and never presented to the originating court. The appeals court has now signaled that the government must present documentation to support its claims if the designation is to remain.

However, a more recent legislative development presents an even larger obstacle. The 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, signed into law in December 2024, specifically named DJI and Autel Robotics in the legislation. The law dictated that if a required report on these companies was not completed by the Department of Defense within a year of enactment, both companies’ products would automatically be placed on the FCC’s covered list. Because that report was not finished on time, the law forced the FCC to ban both Autel and DJI from the US market. This mandate includes not only drones but also “surveillance equipment.” Because this is a statutory requirement passed by Congress, the FCC does not have the authority to remove these companies from the list on its own.

This leaves DJI products relegated to the grey market for the foreseeable future. While many users are currently bringing these devices across the border from places like Canada or Mexico, or receiving them via international shipping, there is an inherent risk. The government possesses the legal authority to confiscate items on the covered list at the border. While enforcement has not yet reached the point of individual seizures for personal items, the long-term status of these electronics remains uncertain as the legal and political landscape continues to shift.

A 32GB GPU for a Third of the Price? Intel’s B70 for Local AI

Local AI has made tremendous strides over the last few months and I’ve been looking at the most affordable ways to implement it, like using an old Mac, or pairing two GPUs together to maximize memory. In my latest video, I sought out the lowest cost 32GB GPU solution I could find and landed on the Intel B70 (compensated affiliate link).

See it in action here!

While prices have fluctuated recently—this GPU cost a few hundred dollars less just a few weeks ago—it remains a practical alternative to higher-end Nvidia options for those operating on a more modest budget. It won’t be as fast but it’s fast enough for most workflows.

The primary advantage of the 32-gigabyte capacity is the ability to run dense models, such as the 27-billion-parameter Qwen 3.8, entirely on the GPU. This prevents the system from having to offload data to slower system RAM or the CPU. In my testing, the setup generates approximately 25 tokens per second, rarely dropping below 20 even when the context window is heavily loaded. For example, I used the model to summarize a complex appeals court ruling regarding DJI litigation and the result was every bit as good as what you might get from ChatGPT or Gemini. The system processed the legal text and generated a structured summary and a chart without relying on cloud resources.

The hardware configuration I demoed involves an Oculink connection to a MinisForum Mini PC equipped with an AMD Strix processor. While a mini PC of this caliber might be more power than necessary when the GPU is doing the heavy lifting, it served as a convenient platform for the project. The operating system is Ubuntu 26.04, which has proven stable for these applications.

Normally I’d do a how-to in a video like this to get things working. But these days, it’s easier to just let AI do most of the heavy lifting especially given how frequently things are changing in this space. For this project I had ChatGPT’s CODEX command line interface verify the hardware install and find the appropriate drivers. This approach has allowed me to resolve configuration issues that might otherwise be time-consuming, resulting in a more efficient setup.

Practical applications for this local setup extend into coding and data management. I developed a tool called “The Gadget Tracker,” which filters RSS feeds from technology publications. The Qwen model analyzes article text to determine if they pertain to hardware gadgets rather than general industry news or software algorithms. Valid entries are then stored in a local SQLite database for review in a to-do list format. I also demoed Qwen 2.8 modifying the application’s user interface, adding social media images to the display cards and adjusting UI elements. The model’s reasoning process is perhaps a little more methodical than a frontier model with more resources; it often takes time to contemplate its plan before executing code, which helps minimize errors in the final output.

Another test involved extracting data that is difficult to capture through traditional copy-and-paste methods. I tasked the model with gathering names and email addresses for the New York City Council from their official website. Because the emails were embedded within the site’s source code rather than displayed directly on the page, a simple scrape wouldn’t work. The local model used a curl command to pull the HTML, identified the relevant strings, and formatted the data into a CSV file in under two minutes.

There are trade-offs to this local approach, particularly regarding power and acoustics. The GPU fan is audible even when the system is idle, and the card consumes about 55 watts just sitting with a model loaded. Under a full processing load, that consumption rises to over 320 watts.

Despite the power demands, the ability to process 96,000 tokens of context locally provides a level of privacy and unlimited usage that cloud services cannot match. The technology in this space is moving quickly, with software updates frequently unlocking better performance from existing hardware. This specific configuration has reached a point where it handles the majority of the tasks I previously delegated to proprietary models, proving that local hardware is increasingly capable of meeting professional demands. My focus now shifts to optimizing the power draw while continuing to test how these dense models handle more complex, long-term projects.

I added 16TB to my Unraid Server From a Storage Bin!

The current configuration of my media server is running out of space and with storage prices at an all time high, I needed to find a more creative solution. So, I went rummaging through my basement and dug up 16TB spread across a number of older, unused hard drives.

In my latest video, I demonstrate just how flexible the Unraid NAS OS can be when adding a bunch of random drives to the mix!

For the past several months, the system has operated on a Beelink ME Mini connected to a four-bay USB drive enclosure. This setup utilized four 4TB drives, with three dedicated to data storage and one acting as a parity drive for data protection. With only 650GB of space remaining and a collection of new media files to move over, an expansion was necessary.

To address the shortage, I began a migration to Beelink’s ME Pro (which has two built in SATA slots along with faster 5 gigabit ethernet) while repurposing storage hardware I already owned. I plan to move my Unraid’s parity drive used for data protection from the USB array to one of the SATA slots. This will free up another slot in the USB array for storage. I also plan to add a second parity drive to the ME Pro’s other SATA slot to add additional protection.

I pulled several 4TB drives that had been sitting idle in a storage container and integrated them into a second four-bay drive array. This is where Unraid is very useful, as it allows for storage expansion just by adding drives without the need for complex RAID calculations and rebuilds.

Find the storage array and Mini PC on Amazon (compensated affiliate link)

While using multiple USB enclosures introduces potential points of failure compared to a traditional server tower with internal SATA connections, the previous USB-based configuration functioned without interruption for over nine months. The only thing it went out of service for was Unraid OS updates.

The migration process began with identifying the serial number of the existing parity drive. Because all the drives in my collection are the same make and model, tracking the serial numbers ensures that the parity drive is not accidentally assigned as a data drive, which would result in data loss. I also created a backup of the Unraid boot drive configuration to a zip file as a precaution.

After preparing the software, I moved my existing NVMe drives from the old mini PC to the new hardware. One NVMe drive serves as a cache for the array, while the other is dedicated to running Docker containers, such as Plex, to ensure higher performance for applications. Once these were installed, I moved the Unraid USB boot drive to the new machine and connected my existing USB arrays.

Once I booted up on the new system, Unraid spun up without issue. This is what I love about Unraid – hardware migration is usually a simple swap of drives from one PC to the next.

To expand the storage, I connected the second drive array and assigned the four additional 4TB drives to the pool. Unraid requires new drives to undergo a clearing process, which involves writing zeros to the entire disk to maintain parity integrity. This process took approximately seven hours for the 4TB units. During this time, the server remained functional, and existing files were still accessible. Once the clearing was finished, I formatted the drives and updated the media share settings to include the new disks.

One last note on Unraid parity : parity drives need to be the same size or larger than your largest storage disk. So in my case 4TB drives are as large as I can go at the moment. If I wanted to add a 6TB drive, I’d need to ensure my parity drives are 6TB or more.

Along with relocating my parity drive, this hardware transition has increased the available storage to 20TB. While the current setup relies on USB enclosures, it serves as a practical way to utilize existing hardware. The next logical step in the evolution of this server will likely involve moving away from USB entirely in favor of a motherboard with enough native SATA ports to house all drives within a single chassis. But for the time being, the system is back online with the capacity required for my current storage needs.

Disclosures: Beelink sent the Mini PCs and Terramaster sent the new array to the channel free of charge. The Wavlink array came in free of charge through the Amazon Vine program. I paid for the Unraid license with my own funds. This review was not sponsored nor has any brand reviewed or approved the video prior to uploading. All opinions are my own.

ModRetro’s M64 is a Nintendo 64 FPGA Console for the Millennial Masses

This has been a good year for fans of the Nintendo 64 with two new consoles replicating the original console in 4k. First we had the Analogue 3D which continues to get improvements via firmware updates, and now we have the new ModRetro M64 which costs a bit less.

In my latest video we take ModRetro’s new console out for a spin.

This new device, like Analogue’s console, utilizes a field programmable gate array (FPGA) processor, allowing it to replicate original hardware behavior with a high degree of accuracy.

For many, the primary appeal of a device like this is the ability to connect to a modern television without the signal degradation or connectivity issues common with original hardware. While the output is technically 4K, the image remains faithful to the original source. It is not doing much to enhance the graphics beyond a simple upscale, so the visual limitations of the 1990s remain apparent.

The console is priced at $229 and is available in several colors, with transparent plastic that mirrors the aesthetic of the late nineties. While it competes with other FPGA devices like the Analogue 3D, it is significantly less expensive – approximately $85 less when factoring shipping costs.

The M64 does not ship with a controller, but it is compatible with original peripherals or new options. Mod Retro offers a $90 “pro” controller (compensated affiliate link) featuring a metal backing and a rechargeable battery. This controller feels remarkably sturdy with its metal construction, though some early units like mine have minor friction issues near the edges of the analog stick gate. Users can also opt for more affordable wired alternatives from 8bitdo, Retrofighters and Hyperkin. There’s a list of compatible controllers on ModRetro’s website.

The console design includes a few thoughtful touches. There is a dedicated eject button that allows for one-handed cartridge removal. When powered on, an internal light illuminates the installed cartridge, and front-facing LEDs indicate which controller ports are active. A physical dial on the console allows users to navigate an on-screen control panel even if a controller is not immediately reachable.

On the back of the unit, there is a USB-C port for power, an HDMI output, and two currently unused USB-C ports. A micro SD slot with an included 16GB card handles the operating system and updates, though it does not currently support running ROM files directly. For those who still prefer a tube television, an optional $90 adapter is planned that will provide high-quality analog output, including RGB and S-video, which provides a superior experience vs. what the stock hardware can do without modification.

Testing various titles reveals a clean and crisp audio-visual experience. Classic titles like Mario 64 run as expected, though the limitations of the original 240p resolution are very visible on a 4K screen. The system handles 480i interlaced content, such as ReVolt, with reasonable success, though finer details in some games can still appear jagged. Currently, the built-in scanline filters and CRT modes tend to darken the image significantly and obscure detail, suggesting that further firmware refinement is needed in that area. I prefer the clean mode which looks pretty good.

Compatibility is high but not universal. Currently, about 16 games, including heavy hitters like Donkey Kong 64 and Starcraft 64, have known issues. Flash cartridge support is also mixed; while the Summer Kart 64 functions well for standard titles, older Everdrive models don’t seem to work, and virtual 64DD support through the Summercart is not yet functional. Because the system uses an open-source core derived from the MiSTer project, there is an expectation that these compatibility gaps will close as the community and the manufacturer continue to issue updates.

The software interface offers several customization options, including integer scaling to fill the screen and the ability to overclock the system to smooth out games that originally suffered from frame rate drops. Updates can be performed over Wi-Fi, though the system does collect some telemetry data for debugging when connected to WiFi. Some features, such as wireless rumble and the built-in controller save pack, are still awaiting activation in future firmware releases.

While the Analogue 3D may currently offer more flexibility and graphical quality for enthusiasts, the Mod Retro M64 is a less expensive and capable entry point that will likely be easier to find in stock in the long run. Ultimately though, Nintendo 64 games were designed for the specific limitations of analog televisions, which masked many graphical imperfections. While playing in 4K is convenient, the true potential of this hardware may be best realized when the analog adapter arrives, allowing the system to interface with the CRT monitors these games were originally built for.

Disclosure: I paid for the system and controller with my own funds.

Part One of my Media Center Upgrade.. Repurposing Retired 4TB Drives

My home media server is running short on storage space and unfortunately the cost of storage (even for mechanical drives) has increased noticeably. A 4-terabyte WD Red drive that sold for just over $100 a few months ago now retails near $200. To work around these market conditions, I decided to repurpose four older 4-terabyte NAS drives—two WD Reds and two Seagate IronWolfs—that I had previously pulled from other projects.

In my latest Gadget Picks channel video, I test out the new enclosure I’ll be placing them in – a TerraMaster D4-320 (compensated affiliate link). While the D4-320 visually resembles a network-attached storage server, it functions strictly as a direct-attached USB-C 3.2 enclosure. It accommodates up to four SATA mechanical or solid state hard drives. The single USB-C port on the rear supports theoretical transfer speeds up to 10 gigabits per second.

Installation is a tool-less process. The front trays pull out, and plastic side rails secure the drives in place, though screws are provided for those who prefer a more permanent mounting method. The unit supports hot-swapping, allowing drives to be exchanged while the system is running, provided the host operating system supports the action.

During my initial testing on a Mac, I monitored the unit’s power consumption and data transfer rates. With all four mechanical drives installed, the enclosure briefly drew nearly 90 watts as the disks spun up, before settling to an idle draw of roughly 27 watts. When formatted individually, a single drive wrote data at approximately 160ish megabytes per second while consuming 12 watts, and read data at about the same rate.

Because the D4-320 does not feature built-in hardware RAID controller capabilities, it presents the disks as a simple group of independent drives. To test the enclosure’s maximum throughput with mechanical disks, I utilized macOS software to configure the four drives into a striped RAID 0 array.

This configuration is not advisable for critical data due to the risk of total data loss if a single drive fails. But it serves as a practical benchmark as RAID 0 can make use of the aggregate total amount of storage space and get the performance benefit of all four drives as data is striped across each.

Operating as a single 16-terabyte volume in RAID 0, the enclosure achieved read and write speeds between 550 and 560 megabytes per second. Power consumption during these sustained read and write cycles measured approximately 33.7 watts.

With the enclosure functioning properly and the repurposed drives verified, the next phase of this project involves connecting the hardware to my existing Unraid server. This will add 16 terabytes of capacity to the current storage pool and provide a demonstration of how the Unraid handles capacity expansions.

Stay tuned!

Disclosure: Terramaster provided the enclosure free of charge. No other compensation was received and they have not reviewed or approve this content prior to publication.

Lenovo’s $1,849 Panther Lake Mini PC: Yoga Mini i Review

My latest review takes a look at one of the most expensive Mini PCs I have ever tested: The Lenovo Yoga Mini i. It enters the market with a starting price of $749, though the high-end configuration I have been testing retails for $1,869 (compensated affiliate links). This premium version features the new Intel Panther Lake architecture, specifically the Core Ultra X7 358H processor with Intel Arc B390 graphics. While the price point for this specific model is high, the performance of the new processor provides a clear look at where integrated graphics and efficiency are heading.

Check out my video review here!

While the lower end device will be more than adequate for most basic PC tasks, more demanding tasks like video editing, gaming and local AI will perform significantly better on the high end model tested here.

The internal hardware of this higher-end model includes 32 GB of soldered LPDDR5X 8533 RAM. Because the memory is soldered to the motherboard, it cannot be upgraded later. The base model offers 16 GB of non-upgradeable RAM, which is sufficient for standard office tasks or web browsing. Users can upgrade the storage via a relatively accessible NVMe SSD slot at the top of the unit, though the physical process of removing the top lid is difficult and requires a strong suction cup device like this one (compensated affiliate link).

The Yoga Mini serves as a Copilot Plus PC, equipped with a fingerprint reader, built-in speakers, and dual microphones for voice interaction. The system is powered via USB-C and includes a 100 watt USB-C adapter, but any USB power source that can deliver at least 60 watts will do (including docking stations).

The port selection is comprehensive for a small form factor. It includes a headphone jack, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, and two additional USB Type-C ports that all support video output. It can support up to five independent displays utilizing the Thunderbolt and USB-C ports along with the HDMI. Networking is handled by a 2.5 gigabit Ethernet port and a Wi-Fi 7 radio, both of which reached their expected speeds during my testing.

The aesthetics of the device can be managed through the Lenovo “AI Turbo Engine” software, which controls a light ring on the bottom of the unit. This lighting can be customized by color or set to react to system notifications and audio. There is also a capacitive feature on the top of the lid intended to toggle lighting or launch applications with a tap, though its responsiveness was inconsistent in my experience.

General performance is consistent with modern high-end processors. For basic computing, such as web browsing and 4K video playback, the Yoga Mini is responsive. In the Speedometer benchmark, it achieved a score of 37.3, which is comparable to the current Mac Mini M4. The integrated GPU is notably capable in creative applications. In DaVinci Resolve, the system rendered 4K 60 video projects and transitions in real-time and was noticeably faster rendering in more demanding video effects. While it won’t rival a more powerful external GPU for video editing, it’s performance was significantly better than other recent high-end Mini PCs I’ve reviewed.

For those interested in local AI, the unit ran mixture-of-experts models at approximately 24 tokens per second, on par with other machines in its class. Dense models ran at around 3.5 tokens per second.

Gaming performance represents a significant step forward for integrated graphics. In Cyberpunk 2077, running at 1080p with low settings, the system maintained frame rates between 70 and 80 frames per second. Synthetic benchmarks like 3DMark Time Spy suggest that this integrated GPU performs on par with older dedicated desktop cards, such as the GTX 1080, while utilizing a fraction of the power. The system remained stable under sustained load, passing stress tests with a 99.6% rating while keeping temperatures around 73°C and maintaining a quiet fan profile.

Power efficiency is a highlight of the Panther Lake chip. The unit draws between 9 and 12 watts at idle and peaks at approximately 60 watts under full load. For users who prefer alternative operating systems, I found that the latest version of Ubuntu Linux worked without issue. Every hardware component, from the Wi-Fi to the audio, was detected immediately, and the system idled at roughly two watts less than it did under Windows.

The Yoga Mini demonstrates that integrated mobile processors are now capable of handling tasks that previously required dedicated graphics cards or large desktop towers. While component costs and current market constraints keep the price of this high-end configuration at a premium, the efficiency and graphical capability of the hardware indicate a maturing of the mini PC category. For those who require this level of performance in a small footprint, the technology is now available to support it.

If only the price was more reasonable!

Disclosure: The Mini PC was provided on loan by Lenovo. They did not review or approve this content prior to publication nor was any compensation received in exchange. All opinions are my own.

US Bans More Tech.. Robot Vacuums, Solar Inverters & DJI Shadow Companies

The FCC’s “covered list” of banned foreign technology continues to grow. What began with drones and network routers has now widened to include power inverters and robotic devices, categories broad enough to include products people use at home, including portable battery systems and robot vacuums.

Learn more in my latest video.

Like their router declaration, the FCC’s order extends to any new foreign made product irrespective of where it was made but does not pull existing devices off the market. New products, however, face a different path. Unless a company secures a waiver which includes a commitment to onshore its manufacturing, those devices cannot legally enter the U.S. market.

The power inverter order appears aimed in part at grid-connected equipment. The rationale cited in the FCC order refers to a report alleging that a Chinese inverter manufacturer remotely disabled their products in several countries during a distributor dispute.

But the language does not stop at utility-scale or commercial gear. It will also apply to consumer backup power products and solar-capable battery units that many households use during outages. If a device converts DC to AC or AC to DC and includes some form of remote connectivity like a Bluetooth connection to an app, it will fall under the order. That means a product intended for emergency use in a home could end up in the same regulatory framework as larger infrastructure equipment.

The robotics order is similarly expansive. The FCC’s definition includes mobile robots with obstacle avoidance, navigation, or autonomous movement, as long as they exceed a modest weight threshold and include sensors, connectivity, and software that governs movement or data collection. In practice, that could capture a large number of consumer devices, including robot vacuums and robotic floor cleaners, not just industrial machines or security robots.

The waiver process appears to follow the same model used recently for routers. Companies seeking approval for new products must provide detailed supply-chain disclosures, including components, software, and firmware origins. They also need to present a U.S. manufacturing or onshoring plan. Without both, the FCC is unlikely to allow those products to continue entering the market.

Some companies are already getting waivers in other categories. Netgear, Adtran, Eero, and Nokia all have received permission for their routing products. Also noteworthy is that Flock, the controversial surveillance technology company known for its license plate tracking camera systems, received a drone waiver.

In the case of DJI, Congress specifically banned the company’s “surveillance products” along with those from Autel in legislation last year. The law goes beyond just drones and includes other products like their popular Osmo cameras.

DJI attempted to launch two shadow brands to skirt the ban: Skyrover for drones and Xtra for cameras. The FCC has now added those companies to the list as well, cutting off that route. An Osmo Pocket 4 Pro camera sold under the Xtra name was expected this fall, with deposits had reportedly been taken. But refunds were later issued after it became clear the product would not be allowed into the United States.

For consumers, the immediate effect may be limited. Existing products can still be bought. Gray-market imports may still circulate. Individuals may even be able to bring some products back from overseas for personal use. But over time, these restrictions could narrow choices, delay new releases, and push manufacturers to restructure supply chains around U.S. compliance demands which will undoubtedly drive up prices.

The bigger question is: what consumer products will be targeted next?

Stress Test Your Media Server ! SpaceInvaderOne’s Transcoding Benchmark

I recently came across a benchmark tool designed to measure how many simultaneous live transcodes a server can handle. While this is particularly relevant for those running media applications like Plex or Jellyfin, the tool, developed by a member of the Unraid community known as SpaceInvaderOne, is a Docker container that functions on any system supporting that environment.

Check it out in my latest video!

For those using Unraid (compensated affiliate link), the installation is generally a one-click process, though systems with Nvidia GPUs require some specific configuration. I began by installing it on my Intel-based server. After ensuring the default port assignment 8088 was free of conflicts, the container downloaded the necessary components. Before running a benchmark, the tool requires downloading several test clips to local storage.

The interface offers choices between hardware and CPU-based transcoding. Given that my machine used an Intel N150 processor, I focused on hardware transcoding. I initially ran a test involving 4K HDR10 source files being converted to H.265 with tone mapping to SDR. The benchmark adds streams incrementally until the hardware can no longer maintain a viewable playback speed. My first machine, a Beelink ME Mini, managed only a single stream under these specific settings. When I switched the test to a 4K to 1080p H.264 conversion, the result was two simultaneous streams.

These results were lower than expected for an Intel N150. However, the benchmark helped identify a hardware bottleneck. The Beelink machine I was using lacks fast memory, which appears to limit its transcoding capacity. To verify this, I ran the same H.264 test on another N150-based machine, a GMKtec G3 Plus, which has faster RAM. That system achieved three streams. This comparison highlights how secondary components like memory speed can impact the performance of a processor’s integrated graphics.

I also tested higher-end hardware using an Nvidia RTX 3080. On Unraid, this required installing the Nvidia driver and adding a specific “runtime” parameter to the Docker container’s advanced settings. In the H.264 to H.264 test, the Nvidia GPU managed seven concurrent streams. While the performance is higher than the mini PCs, the tool also indicated that this setup consumes significantly more power – especially when it’s not under load.

Beyond live transcoding, the tool includes a benchmark for file conversion speeds. This is intended for users who prefer to pre-encode their media libraries to reduce the workload on their server during playback. There is also a community leaderboard available, which allows for a comparison of hardware performance against data submitted by other users.

These benchmarks function as a stress test. In a standard home environment, performance might be slightly higher than these results suggest because media servers typically buffer ahead to account for temporary performance dips. Having this data provides a baseline for what a server can realistically handle. I plan to integrate this tool into my regular hardware evaluation process, especially as I prepare to transition to a new server in the coming week. Stay tuned!

Creator Alert! Is YouTube Ending External Linking?

I have recently observed a shift in how YouTube handles external links within its desktop and mobile interfaces. While browsing my own channel and several others, I found that many links to external websites have become unclickable. This includes affiliate links and general references in descriptions for creators such as Astrophysicist Dr. Becky and Hoovies Garage. This issue occurs across devices, browsers and platforms as I found the links were unclickable through the mobile app too.

Curiously, the issue does not affect every channel, as I could still access links on videos from other channels.

See the problem in action in my latest video.

The behavior seems to be tied to specific user accounts included in a recent YouTube user interface “experiment” rather than being a platform-wide rollout at this stage. When switching to a different account, the same links that were previously dead became active again. This suggests that YouTube may be conducting A/B testing with a small subset of its audience.

On the account where the links failed to function, I noticed a revised desktop layout featuring a sidebar for descriptions and comments, along with integrated Gemini AI features. Even within this new sidebar, the external links remained inactive, while YouTube’s internal links and its own affiliate tags continued to function as expected.

This development follows a previous decision by the platform to disable external linking on YouTube Shorts. The possibility that this restriction could expand to long-form content raises questions about the future of the open web on major platforms. Creators rely on these links for a variety of purposes, from citing academic research and source materials to generating revenue through independent affiliate partnerships. If YouTube chooses to restrict these paths, it would further silo users within its own ecosystem and force creators to rely only on revenue sources from which YouTube takes a cut.

There is a broader trend across social media where platforms discourage users from leaving their sites. We see this frequently on services like Facebook, where users have adapted by placing links in comment sections to avoid being penalized by the platform’s algorithms. YouTube’s motivation may be tied to its own revenue interests, particularly as it expands its own affiliate program and seeks more control over how viewers interact with third-party sites. By making it more difficult to navigate away from the site, the platform ensures it retains more data and potential advertising revenue.

Whether this is a technical glitch within a UI experiment or a precursor to a permanent policy change remains to be seen. If the goal is to funnel all traffic through YouTube’s internal tools, it represents a significant shift in how creators manage their businesses and how viewers access information. I tested this on various browsers including Safari, Brave, and Chrome, and the results remained consistent for the impacted account.

If this experiment moves out of the testing phase, the convenience of the open web may become increasingly limited for those who create and consume video content.