What vintage computer is cheap and well… start for a collection? If ya wanna give me e waste ill happily take it
Posted by Pingasboi3124@reddit | vintagecomputing | View on Reddit | 33 comments
ANything like macs or dells to ibms to anything rlly
ultimatebob@reddit
I started with the original iMac G3. Mostly because it looks cool, even to people who aren't into retro computing.
And, at 26 years old, I think that it's safe to call that "vintage" now.
8bitaficionado@reddit
So as a long time collector I need to ask the following question?
Why are you collecting?
If it's to have fun, then ask yourself, what aspect of computing is the most fun?
Lets say it's old gaming. Which is valid.
Then I would say a good home computer, such as Atari, Acorn, Sinclair.
Let say it Nostalgia.
Ok what computer did you have or did you want back then?
Buying a cheap computer because it is cheap is a waste of money, find the computer you want.
Zalenka@reddit
Electron? Or BBC Micro?
FinalFisherman5562@reddit
If you’re looking for vintage and dirt cheap and don’t mind pain and suffering try a Timex 1000 or zx81. Both are dirt cheap most places around the world but a pain to use.
Potential_Copy27@reddit
It depends on whether you want to build something or whether you want a complete vintage system, what you're going for, and what you want to do with them.
A good cheap way to get started would be something like a Pentium 3 or 4-based system. If you're already familiar with modern hardware, these are still "modern" enough to start off on. Moving back to eg. 486/Pentium era changes the layout a bit, but most things still work on the same concepts.
The chance to use some modern hardware (eg. an SSD or modern PSU) also falls the further back you go, and they do need a bit more maintenance and TLC - they are old parts after all, hitting the 30-40 year mark.
Getting specific hardware (eg. a C64, Amiga, Atari, 68k mac) for cheap is more up to chance - Places like thrift stores, scrapyards, trunk sales and stuff like those are probably the best chance to score something good.
Getting parts for a P3/P4 system today is still rather cheap - and they do deal OK with most software from DOS-era to Win XP (in some cases also Vista-era). Not only that, they can also work as excellent "mediator" machines for earlier hardware once/if your collection expands.
This era of computers may still have modern stuff like USB, SATA or 10/100/1000 mbit ethernet - but are still old enough to also contain a proper floppy interface, PCI or even ISA for testing/tinkering with hardware. At the same time, you also still have parallel/serial ports to play with.
So - both a good way to get started and used to older hardware, but also a good investment for an expanding collection in the future...
teknosophy_com@reddit
Mediator - good word for it. I love my 2007 era laptops - they have wifi/ethernet and usb, and can even themselves play a ton of old software.
Potential_Copy27@reddit
I have a number of similar vintage IBM Thinkpads - they are currently stowed away, though.
The newest one, I used as a mediator for my Amiga 500 back before it broke - I'd fetch Amiga games and software online on the laptop, and then transferred it via serial, and had the Amiga store the stuff on floppies. Worked great, albeit a bit time-consuming.
Pingasboi3124@reddit (OP)
Oh and I’m in Ireland… there’s not many thrift stores, garage sales or scrapyards I can’t think of the nearest scrapyard without 500 miles away
ResidentTime8401@reddit
Depends what you like. You can get a Pentium 4 for $30, but is that what you want? Or would we talk about a completely different type of computer, like something from Amiga or Atari? If you can't relate to it, you will likely not want to keep it either
dirtmcgurk@reddit
Pentium machines are sometimes findable as salvage. Even up through p4 you can easily run win98 on it and get a good early windows + dos experience.
chiclet_fanboi@reddit
If you want free gifts you have to give an approximate location on earth.
Pingasboi3124@reddit (OP)
Ye its IE or Ireland in dublin
Laser_Krypton7000@reddit
Well, you could also try the vcfed.org forums.
There also are people from the UK.
If you have luck, there is a gut who sometimes gives away some dec parts (pdp11, vax) from his workplace. You have to donate some money to an defined organisation and then you can pick up items for free after you told him what you want. No shipping.
Enlightenment777@reddit
You need to look for computers that were popular in past decades in your area or nearby countries. Some types of computers were way more popular in UK and Europe than in USA.
Sinclair computers would be much easier to find in your area than in USA.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinclair_Research
Lorelei_the_engineer@reddit
I have two Dell computers with pentium 4 processors. They both have bad capacitors so I have been unable to sell them so I have been looking for someone to take them. But trouble is that I live in the United States so shipping would probably be extremely expensive.
_-Kr4t0s-_@reddit
Anything, really. People tend to gravitate towards a very specific computer among a sea of equals. For example, the go-to 8088 PC is the IBM 5150, but there are countless “IBM PC Clones”. Or there’s the iBook G3 Clamshell, but there are also the white G3 iBooks and the G3 PowerBooks that are even better, but also cheaper.
So just go on eBay and start punching in search terms to find something in the range you’re looking for.
trustyourtech@reddit
If you like PCs I would start with socket 7 Pentium. The older you go the more expensive. Coolest would be to have a IBM with 8088, but less units manufactured ... more expensive. If you like Macs and 68k in general, I would start with a Mac Classic, but watch out for exploded batteries. If you like Zilog, I would start with a Zx Spectrum 48k. Lots of those with fair prices and good working conditions. Laptops in general occupy less space, if you live in a small place. Finally, if you like 6510, Commodore 64 😁
Available-Swan-6011@reddit
I would second the Sinclair machines. Easy to find working ones, reasonably priced, small and lots of community support available
Steer clear of ads along the lines of “worked when I put it away “ or “I haven’t been able to test it” - they may be genuine but are typically code for it doesn’t work but I want to chance my arm and ask for an extortionate price
Oh the mod for working with modern TVs is pretty straightforward too
Pingasboi3124@reddit (OP)
Alroght
nobody2008@reddit
In Ireland I assume there would be an 8-bit market for machines like Sinclair, BBC, Commodore, Amstrad, and Oric. Flea markets? Facebook marketplace?
Pingasboi3124@reddit (OP)
Absolutely not
dillingerdiedforyou@reddit
I have some Atom based Netbooks you can have one if you want to pay the shipping and are in the US (probably like $12-15ish). Built in 2004ish so it barely qualifies as vintage, you could run XP or Debian on it...
skeletons_asshole@reddit
If you like XP era games, it’s hard to beat the price/performance of a Core2 with some old PCI-e Radeon in it (hd6450 for example)
If you’re decent with a soldering iron or even just would like to be, look around for Pentium4 era stuff with blown capacitors. Many of them usually out there that can be fixed by “just” replacing capacitors, and that can be a good way to learn that skill.
If you want to get into 98 or older era, I usually recommend looking for some sort of late 90’s Celeron with no AGP slots, PCI only. These are often overlooked due to “Celeron is slow” and “ugh I want my AGP graphics” but there are later era PCI graphics cards that will help a ton, like the FX5200 - widely regarded a shit card so it tends to be cheap, but still supports win98 and is massively faster than most of the older cards. Get one of many cheap PCI sound cards and you could play anything from 98/95/late DOS with a little work.
FivePlyPaper@reddit
Where I live there is a Facebook group called “freecycle” where people just get rid of stuff for free. I just post on there askin for any old computers, you know If people are going to recycle them. I’ve gotten some pretty good stuff! Try there!
ralechner@reddit
Any older folks that you’re acquainted with? There are a ton of old PCs and monitors in closets, basements and attics. Ask around. Be prepared to offer to remove the hard disk drive and find your own if they have privacy concerns.
Pingasboi3124@reddit (OP)
Nope
ralechner@reddit
Your loss.
rayui@reddit
Interesting question. For me it was always easy because I grew up in the 80s and 90s, so it is the machines I used back then but most especially the ones had no access to.
If you have skills in electronics it helps as you can buy broken and fix. If not, expect to pay more.
Probably one of the easiest to get hold of for relatively cheap where you are is either a C64 or a BBC micro. These can be had in working condition for around the hundred pound/Euro mark. There's plenty of spares and information available and still a very vibrant user scene on both platforms.
Pingasboi3124@reddit (OP)
I do have skills but not that good
Pingasboi3124@reddit (OP)
Oh yeah and I know how to solder I’m only a noon tho (noob doesnt mean bad at smth it means new at smth)
roodammy44@reddit
How cheap do you mean? In my part of the world there are working Mac SEs around for $150. PCs seem harder to find for some reason
Pingasboi3124@reddit (OP)
Because people keep upping the price. Inflation is bad now.
Pingasboi3124@reddit (OP)
Aaaaaallllllll the way in ireland far away ik