This article first appeared in Digital Edge, The Edge Malaysia Weekly on May 31, 2021 - June 6, 2021

It is genuinely difficult for laptop enthusiasts to find online reviews that inspire confidence in our laptop purchases. Many reviewers are more than willing to deep dive into the product specifications, but these are merely helpful, rather than being useful, in our decision-making process.

If you seek insights beyond the technical product specifications, the YouTube channel Dave2D stands out from the rest. The channel’s creator and host, Dave Lee, has been producing technology-related videos on his channel for more than six years now.

While many tech channels are content with reviewing products in isolation or comparing them with similar products, Dave provides context by tapping into the wealth of knowledge he has accumulated over the years. When reviewing a product, he considers a brand’s history, a product’s design, competition within and outside the brand, the target audience and more — all in a single video.

For example, the latest series of HP’s Omen laptops may seem mediocre when placed beside its product competitors. Dave proves to viewers, however, that it is the first Omen product that has resolved its long-standing thermal issues, pulling many existing Omen fans out of the woodwork.

Information overload often leads to decision paralysis, which leaves viewers with more questions than answers. So, Dave is also careful in explaining aspects of the product that are highly relevant when making purchasing decisions and skims over parts that he believes are less relevant.

Sprinkled in between his product reviews are his general thoughts on the direction of the tech industry, and the occasional launch of exciting new products. The monochromatic and minimalistic aesthetic to his videos is certainly pleasing compared with the colourful and busy backgrounds found on other tech channels.

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