There’s no shortage of ways for retro gaming enthusiasts to get their nostalgia fix these days, including PC emulators, mobile gaming apps, and plug-and-play consoles for TVs, but the Pocket 386 portable mini laptop stands out for its use of original hardware for an authentic retro feel.
The device, which (naturally) comes from China, comes from the makers of the similarly retro notebook, the Book 8086 (which runs Dos and Windows 3.0), and mirrors its specs but in a new form factor. It features a 40MHz 386 SX chip, 8MB of DRAM, a replaceable VGA card, and a design reminiscent of early-90s computers.
The Pocket 386’s 7-inch IPS LCD screen switches between 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios to suit different preferences, balancing modern and vintage display styles. The design has no trackpad; instead, arrow keys and specific function keys serve as mouse controls, adding to the retro charm.
Play the classics
Connectivity options such as PS/2 and VGA ports allow for peripherals such as trackball mice and CRT monitors, adding to the nostalgic experience. It ships with Windows 3.11, with an option to upgrade to Windows 95, allowing for a wider range of software.
The Pocket 386 is currently offered at a discounted price of $187 from the original $300 and is available in black and clear versions. It can be purchased from DZT’s Store on AliExpress. RetroTV1 Tech has even tested a number of retro games on it, like Doom, Wolfenstein 3-D and Commander Keen4, and you can see it in action in the video below.
In addition to retro gaming, the Pocket 386 is potentially versatile enough for a variety of computing tasks. It can be used for older business applications that require an outdated operating system, for programming, word processing, or as a portable device for running classic software utilities, although you may have to do some work to get the titles working.