I have a similar grid like you, just some pc less powerful (8087, 286, 386sx) just for collection, i use always the DX2. The only think is that i have a PII/PIII (i can install every Slot1 between PII233 to PIII600) then i jump directly to pentium4 (i can install from 1,3 ghz to 2,4 ghz)

Most of mine are built “period correct” for a certain year for collection purposes, with the exception of the PIII 1400 which I built just to “max out” the Voodoo5. Just the time has come to slim it down I think.

In theory I’d be covered with the Amiga, AT Pentium and the Voodoo2 SLI + the V5 in a slot 1 system, and switch between the PII and the PIII as needed…. But I’m not sure if I could part with that many!!

If I were you...

#1 Amiga
As you said you wanted to keep it

#2, P200 MMX
Again as you said you prefer it and really 33Mhz isn't going to make much difference and will cover dos gaming nicely. You may run into issues with speed sensitive games or maybe not. I'm guessing you know if you have any.

#3, P3 700
Assuming this is a Slot 1 with ISA slot? in which case makes for a powerful dos machine if needed and likewise should cover just about all 9x games.
I'm not aware of any games that need a P2 400 over a P3, where as plenty of games will run better on the P3.
I'd go with the V2 SLI in this build because it's cool and can add a strong D3D card as well.

#4 P3 1400
Not strictly necessary but always nice to have a more powerful 9x box, with the V5

That seems like a sensible plan cheers for the reply - could of course swap the 200 and the 233 CPU around.

I think the Amiga covers most of the games I want to play that would be speed sensitive and there is the option to slow down the Pentium as a backup.

The PII was used to make it a “1998” build, no other reason so the idea for the P3 700 makes a lot of sense - at the moment it’s an S370 with ISA. Could maybe try and find a Geforce2 or 3 to go in there?

S370 with ISA is even better as you can go faster if you want/need. I also agree GF2 or above is a good choice

I do most my 9x gaming on a P3 600 with a GF2 MX and V2 SLI, GTA3 is the first game I run on newer hardware (In my case a LGA775 XP build)

Thanks, all sounds good!

Shame to be selling any of it on really but needs must ☹️

I’ll probably end up with something similar to the following unless anyone has any further advice?

Amiga 1200, 68030 50MHz
Pentium 233, AT board, S3 ViRGE + Voodoo1, ESS Audiodrive, Win95 (or maybe 98lite)
PIII 700, 440BX either S370 or slotket, Geforce2 + Voodoo2 SLI (or Voodoo3), AD1816, Win98
PIII 1400, 815 board, Voodoo5, SB Live, WinMe

I think that sounds like a sensible spread. Hope you don't regret getting rid of these systems later though. It will cost more to re-obtain I expect.

By the way, I have the opposite problem... I am trying to cover a wide spread of GPUs in 10 systems:

ISA Trident 8900C
S3 Verge + Voodoo 1
Voodoo 2 + Riva 128
Voodoo 2 SLI + TNT 2
Voodoo 3500
Geforce 2
Geforce 4600
Geforce 5900 Ultra
Geforce 6800
Geforce 8800 GTS

AD1816 is a good card for dos builds on PCI only systems but a bit basic for my tastes in what will mainly be a Win9x gaming PC.

I'd either choose a SB Live, Audigy, Audigy2 for EAX support or if you want something different a Vortex 2 and that way you have EAX covered in the faster P3 and A3D 2.0 covered in the 700.
For dos you could either use the Creative/Vortex dos drivers or even better have an additional ISA sound card.

Other than that though looks good to me!
If possible I'd also hold onto the other computers for a little bit for a cooling off period Just in case you find you would prefer to swap out a bit of hardware or even an entire PC.

@britain4

Have you checket a solution like me for saving space?

Well this thread is doing a good job of making me think twice about getting rid of anything 😂

I may be tempted to configure my “main” systems as above and store the rest of the parts considering that I probably wouldn’t realistically be able to obtain many of them again.

chinny22 wrote on 2024-12-12, 22:41:

I'd either choose a SB Live, Audigy, Audigy2 for EAX support or if you want something different a Vortex 2 and that way you have EAX covered in the faster P3 and A3D 2.0 covered in the 700.
For dos you could either use the Creative/Vortex dos drivers or even better have an additional ISA sound card.

Good point on the AD1816, it’s in a Terratec Base 1 and although a budget card I’m really fond of it in DOS. I use it with a Dreamblaster X2GS. However that machine is definitely moving towards a Win9x only setup now so I’ll take a look at some of the options you mentioned.

AlessandroB wrote on 2024-12-13, 04:38:

@britain4

Have you checket a solution like me for saving space?

I’d definitely like to look into something like that for the future yes!

britain4 wrote on 2024-12-13, 16:51:

I’d definitely like to look into something like that for the future yes!

Possibly cheaper to make something out of wood rather than a server rack. I am making mine out of plywood. Not finished yet, but there's room for 8 retro PCs in it, plus a 12 bay NAS on top and
my Pocket 8088 will sit on pull out keyboard tray:

PCs are numbered in order of increasing performance. Once I have put components in the cases anyway. 5 are empty currently.

(1) is due to be a Psuedo 386 made from a pentium MMX running at 100Mhz with 8mb EDO RAM and ISA video card and caches disabled.

Through to (8) which will be a Core 2 Quad QX9650 with two 8800 GTS 512 in SLI

The keyboard tray will have better cable management later, and will be painted properly later...

britain4 wrote on 2024-12-13, 16:51:

Well this thread is doing a good job of making me think twice about getting rid of anything 😂

Members of this forum are good at that 😉

This was the setup at my last house, Will be doing something similar at my new place but without the CRT sadly

3 screens, with their VGA input attached to separate 4 port KVM's.
The DP and DVI ports went direct into select computers as a 2nd screen.

The "Rack" is just some pine shelving from IKEA

Worst thing was the cabling, it gets out of hand pretty quick

chinny22 wrote on 2024-12-16, 01:37:

Worst thing was the cabling, it gets out of hand pretty quick

Yeah, tell me about it. I am not quite sure how I am going to manage the cables. 16 port KVM and two 8 port audio mixers, and gameport connections to most of the PCs.

AlessandroB wrote on 2024-12-13, 04:38:

@britain4

Have you checket a solution like me for saving space?

That's not saving space, that's hoarding IBM's 🤣

And I really like it!

H3nrik V! wrote on 2024-12-17, 12:25:

AlessandroB wrote on 2024-12-13, 04:38:

@britain4

Have you checket a solution like me for saving space?

That's not saving space, that's hoarding IBM's 🤣

And I really like it!

There is just one for every cpu class of the Golden Era, from bottom to top: 286, 386, 486, Socket4, Socket7 (and 5), Slot1 (PentiumII/III/slocket), Pentium 4. I just miss the Socket 8 Pentium Pro, because is disappeared from the earth.

I can easely swap the CF with the s.o. between every PC instantly to try every game in different configurations: how is Doom in a 286 cpu? and on a PentiumII? And Pentium4? Fast and easy from the rear of my Rack

Love to see other people’s setups! Would love to create something like that someday. The KVM setup would be a dream.

For now, done some reconfiguring based on the advice from here 😀

After a LOT of trial and error mainly with sound cards my “main” two systems now:

P200, Terratec Promedia Base 1 (AD1816) + DreamBlaster X2GS, SIS 530 integrated graphics + Voodoo1 (mostly for DOS, plus early Windows)

PIII 933, SB Live! (SC-55 soundfont in Windows, 8mb ECW set for DOS), Voodoo3 3000 (Win9x era with surprisingly good DOS capabilities as well)

Then the 486, P233 and P1400 from my first post. All running 98SE apart from the 486 which is on 3.1.

The 486 and P1400 Voodoo5 system I’ll keep for the “collection” but not sure what to do with the P233 system yet… maybe a build to try and recreate my first PC (which was at the very lowest budget end at the time)

I’ve done a bit of reshuffling and think I’ve now decided on a setup… I wanted to try and cover up to ‘04-05 and thought I could make better use of the V5. I built the P1400S Tualatin system as a “showcase” for it but it really never got used.

I’ve set up the 486DX2 as a Win3.1 machine and am currently restoring it (changing some bad caps, new power switch as the current one is extremely dodgy, switched to a 1Gb CF card for ease of file transfers as I normally use USB sticks). Not sure if to sell it or keep it when it’s done.

The other AT machine is now my “regular” DOS one and has the Pentium 233 in it, 128mb ram, Rage Pro, Terratec ISA card, Dreamblaster X2GS and a Voodoo1

The PIII 933 now has the Voodoo5 in it, 256mb RAM and an SB Audigy

The PIII 1400 I’m upgrading to 512Mb RAM and an Audigy 2ZS and currently looking for a newer video card for it. Aiming to overclock and cover up to mid-00s with it as I’m not much interested in the P4 era or anything AMD.

Means I have several Voodoo cards now without homes (a V1, V2 SLI pair and V3 3000) and I don’t want to just shove them in storage so I think either display or try and bring myself to part with them as I could do with the funds!