Link: https://old.reddit.com/r/SBCGaming/comments/1tf5gme/are_we_actually_pregolden_age/

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The original was posted on /r/sbcgaming by /u/achipinthesugar on 2026-05-16 21:01:32+00:00.

I’m 48 and a lifelong computer enthusiast and gamer. I’m sure this story is pretty normal around here, but I’ll outline it anyway.

Nothing really feels that “retro” to me, and I’m not so much driven by nostalgia as the desire to collect, maintain and play games on something that’s handy, functional and convenient.

Through my teens and 20s, I basically just kept all my games and hardware, occasionally dusting them off for a bit, but usually ending up retiring them to the attic because of space or input changes or something.

Then we had kids, game time became limited, I also had a few stints of WoW and other “only game” games… and ended up with a PS4 and Xbox Series S, and a feeling of “things aren’t like they used to be”.

Then I got a steam deck on a whim.

Well, you know what that did for me. My steam catalogue, emulation, etc. all available in the same place, running well, anywhere, on any screen.

Now I’m a couple of years into this truly beautiful new (but old) Library of Alexandria of gaming.

Finally, about a year ago, I picked up a Trimui Brick.

So. That’s where I am. Tetris on the go. JRPGs in a shirt pocket (still feels impossible to me). Arcade games on the TV. Games from any era at any time. These machines are truly beyond my wildest dreams.

BUT: I don’t want them all. I’m not a collector and I’m not a nostalgist. I find it frustrating when I see something like the RG Rotate and think “I’d love that, but the sound and battery aren’t quite there”, or “why can’t I charge my Brick with the steam deck charger in 2026?”

The AYN Thor winks at me every day, but I think… is something like that coming with PS3 and Fallout 4 capabilities next year?

Or… is this a weird and exciting bubble moment where handhelds tried cool form factors before descending into all being Android Vitas with cell service and paid licenses?

I can afford an AYN Thor or a retroid Pocket 6, but I can also wait. I’d like to wait even. My kids are small, my time is short.

So my question is… is THIS the golden age of emulation machines, soon to be locked down and normied out, and I should snap up any snapdragon machine that tickles my fancy today, OR is it still true that cooler things are always in the works and patience will grant me a stylish, durable, pocketable dual screen clamshell that plays PS4, streams to my TV in 4k, runs for 25 hours and cooks my dinner?