You probably picture a tower PC with a side-window and a lot of RGB. Gaming PCs of the '90s looked very different. Back then, you were grateful to have a beige monitor sitting on top a beige desktop unit.
This miniature 3D-printed gaming PC brings back so many memories of those halcyon times, I can almost smell its plastic casing. Just look at it. The rounded lines. The tiny lights. The tiny CD ROM/floppy combo. THOSE DECALS ARE AMAZING! My childhood in its smallest form.
Salim Benbouziyane, a YouTuber, set out to build a miniature version of the ultimate PC from the '90s after experiencing a similar rush in nostalgia (via Yanko Design). The Raspberry Pi 4 is used as the basis for this project, but everything else is custom.
Benbouziyane chose a square Waveshare panel with a resolution of 720 x 724, and masking the top and bottom for a 4:3 ratio. Instead of using a set modern LEDs for the light indicators, light pipes were installed to create a nostalgic glow. The media drives are replaced by a mini working power button and an SD card. This required designing a PCB add-on specifically for the Raspberry.
The 3D printed chassis has been hand sanded for smooth, rounded edges, and air-brushed in a custom shade to achieve the desired shade of off-white/beige. The level of detail in the video is astounding. I highly recommend you watch the entire video. Benbouziyane's mock-up is far from a simple mock-up. He has put in every detail to create a PC that looks as cute as you can imagine, and also accurately reflects the history of the computer.
Even the odd happy accident has happened. Benbouziyane describes the wobbling of the monitor on top of the chassis as "sloppy", but I think it actually increases accuracy. The monitor would wobble if you shifted an old desktop that had a CRT mounted on top. The '90s machines were solid, but they did creak and wobble occasionally.
The result is spectacular, thanks to the Raspberry Pi internals, and a lot of creative engineering. While it appears to be running Windows XP it is actually running a skinned-version of Twister OS. The PC can still blast through OG Doom or Prince of Persia.
Ah, nostalgia. It's a heady experience, and looking at this miniature marvel just makes me want to build my own '90s system for the sheer pleasure of it. I don't have the skills to make something this small, but I think a little original Doom on this rig might bring a mist of tears to my eyes. If you like, call it a tiny tear.
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