The tech and hardware enthusiast website AnandTech announced that it is shutting down after over 27 years of operation. A farewell post was made early in the day on August 30, 2024 from the final editor-in-chief, Ryan Smith.
AnandTech began in 1997 when Anand Lal Shimpi kicked things off with a review of the AMD K6 processor. Though he left in 2014 to work for Apple, Anand's legacy continued on through AnandTech's comprehensive and detailed hardware reviews and reporting.
Smith says, "the market for written tech journalism is not what it once was - nor will it ever be again." He says that it's now the time for AnandTech "to wrap up its work, and let the next generation of tech journalists take their place within the zeitgeist."
It has been my immense privilege to write for AnandTech for the past 19 years – and to manage it as its editor-in-chief for the past decade. And while I carry more than a bit of remorse in being AnandTech’s final boss, I can at least take pride in everything we’ve accomplished over the years, whether it’s lauding some legendary products, writing technology primers that still remain relevant today, or watching new stars rise in expected places. There is still more that I had wanted AnandTech to do, but after 21,500 articles, this was a good start.
Smith offered a long list of thanks to those that supported them over the past 27 years. These thanks range from the many companies they've worked with, their publisher, Anand himself, and the fans that have stuck with them for nearly three decades.
He concludes with remarks about the "Cacble TV-ification of the web."
Finally, I’d like to end this piece with a comment on the Cable TV-ification of the web. A core belief that Anand and I have held dear for years, and is still on our About page to this day, is AnandTech’s rebuke of sensationalism, link baiting, and the path to shallow 10-o'clock-news reporting. It has been our mission over the past 27 years to inform and educate our readers by providing high-quality content – and while we’re no longer going to be able to fulfill that role, the need for quality, in-depth reporting has not changed. If anything, the need has increased as social media and changing advertising landscapes have made shallow, sensationalistic reporting all the more lucrative.
For all the tech journalists out there right now – or tech journalists to be – I implore you to remain true to yourself, and to your readers' needs. In-depth reporting isn’t always as sexy or as exciting as other avenues, but now, more than ever, it’s necessary to counter sensationalism and cynicism with high-quality reporting and testing that is used to support thoughtful conclusions. To quote Anand: “I don't believe the web needs to be academic reporting or sensationalist garbage - as long as there's a balance, I'm happy.”
For all the tech journalists out there right now – or tech journalists to be – I implore you to remain true to yourself, and to your readers' needs. In-depth reporting isn’t always as sexy or as exciting as other avenues, but now, more than ever, it’s necessary to counter sensationalism and cynicism with high-quality reporting and testing that is used to support thoughtful conclusions. To quote Anand: “I don't believe the web needs to be academic reporting or sensationalist garbage - as long as there's a balance, I'm happy.”
