The easiest way to create a retro console is to take a Raspberry Pi 4, place it in a compatible case and load a custom distro, but there are two details: everyone has already done that, and the Raspberry doesn't have the firepower needed to emulate certain consoles. With that in mind, Zac from the channel Zac Builds decided to build the second version of his Everything Console, based on a laptop with an Intel Core i7, plenty of wood, and the exact amount of acrylic.
Emulation is going through one of its best moments. From the Atari 2600 to the PlayStation 3, including complex consoles like the original Xbox and MS-DOS itself (courtesy of DOSBox), all those classic systems are within our reach. The best part is that emulators have gained a lot of performance, and we are not forced to use a GeForce RTX 3090 to get a good framerate.
For example, Zac from Zac Builds decided to create the second version of his Everything Console using the guts of an Asus ROG GL753VE laptop that was going to be recycled. Its processor is an Intel Core i7-7700HQ, and the graphics card is no more than a GeForce GTX 1050 Ti in this model. However, instead of placing the laptop on a stand and forgetting the rest, Zac built a fabulous custom case in wood and acrylic.
Everything Console Mk2: A Retro Console with a Fabulous Design
Anticipating the comments… no, not everyone has access to the tools that Zac uses here. His CNC system for cutting wood and acrylic is truly impressive, and I don't want to imagine its cost, but the great advantage of DIY projects is that we don't have to follow them to the letter. You can use almost anything as a case for the laptop motherboard, as long as the HDMI port, the charger connector and the USB ports are exposed.
The hardware received several adjustments: Zac replaced the original SSD with a larger capacity one, changed the WiFi module (he did the same with the antennas), and added RAM to take advantage of dual channel. The most complicated part was rebuilding the power button: This Asus ROG model has its power on the keyboard, so Zac had to connect two cables on the correct pins (extremely small and thin) to form the correct bridge.
The final result is extraordinary, and Zac reminds us that at the end of the day, his retro console is still a normal computer. That means that besides emulating many consoles, it can also run Windows-compatible titles, although not necessarily the latest triple A (that Core i7 is a quad-core, and the 1050 Ti does what it can). Anyway, I would love to have something like that next to the TV. What do you think?
