So I Bought Those Weird New AliExpress Retro PCs…

LGR · 1.3M views · 2023-06-16 · 17:10

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Overview

LGR reviews the Book 8088 and Hand 386, newly built DOS retro PCs sold on AliExpress that use real legacy chips on custom boards. He covers what is neat about them and their compromises and odd design decisions.

On Hacker News

Linked when retro hardware, 8088 or 386 machines, or oddball AliExpress computers come up.

Discussed on HN; no positive recommendation is recorded in this export · HN mentions 2023–2025

Topics

Demoscene & retrocomputing Consumer devices & gadgets

What people said

philips · 2025-04 · Reference
I love this idea. There are some weird things showing up on Aliexpress but are limited in various ways: [VIDEO] It does seem like emulation is the way.
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wcfields · 2025-03 · Reference
Retro gaming enthusiasts have been creating mini-PCs first starting with industrial computers (386) built for CNC machines, and have recently been getting custom PCBs made like the Pixel x86: [LINK] You can find some oddball stuff on AliExpress that’s probably made to replace as close as possible 1to1 EOL equipment: [VIDEO]
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jsheard · 2025-02 · Reference
I thought this concept looked familiar and indeed it's by the same company which makes those portable 386 and 8086 machines. LGR covered them a while ago: [VIDEO]
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Sources

Video by LGR, played through YouTube.

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