Hardware & Electronics: what Hacker News watches
8 topics, 536 videos. Pick a topic for a focused list, or scan the 100 best-scored across the whole area below.
- 14 HN recommenders 12 months 2017–2023HN repeatedly recommends the series it launched as the best way to understand how a CPU works, praised for Eater's clear teaching.
- 11 HN recommenders 11 months 2021–2026T TNMoC · lectureHN calls it mandatory viewing on the AGC, praising the speaker's enthusiasm and the clear account of restartable, robust software design.
- 11 HN recommenders 11 months 2019–2026HN repeatedly recommends it as the best hands-on way to understand how a CPU and a computer work from first principles.
- 12 HN recommenders 10 months 2010–2024T The Qualcomm Institute · talkRecommended for years as the best technical introduction to memristors from the person who found the physical device.
- 10 HN recommenders 10 months 2017–2026HN treats it as the standard starting point for Game Boy emulator writers and homebrew developers, with several calling it one of their favorite talks.
- 11 HN recommenders 11 months 2018–2024HN recommends it, long as it is, as an eye-opening rant on software complexity and why systems became so complicated.
- USENIX ATC '21/OSDI '21 Joint Keynote Address-It's Time for Operating Systems to Rediscover Hardware12 HN recommenders 9 months 2021–2026Repeatedly recommended as a revelatory talk on how little control the main OS has over modern SoCs and PCs.
- 8 HN recommenders 8 months 2020–2023HN cites it whenever chip architecture, Moore's Law or CPU design comes up, as an unusually deep and accessible view from a top designer.
- 9 HN recommenders 7 months 2018–2025Repeatedly called the best and most comprehensive AGC talk, with commenters rewatching it and treating it as foundational computer architecture learning.
- 7 HN recommenders 8 months 2019–2025U UC Berkeley EECS · talkThe go-to citation in Moore's Law threads, a convincing counterargument from a top CPU designer.
- 7 HN recommenders 8 months 2021–2024It is the favorite recommendation for understanding Moore's minimalist, low-power multi-core designs and stack machines.
- 7 HN recommenders 7 months 2020–2025HN fans hold it up as a favorite among his videos and an example of gloriously bonkers technical art, and cite it in floating-point discussions.
- 8 HN recommenders 7 months 2013–2026Frequently recommended as the clearest plain-language explanation of what a computer fundamentally is, with at least one commenter saying it changed how they think about programming.
- 9 HN recommenders 8 months 2017–2022HN recommends it as a clever, entertaining and easy-to-follow talk on finding hidden x86 instructions with the Sandsifter tool.
- 8 HN recommenders 8 months 2019–2026P Platform Security Summit · talkHN points to it constantly in console, DRM and hardware-security threads as the authoritative account of Xbox One's threat model.
- 6 HN recommenders 6 months 2021–2025HN people recommend it to anyone wanting a practical sense of what CPUs can really do and why abstraction layers cost so much performance.
- 4 HN recommenders 5 months 2020–2024HN treats it as the classic go-to for learning atomics and memory ordering, recommended over books.
- 7 HN recommenders 6 months 2021–2025HN commenters recommend it as a clear, comprehensive explanation of USB signaling and keyboard polling.
- 3 HN recommenders 6 months 2015–2023HN readers recommend it as the best introduction to robust-first computing, where randomness and fault tolerance are built into the architecture.
- 6 HN recommenders 6 months 2016–2024HN recommends it for showing how old developers exploited the smeary nature of composite signals and what CGA really looked like on period hardware.
- 6 HN recommenders 6 months 2021–2025D der8auer EN · documentaryHN points to it whenever Hetzner comes up, as the best look inside their unusual, semi-custom and low-cost data center setup.
- 5 HN recommenders 5 months 2009–2025HN treats Cliff Click's talks as an excellent source on JVMs, garbage collection and hardware-assisted Java.
- 3 HN recommenders 6 months 2020–2025HN points to it as the founders' own explanation of what Oxide is building and why, a frequent link whenever Oxide comes up.
- 5 HN recommenders 5 months 2020–2025F funbury · lectureHN uses it to illustrate physical latency limits and why performance and distance matter in computing.
- 7 HN recommenders 5 months 2022–2025Treated as the accessible reference on analog computing for neural nets, especially the Mythic AI segment.
- 5 HN recommenders 5 months 2015–2024I insideHPC Report · talkHN points to it as evidence of SpaceX's serious simulation capability and as a showcase of GPU compute for CFD.
- 5 HN recommenders 4 months 2022–2023Commenters recommend it as a clear, well-animated explanation of memory, especially for visual learners.
- 5 HN recommenders 5 months 2010–2017N nuACM · talkRecommended as a fascinating look at easy parallelism abstractions, though other commenters note the approach never beat sequential C by much.
- 6 HN recommenders 4 months 2020–2023P PlayStation · talkHN treats it as required viewing for understanding the PS5's SSD and architecture beyond raw specs.
- 3 HN recommenders 4 months 2020–2021R Robert Baruch · tutorialHN recommends the series as a practical introduction to nMigen and formal verification for CPU design.
- 4 HN recommenders 3 months 2019–2026HN regulars treat Domas as a favorite hacker and bring this talk up in any discussion of CPU backdoors, hidden instruction sets or processor security.
- 2 HN recommenders 3 months 2017–2026Recommended as the best presentation on how modern CPUs run code, and why speculative execution matters for performance.
- 2 HN recommenders 3 months 2018–2023HN repeatedly recommends it as the best overview of the past, present and future of chip performance after Moore's law.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2015–2025HN recommends it as a short, clear explanation of robust-first computing by its originator, and as a philosophy relevant to building with unreliable components like LLMs.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2022–2023T TechTechPotato · interviewHN recommends it as an interview dense with insight from Keller, worth hearing in full even for non-engineers.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2018–2023N NOKIA Technology Center Wrocław · talkHN points to it as the go-to explanation of why memory layout beats pointer-chasing structures on real hardware.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2017–2025HN recommends it as an enlightening explanation of atomics, caches and memory ordering from a strong presenter.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2011–2025HN people treat it as the canonical C64 talk and rewatch Steil's 'Ultimate' series regularly.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2017–2023Recommended as the key video for understanding control logic and microcode.
- 2 HN recommenders 3 months 2014–2021HN recommends it as a great walkthrough of chip reverse engineering and the story of Visual 6502.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2025M Matthias random stuff · explainerUsed as evidence that CPU speed for branchy, dependent code has improved only modestly in 15-20 years, so software optimization matters.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2023–2024Recommended as an accessible tour of modern mainframes that compares them sensibly to ordinary server setups.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2021S SiFive · talkRecommended for explaining where the compiler ecosystem lacks standardization for accelerators and why efforts like MLIR and CIRCT matter.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2009–2011S ssdawesome · demoHN passed it around in 2009 as a funny, impressive demo of SSD speed despite its marketing origin.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2021–2023Recommended as a stellar long-form interview with someone both very smart and wise, mined for CPU design insights.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2017–2018T The Research and Applied AI Summit - RAAIS · talkHN points to it as a technical talk from a chip designer on why AI hardware should put memory close to compute and use async data transfers.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2019–2024HN recommends it as an in-depth, practical introduction to atomics and weak versus strong memory ordering, relevant to ARM and Rust as well as C++.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2017–2025Recommended as an accessible refresher on how modern hardware and caches affect software performance.
- 4 HN recommenders 3 months 2015–2019Recommended as a clear, approachable explanation of how retro graphics hardware actually worked.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2025C Cathode Ray Dude - CRD · documentaryHN recommends it as an excellent history of the famous ABIT BP6 board.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2019–2026HN commenters call his x86 internals talks spectacular and mention them whenever low-level processor surprises come up.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2021–2024P plgDavid · explainerRecommended in DX7 reverse-engineering threads as a look at the effort behind bit-accurate emulation.
- 5 HN recommenders 3 months 2017–2021Cited in floating-point threads as the main introduction to posits and unums as an alternative to IEEE floats.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2017–2023A AdoredTV · commentaryRecommended as an overview of Intel's anti-competitive past and why it kept dominating despite AMD's competitive products.
- 4 HN recommenders 3 months 2022–2023G Geekerwan · explainerHN people cite it as detailed data on mobile SoC efficiency, sustained performance and ARM core efficiency curves.
- 3 HN recommenders 2 months 2017–2023Recommended as the definitive retrospective on 3dfx, with first-hand stories about engineering hacks and design philosophy.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2018–2023Recommended as a fun, practical talk on why bit flips matter for security, and cited in ECC memory discussions.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2015–2025HN points to it as an entry into Ackley's indefinitely scalable computing project, with a network-switch demo recommended as the best place to start.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2020–2021HN commenters cite it as an informative talk from a leading researcher in reversible computing, mainly in threads on reversible computers and energy efficiency.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2016–2020R RISC-V International · talkCited as primary-source evidence that RISC-V code density is competitive with or better than ARM and x86.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2013–2017G GreenArraysInc · talkHN recommends it as a window into Moore's minimalist CPU design and the GA144 chip, despite the slow pace.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2019–2023HN recommends it as a history and analysis of the end of scaling from a well-regarded systems speaker, and lists it among the best talks of 2019.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2023–2025H hotchipsvideos · talkHN points to it for an insider view of why NVIDIA's AI gains came from design rather than process, and for data-movement power costs.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2019–2023HN people recommend Ben Eater's videos for easy, clear explanations of digital logic and building computers.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2015–2019Recommended as a wonderful overview of the AGC architecture, though one commenter found it uninspiring.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2023J Jeff Geerling · interviewHN recommends it to explain why Pi supply favored business customers during the shortage, straight from a founder.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2018–2025S SHARE Association · talkHN commenters cite it as an entertaining example of a teenager buying, hosting and booting a real mainframe.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2023–2025O Oxide Computer Company · podcast episodeHN cites it as Oxide's own explanation of how they ship hardware as a startup and why they picked illumos.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2016–2019D Dan Wood · videoRecommended as a decent introduction to the Vampire accelerator and a cheaper way to modernize classic Amigas.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2022–2025Pointed to as a primary-source interview on Apple's architecture transitions, emulation and microcode work.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2015–2023Recommended as a simple, fun explanation of why floating point gives odd errors like 0.1 + 0.2.
- 1 HN recommenders 2 months 2023–2025D der8auer EN · demoPointed to as a look at Hetzner's unusual semi-custom server hardware and cooling.
- 3 HN recommenders 2 months 2023Cited as evidence that Eco Mode gives large power savings for a small performance loss on Zen 4.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2019–2024Recommended in threads about SGI and vintage workstations as a good look at the hardware.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2016–2018HN commenters cite it for the claim that process scaling beyond 28nm is uneconomic and for dark silicon.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2022HN points to it as coverage of an impressive 3D game port on very limited hardware.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2024–2025Pointed to as a clear visual reference for chip manufacturing steps.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2019–2024Used as a primary source for 6502 origins, pricing strategy and Commodore history.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2020–2022Recommended as the answer to why breadboard computers are worth building and why breadboards work at these speeds.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2021–2023It is linked in laptop thermal threads for a layman's overview of why Apple limits surface temperature and why the mod is not simple.
- 3 HN recommenders 2 months 2023–2024P Paul G. Allen School · lectureHN commenters cite it for NVIDIA's perspective on AI hardware efficiency, including logarithmic number formats and energy use.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2022–2025R Retro Game Mechanics Explained · explainerCited as the go-to demonstration of how hard and clever Atari 2600 graphics programming was.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2016–2024M Megaprocessor · demoHN commenters link it as the easy way to see the giant home-built CPU without hammering the author's website.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2017–2023It is the go-to visual explanation of delay-line memory and early electronic calculators whenever the topic comes up.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2014–2025N NC State · lectureHN points to it as an accessible, interesting talk on molecular dynamics and simulation-based drug discovery.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2018–2021Cited in hardware-trust and supply-chain threads as a concrete, startling demonstration of chip-level backdoors.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2019–2021Cited in discussions of open firmware and trust as a thorough reverse engineering of the PSP.
- 2 HN recommenders 1 months 2016–2019Recommended in Intel ME threads as essential viewing on x86 trust and auxiliary processors.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2016–2026U UC Berkeley Events · talkCited as a rare first-hand account from Cray, loved for details like the aluminum machining invented to carry Freon through the frame.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2020–2021D der8auer · demoHN cites it as visual evidence that nm node names are marketing labels and for its neat electron microscope comparison.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2022–2025T TechTechPotato · interviewHN commenters point to it as a primary source from the architect of Zen, for example on how little the ISA matters compared to microarchitecture.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2020M Matroid · talkCited in hardware threads as a Keller talk on the different ways of doing parallel processing.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2021–2024Commenters link it whenever bit flips, cosmic ray errors or unexplained computer glitches come up, as a good accessible explanation.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2018–2024D Dodoid · tutorialShared as a nostalgic tour of SGI hardware for people who remember that era.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2015–2023M Mill Computing, Inc. · lectureCited as the authoritative source on how Mill's VLIW-style compiler specializes code and differs from Itanium.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2019–2024HN cites it as data that too much thermal paste is mostly a myth and that too little is the real risk.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2011–2020P pucitp · demoIt is linked as the original short demonstration that keys can be pulled from RAM after shutdown.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2017–2023D dancefan · talkIt is the go-to primary source whenever HN discusses posits versus IEEE floats, valued for Kahan's sharp critique despite the poor audio.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2016–2021Cited as a firsthand account of 6502 origins and of how engineers were treated at Motorola and Commodore.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2013–2023M Mill Computing, Inc. · lectureHN points to the Mill talks as an excellent, deep look at an unconventional CPU design, especially in threads on registers and instruction sets.
Showing the 100 best-scored of 536. Use search to find the rest.
Video list and Hacker News comment labels from HackerTube (prompted by @karpathy), released under ODC-By 1.0, built on the open-index/hacker-news archive. Hacker News data is provided by Y Combinator; comments remain the work of their authors. Video titles, channel names and thumbnails belong to their creators and are shown via YouTube. HackerTube Watch is an unofficial edition. Data export of 2026-10-31.