Everything '90s is back -- from Walkmans and cassettes to postgrunge rock. Gaming PC maker Maingear is getting on board the trend, selling a 1990s-inspired PC, the Retro98. The company says it even has a working Turbo button, though rather than changing the CPU frequency, it boosts cooling to maximum settings.
A turbo button was a popular addition to 1980s and 1990s computers that toggled their speed, allowing them to run older, slower games.
Despite its retro exterior, the new PC boasts cutting-edge specs, including Nvidia GeForce RTX 50x0 graphics cards, 1TB or 2TB NvMe SSD drives and Windows 11. The catch is that the company is only making 32 units starting at $2,499.
The company is producing four different models, with the model number indicating the Nvidia graphics card:
- $2,499 Retro98 5070 (Intel Core Ultra 7 265K)
- $3,499 Retro98 5080 (AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D)
- $4,999 Retro98 5090 (AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D)
- $9,799 Retro98α (AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D)
It could be argued that the overclock-adjacent Turbo button and the frankly awful beige color were what inspired the first wave of overclockers and modders. I was one of those people who couldn't understand why PCs weren't available in other colors.
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Although the limited number would seem to make these machines sell out quickly, as of Friday, when I reached out to Maingear, a spokesperson said they were still available.
Note that if you wanted to make one of these for yourself, then the beige-tastic Silverstone FLP02 case is available separately for $299.
Despite threats from handhelds and gaming laptops, desktop gaming is still alive and well. In the past month, I even built my kid a gaming desktop using the excellent Cooler Master Qube 500. With its garish green, pink and orange color scheme, that system is anything but beige.