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I Bought a $300 Gaming PC on TaoBao

Linus Tech Tips・16 minutes read

Chinese marketplaces like Wish, Temu, and AliExpress offer low-quality computer parts, while Taobao sells a $300 prebuilt computer with questionable components and origins for international buyers at double the price. Despite some hardware anomalies, the computer performs adequately in gaming, but repurposing chipsets from retired servers may not be cost-effective compared to purchasing old office machines for budget gaming.

Insights

  • Chinese marketplaces like Wish, Temu, and AliExpress are popular for connecting Chinese retailers with a global audience, offering low-quality computer parts that can lead to amusing situations for buyers.
  • Taobao, a China-exclusive platform akin to AliExpress, provides a prebuilt computer with high-end components for $300, but international buyers face additional costs, bringing the total to $600. Despite hardware anomalies, the system performs adequately for gaming, and a community of Russian tech enthusiasts actively shares resources for customizing and improving these recycled hardware options.

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  • What are some popular Chinese marketplaces?

    Wish, Temu, and AliExpress are popular Chinese marketplaces.

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Summary

00:00

Chinese Marketplaces Offer Low-Quality Computer Deals

  • Chinese marketplaces like Wish, Temu, and AliExpress are known for connecting Chinese retailers with a global audience.
  • Computer parts and other items from these sites are often of low quality and questionable utility, leading to amusing situations.
  • Taobao, a China-only version of AliExpress, offers a prebuilt computer for just $300, including a GTX 1060, 14 core CPU, 32GB RAM, and other components.
  • The total cost for international buyers is around $600 due to additional inspection and shipping costs.
  • The computer comes with a case named Jindao or fighting knife, manufactured by Kintar or Jinda, with unclear branding and origins.
  • The package includes a keyboard, mouse, Razer Mantis desk pad, patch cable, USB drive, HDMI to VGA adapter, and a screwdriver.
  • The computer's cable management is decent, but the power supply, Bysuo CX650, is questionable with deceptive wattage ratings and limited voltage input.
  • The computer features a Xeon E5-2680 V4 CPU, DDR4 ECC RAM, and a motherboard with unusual compatibility and chipset configurations.
  • The system runs on a cracked version of Windows 10 Enterprise and includes 360 Secure Browser, potentially acting as spyware.
  • Despite some hardware anomalies, the computer performs adequately in gaming, offering playable frame rates at medium settings and 1080p resolution.

14:55

Russian Tech Enthusiasts Repurpose Chipsets for Gaming

  • A very active community of Russian tech enthusiasts is actively developing and sharing resources for custom BIOSes, overclocking tips, and general improvements on motherboards, particularly those using chipsets like B85 and C612, which are likely harvested from retired servers.
  • The practice of repurposing chipsets has been ongoing since at least Computex 2019, with examples like a motherboard from Machinist falsely labeled as having an X99 chipset when it actually uses a C612 chipset, designed for dual CPUs, possibly sourced from retired servers.
  • While recycling chipsets may have environmental appeal, it may not be cost-effective compared to purchasing old office machines and workstations for budget gaming. However, for those interested in tinkering and research, exploring these recycled hardware options could offer a unique opportunity, with Seasonic power supplies like the Focus GX 750 watt gold power supply being recommended for reliable performance.
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