TechPowerUp is Hiring Motherboard and Memory Reviewers

[looniam]

i wonder what steve bassiri is doing these days . . .

 

[TheLostSwede]

I think my counter argument to this would be, during the interview process before being hired, the employer doing the hiring should have a system in place/request example, something to verify everyone is on same page or capable of being on same page in short order.

So I am not sure this argument makes sense really. The interviewer will sort that out.

You ever worked as a tech journalist?
Anyone can write something nice when they have unlimited time, but it's very different when you have deadlines.
I obviously have no idea how long the hand-over period is going to be here, but I started out in the labs at a computer magazine doing all the boring testing for the writers, they got all the nice numbers in a spreadsheet and went on their merry way to write the reviews.

After about a year I started writing the odd content for the magazine and I can tell you it was bad, for one, English was my second language and I had zero writing experience at that point.
They still let me take stabs at "boring" things they didn't really care about and I had a team of people around me that gave me tips and correct issues.
In the end there was an opening at the magazine and I applied and got it, but now there was no-one to do the testing, so I pretty much just doubled my own workload, go figure...
That job ended due to a new editor taking over that didn't like me and he illegally fired my from a position I didn't have.

About 9 months later, my old editor contacted me and asked me if I wanted to start working with him on a new website he was going to launch and this ended up being even more work, since initially it was only the two of us. At least by then I was a mediocre writer
However, his goal was one review a day, so yeah, I learnt to write, as there were times when it was a Friday morning and we had nothing to post for that day, so I had to write a review of some little trinket or something else that could be quickly written up that we had in for testing.

I have written 20 board motherboard and graphics card group tests, things that no-one does these days. Same for PCs, power supplies, various disc writers and what not.
Obviously the reviews were limited to about 1,000 words each, but that included doing all the testing as well, so I know what this job entails.

It was fun back then, as it was so many different competitors in the business, unlike now when there's barely any competition and this is why everyone is going into insane details that may or may not matter. I mean, I was happy if all of the motherboards I got in for a group test worked, as that wasn't always the case.
Times have changed, but the job hasn't changed that much.

i wonder what steve bassiri is doing these days . . .

He's eating steak. Sorry, last FB post from about a year ago was lobster and oysters.

 

[Space Lynx]

You ever worked as a tech journalist?
Anyone can write something nice when they have unlimited time, but it's very different when you have deadlines.

couldn't the interview have 30 mins tacked on to write a short 1 or 2 page review of a random item the interviewer surprises the person with and see how they handle it?

 

[TheLostSwede]

couldn't the interview have 30 mins tacked on to write a short 1 or 2 page review of a random item the interviewer surprises the person with and see how they handle it?

Sure it could and I doubt most people could. It would also have to be something the interviewee was familiar with, or it would be an impossible ask. I really mean this is the most honest way possible, as even with my experience, I couldn't write a review of something random I'd never seen before in that amount of time.

One of the tasks I had to do when I interviewed for the lab tester job at the magazine was to spec up a PC in 15 minutes, plus estimate it's worth.
I more or less got the job based on that, so I'm all for practical interviews in that sense and much more so than the ones that asks you impossible questions that are meant to show how you think or what your personality type is.

A previous boss hired quite a few people based in things like that and ended up with quite a few useless people that couldn't do the job they were hired to do.

 

[Deleted member 24505]

I have been pissing about with PC stuff since 286 days, i would not consider myself an expert but i know how to build a reliable PC. As to writing reviews of stuff, i would give it a go of course, and have the time, as i am home all day as my partners carer. It does sound like a lot of time though, and i'm not sure my writing skills are up to the job.

I think the main thing is for anyone taking these jobs. Make sure you understand what is involved, and don't go in over your head.

 

[freeagent]

For those curious.. review your own hardware, mobo or ram, submit review with your resume. It’s the easiest way to see what someone is capable of.

 

[VSG]

I have been pissing about with PC stuff since 286 days, i would not consider myself an expert but i know how to build a reliable PC. As to writing reviews of stuff, i would give it a go of course, and have the time, as i am home all day as my partners carer. It does sound like a lot of time though, and i'm not sure my writing skills are up to the job.

I think the main thing is for anyone taking these jobs. Make sure you understand what is involved, and don't go in over your head.

Since all the applications go to @W1zzard I don't care how many emails his inbox gets and how many he has to read lol. So go ahead and apply

For those curious.. review your own hardware, mobo or ram, submit review with your resume. It’s the easiest way to see what someone is capable of.

Always a good idea

 

[chrcoluk]

I would have volunteered for ram reviewer, do have experience with timings etc., but the realisation I dont really have a high end board I consider spare to test the sticks on so wouldnt be a suitable candidate unless that hardware was provided.

 

[R-T-B]

I'm totally not qualified for this given two reasons.

1.) Lacking recent platform knowledge

2.) Busy. Always busy with my new job.

I will say from my past work here w1zzard is an awesome guy to work for though. If you think you might qualify and have time, you should certainly send him a resume ASAP.

 

[Jism]

I've posted a few times on TPU I have the RAMCHECK LX with every single adaptor barring DDR4. ..I can post proof of all adaptors including main unit. Cost well over 20,000 USD.

I have every adaptor on this page barring DDR4 (see right hand column) RAMCHECK Computer Memory Test Adapters For DDR4, DDR3, DDR2 and DDR Testing, SDRAM Testing, SODIMM Testing (memorytesters.com)

Is'nt that device used to quickly test for faulty banks or so rather then going through the whole memtest idea?

It's about a review, not testing... vendors usually send you working products you know.

 

[TheLostSwede]

I would have volunteered for ram reviewer, do have experience with timings etc., but the realisation I dont really have a high end board I consider spare to test the sticks on so wouldnt be a suitable candidate unless that hardware was provided.

Did you read the job ad? Hardware will be provided as needed. But before that, you need to learn to use apostrophes.

 

[delshay]

Is'nt that device used to quickly test for faulty banks or so rather then going through the whole memtest idea?

It's about a review, not testing... vendors usually send you working products you know.

It can do everything. If you overclock or lower voltage/timings it will point out bit(s) where the fault(s) occurred. It gives pointers what you should enter at each bit when editing the SPD just like the PDF doc I uploaded to this thread. When you use that unit along with the Jedec Documentation you will understand timings better.

I bought this unit because at that time I was buying second hand Memory Modules DDR1/2 & 3. Most memory module(s) at that time were in poor condition, even thou none was DOA. I bought lots of Memory Modules going back then & I needed a way to test & remove the poor quality Memory Modules. So I binned a batch of memory modules & put all the best ones in pairs.

Binning was done on the capability of the memory module to withstand Tight Timings under High Temperature at Default Clock/Voltage. If the Memory Modules passed this test, it was then put under a secondary test where the clock speed was increased & the voltage lowered.

User(s) that adjust clocks/timings/voltages don't look at the bigger picture. When I make an adjustment I want to know more, much more, in great detail.

I want to know why a fault occurred. Where is the location of the fault. What type of fault is it. All this information is useless, unless you can do something about it.

 

[xtreemchaos]

it gives me worms in my brain just thinking about it ! . well done to who gets the job .

 

[Tom Sunday]

Working in both camps and a "absolute neutral stance" by the reviewers will benefit the readers and or enthusiasts here the most. Even with that it will be difficult in chewing through the shortly arriving new generation MB reviews as many will be influenced, tests flavored and endorsing only those manufacturers that are advertisers on the channels and thus bringing in the ad-cash. Which in turn pays the reviewers. I am sure that reviewers will be given guidelines and instructions and that any advertised products being reviewed are given in advance to the manufacturers for approval (correctional) considerations. The only good news is that I personally and perhaps like most enthusiasts here have never purchased a tech-product based on the reviews alone and in the end made up my own mind where my hard earned money should go. It will be an interesting 6-months ahead as manufacturers are allowed to essentially 'double-dipping' with their products in 2021 and proffering hundreds of 'two generational' products all at once. Out with the old and in with the new.

Rule #1 If you are good at something never do it for free.

Indeed...nothing in life is free and these days and we all are winding up to be the product itself. And Wall Street has no memory.

 

[TheLostSwede]

Working in both camps and a "absolute neutral stance" by the reviewers will benefit the readers and or enthusiasts here the most. Even with that it will be difficult in chewing through the shortly arriving new generation MB reviews as many will be influenced, tests flavored and endorsing those manufacturers that are advertisers on the channels and thus bringing in the ad-cash. Which in turn pays the reviewers. I am sure that reviewers will be given guidelines and instructions and that any advertised products being reviewed are given in advance to the manufacturers for approval (correctional) considerations. The only good news is that I personally and perhaps like most enthusiasts here have never purchased a tech-product based on the reviews alone and in the end made up my own mind where my hard earned money should go. It will be an interesting 6-months ahead as manufacturers are allowed to essentially 'double-dipping' with their products in 2021 and proffering hundreds of 'two generational' products all at once. Out with the old and in with the new.

I did reviews for a good few years and there was obviously times when I wanted to review something and that might've coloured the reviews a little bit, but even if it was a product I wanted to review, I always pointed out the negatives. I would say from what I have seen here, it's generally also done at TPU, although sometimes I do think products are getting awards a bit undeservedly, not because they're bad products, but because they're one of many very similar products that don't really stand out.

It was actually an advantage of doing group tests, as you had all the products you were comparing at hand and you could instantly tell the difference if there was something that stood out, good or bad. That might be harder to do when you compare against something you reviewed a few months ago, as it's easy to forget little details. I have given awards to brands that got questioned by my editor at times, but it's hard not to give a value award to a lower tier board maker, if they also provide good features and performance. In fact, I have always been something of a mid-range motherboard owner, even back in the days when I used to get to keep review samples or just got free boards anyhow, as I never had much need for the extra bits. I guess times have changed a bit, as much of the onboard features weren't very good for the longest of times, but now you actually get a lot of decent onboard features, so the higher-end boards are kind of worth it, sometimes.

I guess the key thing is to try to detach oneself from personal preferences and look at the product as is. It's hard, but I always try to let the product speak for itself when I was doing reviews. I have review thousands of products over the years and it sort of just ends up being a job. It might not be something everyone can do, but it's quite easy to see in the final content if the reviewer has a preference one way or another, if it spills over. That's why I read TPU and a few other sites, as I honestly don't trust most reviewers these days, as there are way too many that gets paid to review products and it doesn't help anyone in the end.

 

[Tom Sunday]

....well done to who gets the job .

In our company in Beaverton, OR only about 30% of the cubby-hole staff (those that sit in the mass of rows of the 4x4 cubicles) have been allowed back to work. The rest will in all likelihood never return to a full time status and HR also known as 'Human Capital' already reclassifying them (naturally with abbreviated benefits) as either "Casual or "At Will" employess. Meaning that on a national scale there are literally hundreds of thousands with a ready keyboard in hand available for work while languishing at WFH. One of our beloved HR executive remarked: "We never thought that the WFH syndrome worked out so well for us!" It's a new world at our doorstep.

 

[R-T-B]

Work-from-home has always been how TPU operates, so pandemic era changes to it are really quite OT.

 

[freeagent]

He must be getting hammered!

Not with drinks, but emails..

It would be a sweet gig.

Who wouldn't want the boards, and the rams, the fames, the fortunes, and the swags?

 

[maxfly]

He must be getting hammered!

Not with drinks, but emails..

It would be a sweet gig.

Who wouldn't want the boards, and the rams, the fames, the fortunes, and the swags?

Eww, im far to lazy in my old age. The youngins are more than welcome to it!

 

[zlobby]

In our company in Beaverton, OR only about 30% of the cubby-hole staff (those that sit in the mass of rows of the 4x4 cubicles) have been allowed back to work. The rest will in all likelihood never return to a full time status and HR also known as 'Human Capital' already reclassifying them (naturally with abbreviated benefits) as either "Casual or "At Will" employess. Meaning that on a national scale there are literally hundreds of thousands with a ready keyboard in hand available for work while languishing at WFH. One of our beloved HR executive remarked: "We never thought that the WFH syndrome worked out so well for us!" It's a new world at our doorstep.

Oh, I love the hypocrisy!

Before the pandemic HR barely let anyone work remotely. Now, it's the only norm and it's being preached like a gospel.

 

[freeagent]

Eww, im far to lazy in my old age. The youngins are more than welcome to it!

Oh yes I am far too lazy for that too. If this was a few years ago I would maybe put my name in..

Maybe when my kids get older

 

[TheoneandonlyMrK]

I'm quite tempted personally but I'm fully aware of my Gramma skills ,shame because on the test and technical I have it covered or possible to sort out, depending on time requirement.
After all as a test engineer who has also been various other types of engineer I think I could automate a lot of the testing, yeah and space would be an issue at the moment
Good luck to the future people.

 

[zlobby]

I'm quite tempted personally but I'm fully aware of my Gramma skills ,shame because on the test and technical I have it covered or possible to sort out, depending on time requirement.
After all as a test engineer who has also been various other types of engineer I think I could automate a lot of the testing, yeah and space would be an issue at the moment
Good luck to the future people.

I'd just hook it to a test bench, run some AI on the sensors and the results database, hook it to a text engine and call it an article. Profit!

Btw, that's the near future. Truck drivers and tech journalists aren't exactly jobs of the future. -Randy Marsh

 

[Deleted member 211755]

I've been overclocking DRAM ever since I was a child. I will never forget my first PC with Athlon XP 2100+ and 256 MB of DDR. I was so exited when I bought another stick of the same RAM.
Those were the days
And man, those voltages were high, but my A7V8X from ASUS held on.

 

[Tom Sunday]

Oh, I love the hypocrisy!

Before the pandemic HR barely let anyone work remotely. Now, it's the only norm and it's being preached like a gospel.

On the side...gotten an email a few days ago that the company has put about 20% of their office space on the market. More to come is suspected. Human Capital (HR) sees that as a futrher cost-cutting reduction of lunch and meeting facilities, cubicles, IT, utility overhead costs and employee parking. Some HR executive may even get a big bonus this year for all the fine work he has done, while my buddy once full time is now permanently a casual WFH employee.