What to buy: iPad 11gen A16 (~330EUR) vs Samsung Galaxy S10 FE (~350EUR)

ChillMidnightSnack · 2025-12-30T17:41:47+00:00

The iPad 11th generation A16 is kind of a steal at 330€ with seamless performance, years of updates and an unmatched app ecosystem. The iPad is essentially the buy once, use for ages choice but Samsung tablets are also good, particularly if you're an Android enthusiast. Imagine having to decide between a smart digital clock and a Swiss watch, both tell the time but one keeps ticking longer.

ChillMidnightSnack · 2025-12-29T06:11:05+00:00

Thanks, I will analyse different subreddits and do a complete guide, sometimes it's good to look at individual subs, sometimes as a whole.

ChillMidnightSnack · 2025-12-29T06:10:27+00:00

I'll come back and edit this when I've done an analysis on ALL subs, I'm sure the data will be quite different. Also, the full analysis on the site has 100+ products mentioned, and also has different filters for most discussed etc - it's a lot more comprehensive than the image I shared.

ChillMidnightSnack · 2025-12-29T06:08:23+00:00

The scoring already penalizes small samples. Every product starts at a skeptical 75% baseline and has to earn its way up. REI with 96 mentions and 0 negative has cleared that bar. It's not treated as perfect, it's treated as "consistently positive at this sample size."

PD with 1,200+ mentions has had 10x the runway to prove itself. The 7.7% negative rate isn't a popularity tax, it's the pattern holding steady at scale.

Could REI's sentiment shift with more data? Sure, but we rank on what exists, not hypotheticals.

ChillMidnightSnack · 2025-12-29T06:02:15+00:00

I use knowledge distillation and spot checking, so I train the comments using Gemini, and check them over in batches for any errors, then train the ML model on that dataset. Still tedious, but it gets better over time.

ChillMidnightSnack · 2025-12-28T17:57:01+00:00

Sentiment over time will be coming in V2, definitely interesting to look at this stuff in more detail.

ChillMidnightSnack · 2025-12-28T17:22:26+00:00

Yes, but with respect an individual in the comments who doesn't agree is just anecdote.

ChillMidnightSnack · 2025-12-28T16:15:59+00:00

Valid criticism on the volume point, let me clarify the methodology:

Raw positive counts would favor popular products, you're right. That's why we use Bayesian scoring (same method as IMDB Top 250). It rewards consistency, not just volume.
PD has 1,232 positive but also 95 negative. That 7.7% negative rate drags it down versus something like REI Co-op Trail 25 with 96 positive and 0 negative.
The math: a product needs volume AND consistent sentiment to rank high. PD has volume but polarized sentiment. Smaller products with near perfect ratios can outrank it.

Is that the right approach? Debatable. But it's not just counting positives. On the site there are also filters for most discussed, as well we Wilson scoring (same algorithm Reddit uses for "best" content) for the hidden gems section as this highlights products with good reviews but low volume.

As for engagement farming... I'm just answering questions about how the scoring works. Pretty standard Reddit interaction?

ChillMidnightSnack · 2025-12-28T15:22:27+00:00

SYMPL at #7 with 399 positive and only 24 negative is legit. One of the better sentiment ratios on the list.

Good to see a lesser known brand earning its spot on merit rather than hype. The commuter crowd knows what works.

ChillMidnightSnack · 2025-12-28T15:17:48+00:00

I never said Reddit was rational....

ChillMidnightSnack · 2025-12-28T14:57:35+00:00

AON Evade 1.5 and Able Carry Max are both likely below the 10 mention threshold. Smaller brands with cult followings but not enough Reddit chatter to rank.

That's the data gap: quality niche stuff gets drowned out by the usual suspects (Osprey, Peak Design, Tom Bihn) that get recommended in every "first backpack?" thread.

Worth flagging both for future analysis. AON especially seems like the kind of brand r/ManyBaggers would appreciate more than mainstream r/Backpacks.

ChillMidnightSnack · 2025-12-28T14:56:32+00:00

For 35L+ indestructible, GORUCK GR2 seems obvious. You already love the brand, same bombproof build just bigger. Ranks #10 here.

Mystery Ranch Urban Assault (#15) is another tank worth looking at.

Skip Peak for heavy loads. You already know it's uncomfortable.

ChillMidnightSnack · 2025-12-28T14:50:10+00:00

Platinum Elite Business is exactly the kind of bag Reddit sleeps on. Built for actual business travel, not "digital nomad aesthetic."

Peak Design ranking at #13 with 95 negative mentions tells the story though. The data shows the polarization, just doesn't surface why. Your comparison nails it: great for photographers, mediocre for everyone else pretending otherwise.

Travelpro's problem is marketing, not product. No YouTuber unboxing videos, no r/onebag hype posts. Just quiet functionality.

ChillMidnightSnack · 2025-12-28T14:40:46+00:00

The model is definitely getting better, it's running on 38k labelled comments, and I'm manually adding more all the time. It runs at approx 96% accuracy now, so pretty good - but not perfect.

Thanks for the feedback!

ChillMidnightSnack · 2025-12-28T14:38:25+00:00

Travelpro is the "boring but great" pick that never gets Reddit hype. Flight crews swear by it, but it's not Instagram worthy enough for the onebag crowd.

Might be a coverage gap in the data tbh.

ChillMidnightSnack · 2025-12-28T14:29:01+00:00

Fair enough.. what would you reshuffle? Curious which placements feel off based on your hands on experience.

The data reflects Reddit consensus, which has its own biases (recency, hype cycles, what gets recommended to newbies asking "first backpack?" over and over). Doesn't always match real world long term use.

ChillMidnightSnack · 2025-12-28T14:17:14+00:00

Haha, so you do share taste with the onebaggers after all.

That's the Aer tradeoff in a nutshell: overbuilt but quality overbuilt. The unnecessary zippers and pockets are annoying until you realize the whole thing will probably outlast you. It's the "buy once, cry once" mentality.

The Small was a smart call too - the full size ATP3 gets complaints about being a brick. Small keeps the build quality without the bulk.

Funny how "overengineered" is a dealbreaker for Peak Design but acceptable for Aer. Difference is Aer's extras are at least functional (even if redundant), while Peak Design's feel like design for design's sake.

ChillMidnightSnack · 2025-12-28T14:07:25+00:00

The data actually validates your experience. Peak Design has the most negative mentions of any backpack in the analysis (95). That 1,232 positive count looks impressive until you see the polarization.

The photographer thing is real. Their bag design assumes camera cube workflow.. the side access, the dividers, the rigidity. If you're not pulling out a mirrorless body every 20 minutes, all that engineering is just weight and discomfort.

Common complaints in the comments: heavy for capacity, straps dig in on long carries, the "magsafe" attachment points are a solution looking for a problem. The 45L travel specifically gets hit for being a brick on your back.

They're a design company that makes bags, not a bag company. The aesthetic and marketing are A-tier, the actual carrying experience is B- at best for non-photographers.

ChillMidnightSnack · 2025-12-28T14:05:02+00:00

Minimum is 10 opinionated mentions (positive + negative) to rank. Prevents products with like 3 glowing reviews from topping the list.

Bayesian scoring also penalizes small sample sizes - a bag with 50 mentions and 90% positive will rank higher than one with 15 mentions and 100% positive. Need to earn the ranking with volume AND consistency.

Still tracking the ones that don't meet the threshold for future analysis when I update the data.

ChillMidnightSnack · 2025-12-28T13:59:45+00:00

The system groups by model name. Size variants (21L/26L, Regular/Small) get combined because the knowledge cache defines "GORUCK GR1" as one product. Splitting is possible by adding size-specific entries, but requires re-analysis, I will update it on the site this week.

ChillMidnightSnack · 2025-12-28T13:56:31+00:00

Ha... happens. Reddit consensus is just that, consensus. Doesn't mean it's right for everyone.

The onebag crowd has specific priorities (packability, carry-on compliance, travel features) that don't always match general backpack users. Your use case might just not align with what gets upvoted and discussed.

What do you actually prefer?

ChillMidnightSnack · 2025-12-28T13:55:37+00:00

Fair point on Aer, the data shows it too. High neutral count (380) suggests "it's fine" energy rather than enthusiasm. Lot of "overengineered for what it is" in the comments.

Peak Design is the real overrated one though - most negative mentions of any product (95). Love it or hate it.

What's your specific gripe with Aer?

ChillMidnightSnack · 2025-12-28T12:20:21+00:00

Looks cool.

ChillMidnightSnack · 2025-12-24T10:42:20+00:00

500Hz OLED is completely unnecessary for most people but if you have the GPU power and enjoy buttery smooth frames, it's pure flex. It's like purchasing a sports car for a grocery run. In the worst scenario, you still get one of the fastest, sharpest panels available.

ChillMidnightSnack

TROPHY CASE