Retro Computing
Latest Stories
Retro Gamers: Skip the $20 Pokémon ROM and Use This Emulator on macOS Instead
The Pokémon Company wants $20 for a Game Boy Advance game, while Retroid is cancelling its handhelds. What's a retro gamer to do? OpenEmu on the Mac is the perfect alternative.
The Best Retro Handhelds for 2026
Feeling nostalgic? Our favorite portable game systems let you play classic games in the palm of your hand.
That's My Dad's Computer: Maingear Revives the '90s Again With 'Retro98' PC
The fully built desktop contains dummy disk drives, along with that old-school 1990s beige aesthetic that was once common across home PCs.
This Actual-Size ENIAC Replica Is the Coolest Thing You’ll See Today
It took nearly six months (and 1,600 hot glue gun sticks) for 80 autistic schoolkids to recreate the massive Army computer, which debuted in 1946.
End of an E-Era: AOL to End Dial-Up Internet Access
The pioneering service has dwindled to a Yahoo sub-brand, but some people still rely on it for their online connection. Come Sept. 30, they'll need a new ISP.
Ready to Try the Switch 2 Mouse Experience? It's Now Available on This 33-Year-Old Super NES Classic
Mario Paint from the Super NES joins the Nintendo Switch Online library, and it’ll even work on the original Switch if you have a compatible mouse.
Maingear Amps Up the 90s Nostalgia With New Retro95 Desktop PC
This custom desktop PC even includes the option for a disc drive, just like the good old days.
9 Retro Ports of Classic Sega Titles Now Free on Mobile, If You Act Fast
Sonic, Crazy Taxi, Streets of Rage, and more are now available on iPhone and Android for free. They previously cost around $2 each, plus a little extra to remove ads.
This Little Museum Outside DC Offers a Deep Dive Into Retro Radio and TV Tech
Before you streamed everything, there was this: The National Capital Radio & Television Museum spotlights how airwaves have changed our lifestyles, from a 1921 DIY crystal radio kit made out of a Quaker box to a 1984 Sony Walkman.
A Surface History: Microsoft’s Ever-Evolving Vision for the Future of Computing
With its wide-ranging family of hardware, Microsoft has reimagined how we compute—again and again. As the company turns 50, let's revisit the twists and turns of its transformative Surface line.
9 Microsoft Missteps You May Have Forgotten
In 50 years, Microsoft has hit plenty of home runs, but these nine products were not among them. (Hey again, Bob!)
I Chatted With Bill Gates About How He Became the Ultimate Computer Nerd
In his new book, Source Code, Gates recalls a unique childhood that led him to build a technology empire. We talk BASIC, old PCs, Microsoft's future, and AI's promise and perils.
Remember These 10 Breakthrough Microsoft Products?
Pocket computers. Sort-of smartwatches. Motion-sensing game controllers. None of these big ideas are as memorable as Windows or Office, but we think they're standouts in Microsoft's 50-year history. Take a look back through old PC Magazine issues with us.
So BASIC: Bill Gates Releases Microsoft's Original Source Code
In the 1970s, Gates and his Microsoft co-founder, Paul Allen, used a computer in Harvard's lab to compose what he calls the 'coolest code I've written.' It's now public for the first time.
Remember the Razr? A Fun Look Back at Motorola's Most Iconic Retro Phones
The Razr was once the hottest phone on the market, and you bet I had one. Twenty years later, I revisit the famed flip phone and other iconic handsets at Motorola's headquarters in Chicago.
The Best Retro Gaming Consoles for 2026
If you want to play classic video games, but don't want to deal with low-resolution graphics and awkward analog video connections, check out these cool modern systems that let you play old titles.
GOG.com Preservation Program Aims to Keep Old PC Games Playable
The program, announced as GOG.com celebrates its 16th anniversary, is launching for 100 games, including favorites such as System Shock 2, the original Diablo game, and Myst.
Analogue's Reimagining of the Nintendo 64 Ships in 2025
Analogue initially tipped a 2024 launch, but it's now set to go on sale in Q1 2025. The device will let you play all N64 games released in the US, EU, and Japan without the need for emulation.
Why I Bought an HP TouchPad and a Dell Pocket PC in 2024
Nostalgia inspired me to go on an eBay shopping spree for early 2000s gadgets. I wanted to show my kids the tech I once loved, but I also unlocked a few forgotten memories.
25 Years Ago Gran Turismo Redefined the Racing Game
Take a look in the rearview at how Sony's flagship automotive franchise changed the way we drive digital cars forever.
