Not really. On some 486 systems you can reasonably simulate a 386-33 or 386-40 speed by setting the FSB to 20 or 25 MHz.

Speed-throttling programs can be used to simulate a low-clocked 286, usually by disabling the 486's L1 cache.

It's all up to you, isn't it? Is there something specific that you, personally, want to run that is too slow on your 286 and too fast on your 486 (and that you just couldn't possibly bear to run in DOSBox) ?

If this isn't about running software and you just "won't be happy" until you have another box collecting dust in your cramped setup, then I guess you've just gotta do what you just gotta do..?

I don't have any programs or games specifically that run too fast on a 486 currently, but I worry about when the time comes. I guess I came here hoping you guys would talk me out of a 386, and by disabling caches and changing FSB settings that hopefully would be a good start if the 486 is too fast. The majority of the games I am fond of from growing up would be late 80's early 90's games. I got this retro bug about 2 years ago and at that point I only thought I wanted a 486, but I can see you can't stop with just one system unfortunately.

So when was the last time you used your 286?

Not only do you need a 386, you also need a 386SX. You can never have too many vintage PCs.

I got the 286 maybe a bit over two months ago so the novelty hasn't worn off yet. It is a pretty late model dell 286 with intergrated VGA and 6 30 pin simm slots. I really didn't realize how limited the 286 was with memory management until I started trying to get conventional memory nailed down.

Anonymous Coward wrote:

Not only do you need a 386, you also need a 386SX. You can never have too many vintage PCs.

What anonymous said. You can never have enough vintage PCs. I've got a 5' x 5' storage unit filled with towers and parts (all sorted of course.). I still have space for a little more. 😎

lowlytech wrote:

I got the 286 maybe a bit over two months ago so the novelty hasn't worn off yet.

Yes, but what have you actually used it for?

Are you already anticipating that you will not be using it once "the novelty has worn off"? If so, do you not expect a 386 will meet a very similar fate?

When I bought the 286, it was advertised as a 386, but I was good with it when I realized it. I just plan to run older titles on the machine and i do plan to use it regularly when time allows. What I am thinking of doing is getting a 386 mainboard, swapping out the board in my current 486 whitebox, and then purchasing an oem compaq or gateway 486. I think this would make me the happiest since my 486 has VLB slots, but the case won't allow me to install anything but ISA cards due to the form factor, but I have a tendency to overthink and overdo things and end up with way too much stuff for my space. Plus I don't have a good source for old parts living in rural oklahoma, ebay is my only option for the most part. Anyone giving away stuff that I can find local is all Socket 775 stuff.

Do you really need a 386? Its hard to give an opinion to that.. But if you have a first stage 486 - 25 / 33Mhz machine, most of the software for the 386 will also run on that 486 machine..

But a 486 - 25 / 33 Mhz machine would mostly be to slow for most 486 class software.. I know that 486 - 66mhz was really the sweet spot back then with a good VLB graphics card. Only the later 486 software could be have troubles on a 486-66mhz machine.. So a 486 25 /33mhz to swap out a 386 is the best thing to do... For faster software you still need a more faster 486 class system.. An 486 -100Mhz would do it mostly all.. Examples would like be Doom / Doom 2 and or GTA.

If you have the space, time, parts, money then absolutely 😀

A 386 is a cool little machine. It does have a limited range of games it can cover, with the turbo button it's also a good substitute for a 286 era machine.

A lot of games will run well, but later DOS games are simply too demanding, so that's something to keep in mind.

lowlytech wrote:

I just plan to run older titles on the machine and i do plan to use it regularly when time allows.

So why don't you put off buying a 386 until after you've actually used your 286 for a while, instead of piling up more stuff that you only "plan" to use? Perhaps you will find that the 286 completely satisfies any need you may otherwise have for a 386. Or perhaps your "plans" will fail, and you'll never end up using the 286 anyway.

I think this would make me the happiest since my 486 has VLB slots, but the case won't allow me to install anything but ISA cards due to the form factor

Do you already have a VLB card you want to use? Is there some specific reason your current ISA video card is not adequate? Would it not be much more feasible to find a case with an improved form factor?

but I have a tendency to overthink and overdo things and end up with way too much stuff for my space.

It is good to acknowledge one's limitations.

Do I really need a 386 when you already have a 286/486

Simply put... Yes, you do! 😁

So how many machines do you need in total to cover the entire history of DOS gaming?

One + DOSBOX 😉

Otherwise it's up to the individual and his preferences. I like at least one for every generation. Although I have many for every generation - not finished systems but in parts and I built what I need on the fly. If it wasn't for a space problem I'd have many finished systems ready to go. In the end I even don't play many games, just like to play with the hardware 😁

kixs wrote:

One + DOSBOX 😉

+1
Pentium MMX with L1 and L2 cache manipulations will cover most 386/486/Pentium ground quite well.
With more problematic games DOSBox does an excellent job.

Really need a 386? Hmmm!

I did. Because my collection is a project.
The goal of the project, is to have at least one of each CPU class. From 286 to Athlon. That is mid-80's to around 2000. Shure I can not have it all, so I have choosen only to focus on Intel and Amd. So to speak.

The goal is to have a collection that are showing the progress from the "nerd machine in the basement", to the families everyday everything Workstation.

A collection that tells a tale of history, so to speak.

EDIT:
For the record, I went for a 386sx33, of various reasons. One is that it is what I had, and another would be, that it is hard to get stuff older than 15/20 years were I live.
It was what I got to get, and I went for a build with that.

Not picky with such old hardware. Not picky with my 286 as well. It is an 8/10mhz (Turbo button is a BIOS setting) and it means more to me that I have a 286 and not that the 286 is a 8/10 mhz and not a 16mhz.
The collection did get those two CPU Classes never the less, so I am happy about what I got to get.

Before you buy anything, try hitting <Ctrl> <Alt> <-> all at once. On one of my 486 boards with an SiS 85C496/7 chipset, doing so will trigger the "deturbo" mode. (There's also a jumper that will do this.)

I am testing an Intel 486DX-33 on this board at this moment, and it returns a Speedsys score of 12.46.

When I use the "deturbo" combo, I get 8.65, which is somewhere between 386DX-33 and 386DX-40 speeds.

lowlytech wrote:

Plus I don't have a good source for old parts living in rural oklahoma, ebay is my only option for the most part.

Same issue where I live.
Keep an eye out for a 386 on eBay. Sometimes you can find one for less than what they're selling empty AT cases for on eBay, but that doesn't happen every day. It may take a few months before a good bargain comes along.

I don't know if you want to consider a faster 486. You might want to check whether the 486 you have can take a faster processor.