How do you get into the hardware/games review arena?

[thelastmccabe]

I was wondering how sites like anandtech get started. As in, how do you convince makers of pc parts or pc games to start sending you their stuff for free so that you can review it for your website? Because you aren't really a hardware reviewer until you're reviewing hardware, and you can't really review it unless you get/borrow it for free since it's too cost prohibitive. But you can't get it for free unless you're a hardware reviewer already right? See what I'm getting at here? I am wondering how tough it is to start a website and break into this arena--there are a lot of sites that aren't nearly as good as this one that seem to have been able to do so.

Thanks

 

[DivideBYZero]

Years. Years and years. And lots of knee pads.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Advanced Search could probably find old threads on this, "let's put on a show!" gets asked several times a year.

You might be taken more seriously by hardware companies if you pay your dues and write for existing sites for a couple of years before starting your own.

Starting a site just to get free stuff is pointless and it's years too late. Now you have to be an established site with large readership before vendors will even loan (not give) you hardware.