Should I build an old pc for old games?

[Kane99]

I would like to one day build a gaming PC for older games, like DOS for example. Has anyone here ever done that themselves? I want to build a cheap Windows XP machine and install a bunch of classic PC games on it. I would make a new PC, but I want to make a PC as it was back in the 90s, just to get that nostalgia feeling. 

 

What do you guys think? Have you ever built an old PC for gaming? How much did it cost you? 

[The Blackangel]

I've built several, but that was during Win98. The parts you would need to build one are no longer made, so it would be just as expensive, if not more so, to build a current gaming PC. I still have an old PC that I use to play games like AOE2 and Diablo 2 on, but you're never going to find the parts to build one.

[AndreiMirfi]

That would sound cool. I always find older devices of mine and test them. 

[Crazycrab]

It's not a very practical way of playing older games but it does sounds like a fun little project.

 

5 hours ago, The Blackangel said:

I've built several, but that was during Win98. The parts you would need to build one are no longer made, so it would be just as expensive, if not more so, to build a current gaming PC. I still have an old PC that I use to play games like AOE2 and Diablo 2 on, but you're never going to find the parts to build one.

 

Finding compatible parts is a challenge but i've seen people do this kind of thing on Youtube, it's possible.

[Shagger]

This sounds lie something more easily done through being cleaver with software rather than hardware, but I would admire one for trying this full on old school. If you go tough with it, I wish you the very best of luck.

[skyfire]

I think even some of the emulators working on Linux these days. old hardware for the arcade and 90s games is not that hard IMO. 

[Zro]

It could be possible to do a budget build around $750-1,000. I mid tier PC could land anywhere from $1,400-1,800 and if you really wanna go all out you could spend $2,000+. Although with RAM and graphics card prices being inflated right now you could expect to spend even a little more

[skyfire]

On 8/14/2020 at 8:08 PM, Zro said:

It could be possible to do a budget build around $750-1,000. I mid tier PC could land anywhere from $1,400-1,800 and if you really wanna go all out you could spend $2,000+. Although with RAM and graphics card prices being inflated right now you could expect to spend even a little more

Even second laptop or PC under 400 dollars can be enough. Most old games that run on simulator or the DOSBOX can be easily played on older hardware. 

[Alexander.]

I wouldn't know where to start, but something is telling me some retro video games could be compatible with Linux? Nonetheless, this sounds such a fresh concept and a fun project to partake. My suggestion to you would be looking at some YouTube tutorials on how to build a PC for older titles. 

 

[skyfire]

Retro games require the emulator to run on Windows and Linux. 

So I think yeah those YouTube based tutorials for the console games to be working on old PC can work out. 

[The Blackangel]

I hate emulators. I have to have the actual systems.

Hell I picked up an extra Atari 2600 yesterday for $25. 

Edited August 22, 2020 by The Blackangel

[skyfire]

I think some of the models are harder to get so in such case emulator is a good option. 

[KuroInDistress]

You could use a Raspberry pi for this if you only want to play older games.

[skyfire]

15 hours ago, KuroInDistress said:

You could use a Raspberry pi for this if you only want to play older games.

Yeah but the thing is that it would be bulky and not something a lot of people prefer.. you need to design box for yourself if you are going with raspberry pi. 

[Kane99]

On 8/6/2020 at 12:50 PM, The Blackangel said:

I've built several, but that was during Win98. The parts you would need to build one are no longer made, so it would be just as expensive, if not more so, to build a current gaming PC. I still have an old PC that I use to play games like AOE2 and Diablo 2 on, but you're never going to find the parts to build one.

Yeah, I guess I didn't think of that. I've watched a lot of LGR videos about him building old PCs and he does explain the cost can be quite high. I wonder if I should just try to find a used PC from then and try to find parts as I go along. I may even have some old PCs lying about that I could take some parts out of maybe. 

On 8/6/2020 at 6:27 PM, Shagger said:

This sounds lie something more easily done through being cleaver with software rather than hardware, but I would admire one for trying this full on old school. If you go tough with it, I wish you the very best of luck.

Yeah true. There are a lot of ways to make old media work on newer devices. And thanks! 🙂

On 8/21/2020 at 7:24 AM, Alexander. said:

I wouldn't know where to start, but something is telling me some retro video games could be compatible with Linux? Nonetheless, this sounds such a fresh concept and a fun project to partake. My suggestion to you would be looking at some YouTube tutorials on how to build a PC for older titles. 

 

I actually watched that video a while back. I could probably do this with one of my old PCs. 

On 8/23/2020 at 11:51 AM, KuroInDistress said:

You could use a Raspberry pi for this if you only want to play older games.

I actually have a raspberry pi for retro console games, got the retropi set up and have NES, SNES, and a bunch of other games. I haven't tried DOS or any PC games on it though. 

On 8/24/2020 at 3:35 AM, skyfire said:

Yeah but the thing is that it would be bulky and not something a lot of people prefer.. you need to design box for yourself if you are going with raspberry pi. 

I disagree. I have a raspberry pi myself, and what I did was just buy a bundle case set, which included everything you need including the plugin, SD card etc. I only spent $80 or so. The only downside is that I use it on my TV, so playing PC games on it at the moment, isn't going to work for me. But yeah, I wouldn't say it's bulky. If anything it saves on room.