First post, by starbond6
Might just get an open ended answer on this, but I've held on to all the computers that were in my family since the early days, and I'm wondering if necessary to keep all three if there's a chance for overlap in functionality, though you all might say 'keep them all!' 🤣
PC 1 is a 1994 Pentium 100 machine, with a 430LX or NX chipset made for Windows 95, but could run pure DOS, and win 3.1.. maybe Win 98? It has 32MB of dram (max 128), on a Premier PCI I mobo, plenty of ISA and PCI slots. No USB. Has ISA sounblaster and a PCI S3 2mb (up to 4mb) gpu. (Dell XPS P100C)
PC2 is a 1998 Pentium II 333mhz machine with a 440EX chipset, made for Windows 98, has 64MB ram(max 256), onboard XG/soundblaster, 2USB, one ISA and 2 PCI. onboard ATI Rage Pro 2mb graphics. on MU440EX motherboard. Could run pure dos, but seems like would be a waste of potential. (Packard Bell 607G)
PC 3 is a 2001 Pentum III 1GHZ (edit: this is the correct speed sorry) machine with an 810E chipset, made for Windows ME, has 256mb ram, lackluster ESS onboard audio with subpar dos support, all PCI, no AGP. Don't think it could handle XP. Dispite the subpar onboard graphics it could run those early 2000s 3D games a little better than the 98 machine. (except for ones that need shader support) (Compaq Presario 5107US)
I'm doing my best to recall all the pertinent information, but maybe the 95 and 98 machine ovelap, so I would only need to keep one? I'd love to keep them all but they just sit in the garage collecting dust until i bring them out once a year to see if they still work. Maybe a graphics card update on the 98 machine to give it that little boost in gaming? Or perhaps the 333mhz PII is too slow. AFAIK that's the higest speed allowed on that motherboard.