Computer games.

[Baines' left foot]

Unless you are the one installing and maintaining (or troubleshooting as a whole if something goes to the crapper) they're pretty to look at. Or if you do insane overclocking, in which case you need proper water cooling, not an AIO.

Didn't know they overclock tbh, but also the processor is clocked highly already, so idk what the performance point of that would be.

Oh yeah it was an absolute bitch to install. Scan did it for me as a gesture of goodwill and it even took them a decent bit of time.

Scan are great, by the way. Superb customer service.

 

[DualityNSNO]

It was very uncomfortable trying to use it over the summer with the stock cooler. I did a fair bit of research and even took the machine back to the shop for upgrade advice. From what they were saying AIO does a much better job of cooling the CPU than a fan cooler, but they’re louder. Plus I’ve only got an m-ATX case and so space was limited with 4 sticks of RAM. For several reasons an AIO made the most sense.

It’s working really well. NZXT seem to make high quality products and I’m satisfied with the performance.

But yeah I’m not planning on tinkering with this again any time soon. I will keep one eye on 3080 prices though. I wouldn’t mind one of those.

NZXT have quality products overall/usually tbh.

Stock is usually bare minimum for the most part on intel stuff, but passive + fan does a very good job. Shocking it couldn't withstand British summer though, what the actual F lol

At least the upgrade would basically be a plug out - plug in process with this rig as 3080 would surely drop at some point, as you say!

I've used their website for compatibility once a long time ago but nothing more tbh. Also I'm not in the UK anymore so it'd be a hassle to send stuff all over Europe like lol

 

[Baines' left foot]

NZXT have quality products overall/usually tbh.

Stock is usually bare minimum for the most part on intel stuff, but passive + fan does a very good job. Shocking it couldn't withstand British summer though, what the actual F lol

At least the upgrade would basically be a plug out - plug in process with this rig as 3080 would surely drop at some point, as you say!

I've used their website for compatibility once a long time ago but nothing more tbh. Also I'm not in the UK anymore so it'd be a hassle to send stuff all over Europe like lol

We did have a heatwave here, and the room my PC is in was originally made as a bomb shelter (was built in the 1940s). The walls are like 300mm thick so it retains heat a bit too well. It’s also south facing with a large window, so it was up against it to be fair.

Intel don’t even ship the stock cooler with i7 and above (I think), so that tells you all you need to know.

 

[DualityNSNO]

We did have a heatwave here, and the room my PC is in was originally made as a bomb shelter (was built in the 1940s). The walls are like 300mm thick so it retains heat a bit too well. It’s also south facing with a large window, so it was up against it to be fair.

Intel don’t even ship the stock cooler with i7 and above (I think), so that tells you all you need to know.

My old and beatup (at this point) PC on a new droplet of thermal paste and a passive heatsink+fan combo (also a VERY cheap one from back in the day) has been living in good temperatures all summer in 40C+ and southfacing everything, that's why I'm confused like lol I monitor it constantly and it's not gone over low 60C even when I pump it up to the max with some utter BS.

Intel are crooks honestly.

 

[overkill]

Spot on post this.

The Saturn bit really resonates with me, I had one as a youth, some Saturn games are demanding some serious coin these days.

I ballsed up there flogging it to CEX.

Got a Saturn they I've had since launch, I think the best way to play Saturn games again is too get the psuedo Saturn cartridge, meaning I can burn games and play them.

Sega Saturn games are really expensive now.

Issue is my Saturn doesn't display properly, waiting for a hdmi converter too see if it displays properly using that

 

[Dylan]

Oh yeah it was an absolute bitch to install. Scan did it for me as a gesture of goodwill and it even took them a decent bit of time.

Scan are great, by the way. Superb customer service.

A really good air cooler can only be beaten by a full on water cooling setup, and even that has its limits due to saturation for really heavy loads, unless you can get external cooling on the liquid.

But for low end stuff, AIO’s are better than the average cheap heat sink and fan (while being significantly more expensive), and if aesthetics are your thing, they are objectively better in that regard. In the past AIO’s had some real reliability issues, but those have buy and large been taken care up with Asetek’s updated designs.

I use a AIO in mine, as it looks better, significantly reduces the dust accumulated inside my computer requiring less cleanup and as I am no longer a heavy user, it keeps the temps well in check and is generally much quieter than my old air cooler.

And, @Baines' left foot - how was your install so difficult? Mine went in in about 15 minutes…….Maybe its more to do with case design rather than a fault with the AIO???

 

[McBain]

Oh man, i think Ive just beaten Demons Souls but CBA with ‘World Tendencies’ and that overly complicated guff.

 

[Connor]

Our boy

 

[Baines' left foot]

A really good air cooler can only be beaten by a full on water cooling setup, and even that has its limits due to saturation for really heavy loads, unless you can get external cooling on the liquid.

But for low end stuff, AIO’s are better than the average cheap heat sink and fan (while being significantly more expensive), and if aesthetics are your thing, they are objectively better in that regard. In the past AIO’s had some real reliability issues, but those have buy and large been taken care up with Asetek’s updated designs.

I use a AIO in mine, as it looks better, significantly reduces the dust accumulated inside my computer requiring less cleanup and as I am no longer a heavy user, it keeps the temps well in check and is generally much quieter than my old air cooler.

And, @Baines' left foot - how was your install so difficult? Mine went in in about 15 minutes…….Maybe it’s more to do with case design rather than a fault with the AIO???

It was just the complete lack of space inside my case. It’s a micro ATX and with 4 RAM sticks there was very little room to work in with my clubby hands.

I didn’t know enough about what I was buying at the time, but I’d never get anything smaller than a standard ATX case in future.

 

[Dylan]

It was just the complete lack of space inside my case. It’s a micro ATX and with 4 RAM sticks there was very little room to work in with my clubby hands.

I didn’t know enough about what I was buying at the time, but I’d never get anything smaller than a standard ATX case in future.

Ahh....yes those SFF cases can have their challenges!!!

 

[Lee Smith]

The latest addition to my retro gaming collection. Vectrex, the only vector based console ever released, in 1982. Been interested in getting one of these for a while since playing one at my local retro gaming arcade a couple of years back, and when I saw this one advertised quite close to me on Facebook Marketplace for a reasonable price, I decided to bite the bullet.

Only 28 games were “officially” released for it, and this came with 15 of them, all boxed with their instructions and overlays.

Now, unfortunately this does mean that my two children will have to go without presents this Xmas, but that’s a sacrifice I was willing to make. I’m sure they’ll understand.

 

[rylojr]

The latest addition to my retro gaming collection. Vectrex, the only vector based console ever released, in 1982. Been interested in getting one of these for a while since playing one at my local retro gaming arcade a couple of years back, and when I saw this one advertised quite close to me on Facebook Marketplace for a reasonable price, I decided to bite the bullet.

Only 28 games were “officially” released for it, and this came with 15 of them, all boxed with their instructions and overlays.

Now, unfortunately this does mean that my two children will have to go without presents this Xmas, but that’s a sacrifice I was willing to make. I’m sure they’ll understand.

View attachment 194911

View attachment 194912

View attachment 194913

That's a thing of beauty. Looks like it was straight from the flight deck of the Nostromo. Vector games had those wonderful clean visuals. Don't really see them these days.

 

[rylojr]

OK so I'm looking for some straight answers... I'm really really REALLY tempted to get one of these "all-in-one" gaming machines that you can play all the old titles on. I'm not tech-minded so I CBA "Building my own". Wouldn't have a clue. But if there's a pre-loaded box that goes under your telly ready to plug and play - I'm there, all in.

I mean retro gaming is so damn expensive and the old hardware and software, wonderful as they are, is just too pricey.

So:

Does anyone own anything like this?

Does anyone have any recommendations? For reliability, build, user interface etc?

Do any of these machines offer save points?

It's just I see loads of videos like the one below but I don't KNOW anyone who has actually got anything like this. So I'm wary of shelling out for something that could be a scam. I'd really like something that I could revisit all the old titles on that I spent a fortune on such as the Megadrive, SNES, Master System, Gameboy PSone.... And also get to play systems I never had the chance to try out (PC Engine, Dreamcast, Atari Lynx, etc etc.....)

Help.


Please!!!

 

[Lee Smith]

OK so I'm looking for some straight answers... I'm really really REALLY tempted to get one of these "all-in-one" gaming machines that you can play all the old titles on. I'm not tech-minded so I CBA "Building my own". Wouldn't have a clue. But if there's a pre-loaded box that goes under your telly ready to plug and play - I'm there, all in.

I mean retro gaming is so damn expensive and the old hardware and software, wonderful as they are, is just too pricey.

So:

Does anyone own anything like this?

Does anyone have any recommendations? For reliability, build, user interface etc?

Do any of these machines offer save points?

It's just I see loads of videos like the one below but I don't KNOW anyone who has actually got anything like this. So I'm wary of shelling out for something that could be a scam. I'd really like something that I could revisit all the old titles on that I spent a fortune on such as the Megadrive, SNES, Master System, Gameboy PSone.... And also get to play systems I never had the chance to try out (PC Engine, Dreamcast, Atari Lynx, etc etc.....)

Help.


Please!!!

I emulate using an Nvidia Shield, a very capable little system, but that isn't a plug-and-play.

I don't own a plug-and-play system myself unfortunately, so can't vouch for any, but I personally find "ETA Prime" on YouTube one of the best content creators of reliable product reviews and tutorials, so I'd suggest having a look at some of his videos and suggestions, and as a last resort, go with one of his recommendations if you can't find anyone who personally has one. There are sooo many options out there, a lot will depend on your budget, and what it is you want to emulate.

 

[davep]

Really need to get a second monitor on the go.

You mean third right...