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Retro PC Upgrades: RAM, Sound, Graphics and CRTs

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Quick version: Check the motherboard first, then add the right RAM, a Sound Blaster-compatible sound card, a graphics card from the same era and, if you want the real look, a CRT monitor. Buy used, and check every part before you power it on.

Fun fact: The first Sound Blaster (1989) could play the same FM music as the AdLib card that games already supported, which is a big reason it became the default.

Choosing a whole PC first? See our DOS PCs guide.

Check the board first

Old motherboards often have a rechargeable barrel battery for the clock and settings. These commonly leak and corrode the board. Look before you switch on, and remove a leaking battery.

Also check the power supply and look for bulging capacitors.

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RAM

Many 386 and 486 PCs take 30-pin SIMMs. A 486 needs four of them per memory bank, or one 72-pin SIMM where the board has 72-pin slots.
Pentium PCs take 72-pin SIMMs in pairs (or early DIMMs on later boards).
The board's manual tells you which sizes and speeds it accepts.

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Sound: Sound Blaster

Most DOS games support Sound Blaster, so a Sound Blaster or a true compatible is the safe choice.

Sound Blaster Pro 2 and Sound Blaster 16 (1992) are common, simple picks.
AWE32 and AWE64 add better MIDI music in games that support it.
Many later Sound Blaster 16 cards, especially later ViBRA16-based ones, use Creative's CQM instead of the Yamaha OPL3 chip, so FM music sounds different. Check the chip in the listing photos.
Use drivers from the original disks or the card's maker. We don't link driver download sites.

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Graphics cards

For DOS: a 2D VGA card that fits your board's slots (ISA, VLB or PCI).
For early 3D: the first 3dfx Voodoo cards (Voodoo Graphics from 1996, and Voodoo2) only handle 3D, so you need a 2D card alongside one. Later Voodoo3 cards do both.

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CRT monitors

CRTs are heavy, so many are collection only. Test one before you pay if you can.

Safety: Never open a CRT. The inside runs at many thousands of volts, and parts can still hold a charge after it is switched off.

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