Modding

Modders are always looking for ways to improve old hardware while preserving its soul. A new hardware mod has pushed the original 1994 PlayStation well past its factory spec, expanding system RAM from 2MB to 16MB. The project comes from modder TunerTom, working with the PSX.dev Discord community, and was demonstrated on video by Tito Perez of Macho Nacho Productions.

The mod isn't adding new capability so much as unlocking something that was already there. The upgrade activates memory support that Sony originally built for its arcade hardware but never enabled on retail consoles. TunerTom reportedly studied those arcade boards, which used two 8MB memory banks, and found the PS1's CPU could address the same configuration.

The install itself, however, is far from simple. The console detects the upgrade as two separate 8MB banks, and getting there means replacing the four factory 512KB EDO DRAM chips with eight 2MB chips pulled from old PC memory modules. Four chips go in normally, while the other four are stacked on top of them, with custom wiring and trace cuts needed to route the signals correctly.

Windows 11 has some pretty strict hardware requirements that have made it difficult for many to upgrade from Windows 10. TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, and a relatively modern CPU are among them, and Microsoft has been firm about them. But a modder going by "Omores" has now decided to call that bluff, getting Windows 11 running on a platform from the early 2000s powered by DDR1 memory.

The system is built around an ASRock ConRoe865PE motherboard with an Intel i865PE chipset, a board regarded as something of a legend among hardware collectors for bridging generations. It allowed users to run Intel Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad processors while keeping DDR1 memory and AGP graphics. Omores took advantage of exactly that flexibility, pairing the board with an Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600, a 65nm quad-core CPU that gives the platform enough grunt to be genuinely usable.

The GPU situation required the most work. The system uses an ATI Radeon HD 4650 AGP graphics card, and getting AGP acceleration working on Windows 11 meant hunting down Windows 7 64-bit ATI drivers from 2012 and forcing them onto the system with a custom INF file. The effort paid off, with AGP 8X fully functional and H.264 hardware decoding active. The system also boots from a Toshiba SATA SSD.

Okay, as far as custom PCs and mods go, this one from creator modifiedgg is a little out there because it puts a gaming PC and full racing rig inside an actual 1998 Nissan Skyline R34 GTT. Yes, this classic Japanese automobile is renowned for its stylish design and performance and is featured in the latest open-world racing hit, Forza Horizon 6, which is set in Japan.

So yeah, on paper, an ambitious mod and build like this, highlighted by NVIDIA as part of its GeForce Garage build series, makes sense as a Forza Horizon 6 custom PC, but it's still incredibly over-the-top. For example, the actual PC hardware is mounted under the hood in a chassis designed to resemble the 1998 Nissan Skyline R34 GTT engine it replaces.

And that's not all, as you've got premium Moza Racing sim peripherals mounted inside the Skyline, replacing the existing steering wheel and so forth, with multiple AOC monitors, including a super ultrawide display mounted in place of the front windscreen and left and right-side passenger windows.

Last month, security engineer and modder Andy Nguyen (@theflow0 on X) began experimenting with running Linux on the PS5 and successfully ran Grand Theft Auto V: Enhanced Edition on his console under Ubuntu. Since then, Andy has been testing and refining the project privately and has now released PS5-Linux on GitHub, allowing users to turn their console into a functional Linux gaming PC.

According to the official GitHub notes, PS5-Linux uses a patched hypervisor vulnerability to unlock the console's hardware. Once installed, the console acts like a desktop PC with 8 CPU cores running at 3.5 GHz and a GPU clocked at 2.23 GHz. It also supports 4K at 60Hz over HDMI, audio output, and runs Steam games and emulators smoothly.

The tool currently works only with PS5 Phat models on specific firmware versions. Firmware versions 3.00, 3.10, 3.20, and 3.21 are supported without M.2, while 4.00, 4.02, 4.03, 4.50, and 4.51 are supported with M.2. Support for older firmware versions might be added later, but it is not a priority. Firmware 5.xx is also under consideration, but may not perform as well, as Ubuntu would have to run in the GameOS virtual machine rather than have full hardware access.

YouTube creator PhasedTech, who previously modded an Xbox One S console, transforming it into an entry-level PC with a working disc drive and GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card, is back. This time, he's modding the larger Xbox Series X console into a fully functional desktop gaming PC with a working disc drive and a beefier GeForce RTX 5060 graphics card.

Although the tower-like chassis of the Xbox Series X resembles some compact PC cases, it's still not large enough to house a mini-ITX motherboard and build a relatively standard compact gaming PC. Instead, PhasedTech sourced an Intel NUC with a Core i7 12700 processor, 32GB of DDR4 memory, and 1TB of NVMe storage to serve as the PC hardware.

From there, combining that with a low-profile GeForce RTX 5060 (specifically this GIGABYTE model) on a base board with custom 3D-printed parts, brackets, and other bits, we see the Xbox Series X transform into a gaming PC.

Capcom's critically acclaimed Resident Evil Requiem has been one of the biggest game releases of the year, and on PC, it has launched in a state that is so polished that it hasn't needed any sort of post-launch updates, hot fixes, or anything, thanks to its rock-solid performance on a wide range of hardware. And to celebrate the launch, modder Czuga has collaborated with Capcom and NVIDIA to create a special custom one-of-a-kind PC.

Essentially, it's Resident Evil Requiem's ruined Raccoon City police station in the form of a gaming PC. Czuga actually received the location's 3D data and designs directly from Capcom and then transformed them into a custom PC using Blender. From there, all the components were 3D printed, hand-painted, and then hand-assembled into the impressive creation you see here.

And yes, sitting in the center of the ruins is a vertically mounted GeForce RTX 5080 Founders Edition. Other designs touched include green biohazard-inspired lighting for the fans and the CPU cooler. You can check out the build-making process below, in a shot timelapse video showcasing the assembly, painting, and installation of hardware.

Chinese-based tech enthusiast 小宁子 XNZ has put together something pretty impressive, a custom mod that combines the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch 2 into a single console. With the fun 'Ningtendo PXBOX 5' name, this impressive mod project blends modern 3D printing with traditional wax-casting techniques to create a remarkable system that cools all three consoles with a single triangular cooler.

The Apple Mac Pro also served as an inspiration for the design, as its cylindrical shape and blend of multiple components provided a strong foundation for arranging all three consoles in a single case. Another aspect of this mod that makes it impressive is that all three consoles draw power from a single source, and with the low-power standby options on the PS5 and Xbox Series X, switching back and forth takes only a couple of seconds.

Inside the unit, all three PCBs are attached to one side of a triangle, with Switch 2 using a custom dock to connect and even eject the console. The entertaining video on the whole process is worth a watch, as you get to see a few different failed attempts and just how they managed to create an aluminum cast as a low-cost alternative to ordering a custom CNC-machined cooler.

TINY PS5 Redux is a DIY solution that transforms a large and bulky PlayStation 5 console into a slim and compact device resembling a mini PC. Covering both the launch edition and the slimline redesign, TINY PS5 Redux is a comprehensive mod that includes guides, diagrams, 3D printer files, and detailed instructions on how to assemble your own compact PS5.

Created by Not From Concentrate (NFC), you can watch a detailed breakdown of the creation of the TINY PS5 Redux in the video below. The project wasn't undertaken to make the PS5 console smaller in size, but also to improve cooling and enhance features like WiFi and Bluetooth performance. Compared to the original TINY PS5, the Redux edition is larger, but also more premium and stylish in its overall design.

The cooling is definitely one of the more impressive aspects of the mod, as it incorporates an Alpenföhn Black Ridge CPU cooler with two slim 120mm Noctua fans, along with a heatsink panel that enhances airflow through a push-and-pull system. Cold air is pulled through the back of the system, with three additional 60mm slim Noctua fans exhausting the heat through the side of the unit.

Cooler Master's annual Case Mod World Series 2024 has wrapped, and the winners are impressive, surprising, and outlandish. They showcase the incredible talent possessed by modders in creating custom PC cases.

The competition covered two categories: Scratch Build of the Year, which is all about custom case mods created from the ground up, and Tower Mod of the Year, which sees competitors take existing Cooler Master cases and let their creativity, skill, and imagination run wild.

The Scratch Build winner, "Taiwan Five Timber" by Kuan-Sheng Wu from GsStudio, is a custom build inspired by Taiwan's cultural heritage and incorporates five types of locally sourced timber. It's an impressive-looking build, though we have a soft spot for the runner-up build called "ED-209." Inspired by the classic 1980s film RoboCop, it brings the menacing OCP robot to life with impressive detail.

The Nintendo Switch is undeniably a juggernaut, one of the most successful consoles ever. However, before the Switch's meteoric rise, Nintendo's most successful home console was 2006's Wii - which introduced the world to motion controls as the primary way to interact with a game.

On YouTube, Gaming enthusiast Tech By Matt has posted a deep dive into his latest creation, turning an original Nintendo Wii console into a gaming PC. One that is powerful enough to (ironically) emulate and play Nintendo Switch games like Super Mario Odyssey at a playable frame rate.

For those with a Nintendo Wii, you might recall that it was a pretty small console - too small to fit an ITX motherboard. So Matt decided instead to use the components from a mini PC - the Minisforum UM773 Lite with a Ryzen 7 7735HS APU. The best part is that the original power button turns on the PC, and the GameCube ports still work when you plug in the original GameCube controllers.

'Environment Textures Overhaul' is a new mod for Cyberpunk 2077 that replaces lower-quality textures found throughout the game's vibrant open-world Night City with new high-resolution versions that not only match the look and feel of the originals but are also optimized for ray-tracing.

Available in 4K and 2K variants, the mod pack includes around 170 new textures for road and wall surfaces and works with the popular HD Reworked Project mod. The 'Environment Textures Overhaul' mod does not impact performance; it simply requires more VRAM. It's worth installing and checking out if you're already running the game with high or ultra-equivalent PC settings.

Created by 'nigeez' and available to download on NexusMods, the 2K version weighs around 500 MB, with the 4K textures at around 650 MB, so it's not a hefty download. As a low-impact mod, it doesn't change the actual gameplay; it simply gives the world a little more detail while making everything look crisper. Here are a few side-by-side examples.

NVIDIA's RTX Remix was released into Open Beta this month, giving PC modders some incredibly easy-to-use and powerful tools to remaster and essentially remake classic games with the help of AI and RTX technologies like DLSS and ray-tracing. With the ability to add path tracing to older games (something NVIDIA showcased with its Portal RTX remaster), the result can be like looking at a brand-new game.

However, this level of ray-tracing is incredibly taxing on GPU hardware - to the point where some of the playing certain RTX Remix mods at high resolutions might be limited to graphics cards like the GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER and GeForce RTX 4090.

Take this example of Rockstar's iconic Grand Theft Auto San Andreas, given the RTX Remix treatment.

Even though it's about to be replaced by the upcoming GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER (yeah, it's a mouthful), the current GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is still a beast of a GPU - able to deliver faster than GeForce RTX 3090 performance. A high-end GPU that often ships with over-the-top triple-fan triple-slot cooling designs - on account of its performance.

What if you could fit a GeForce RTX 4070 Ti (a capable 4K gaming card) inside a Small Form Factor (SFF) PC? It's not an out-of-this-world idea because of how power efficient the Ada Lovelace generation of GPUs has been - the lower the power draw, the lower the heat generated.

And so this mod over on Reddit is impressive. It takes the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti and puts in a single-fan and dual-slot shroud, which makes the 173mm long and 14.5mm thick dimensions small enough to fit inside even the tiniest PC gaming builds.

Valve has issued two DMCA takedowns and brought the hammer down on two popular mod projects in what's widely regarded as a surprise move for the developer, publisher, and Steam platform owner.

Portal 64, a project that ports Valve's iconic first-person puzzle game to an unlike source - the Nintendo 64 - is one, and Team Fortress: Source 2, which updates the classic shooter with the newer Source 2 engine, is the other.

We previously reported on Portal 64, the ambitious and impressive project from programmer James Lambert. Considering the age of N64 hardware, the fact that it works at all is incredible - with the most recent update to the project confirming that a large portion of the game was complete and up and running.

Recently, Sony released its PlayStation 5 refresh in the form of the new PS5 Slim, which presents a similar shape to the launch model but in a size with 30% less volume and a detachable disc drive. The latter was a smart move because it means those who opt for a purely digital PS5 Slim model can get a disc drive at a later date.

Compared to previous console refreshes, the PlayStation 5 Slim is a little underwhelming, but it does feature a more efficient 6nm chip and a smaller motherboard. Enter YouTube channel Not From Concentrate, who took it upon themselves to design a working PlayStation 5 Tiny - which not only drastically reduces the PS5's physical footprint compared to the launch model, but presents the console in an entirely new way.

The PlayStation 5 Slim from Sony offered a 30% reduction in volume/size, but the custom PlayStation 5 Tiny takes this to over 60%. The design follows the white and black aesthetic of the console, albeit in a form factor that looks more like a mini PC than a console.

The original Doom from id Software broke new ground in 1993 and helped usher in a new style of PC game, the first-person shooter. Back then, the 3D visuals (with 2D sprites), action, and music were all cutting-edge - but not so much in 2023. As one of the most iconic games of all time and most versatile in engine and optimization, it means that in recent years we've seen Doom running on household appliances alongside consoles like the Nintendo Switch.

The answer to the question, 'Can it run Doom?' is often a yes, and now we can add a keyboard keycap to the growing number of strange objects that can play id Software's classic. Of course, hardware is involved - it's not a magic keycap - with the keyboard component in question housing a tiny custom PCB and the Raspberry Pi RP2040 microprocessor sealed in resin.

This very cool mod was created by Bob from TheKeebProject, using an existing Doom port for the Raspberry Pi RP2040 created by Graham Sanderson with modifications to support the very tiny display. What's remarkable is that you can clearly make out all of the action, and it's fully playable.

The idea of putting a high-end gaming PC underwater is a fairly out-there idea, but being able to use a natural body of water to cool a GeForce RTX 4090 and Intel Core i9 13900K is something we didn't know we had to see. Thanks to the YouTube channel DIY Perks, the idea of building a submersible gaming PC was realized through a series of smart design choices. And it looks stylish, too, with some serious BioShock vibes.

Per the video, the GeForce RTX 4090 (a Zotac model) is paired with the high-end Intel CPU in a build contained within a water-tight acrylic cylinder. And there are no shortcuts; the build even includes three 4TB Crucial T700 SSDs for a whopping 12TB of storage and a high-end 1000W power supply.

With components under load drawing over 800W of power, using a water-tight acrylic cylinder makes you wonder exactly how this is being cooled. With a detailed breakdown of each component and the design process, we see the construction of a fully closed-loop water-cooled system attached to a copper frame that surrounds the PC - which is then cooled by a natural body of water.

NVIDIA and Blizzard have partnered with GeForce Garage collaborator Ron Lee Christianson to create a pretty amazing one-of-a-kind custom Diablo IV PC that doubles as a shrine to Lilith - Blessed Mother.

The Lilith bust here is hand-crafted using source files from Blizzard, with modifications and adjustments made to create the stunning sculpture. The base is awesome, too, with sculpted laval rocks featuring some neat LED lighting taken from artificial fireplaces. There's leather, wood, a custom frame, and so much that if you were to look at the mod head-on simply, you probably wouldn't even think that it was, in fact, a gaming PC.

Turn it around, though, and it's a different story, and it's here where you'll see the components and motherboard cleverly mounted and supported. And it has the hardware to match the formidable and imposing Lilith. Here's the breakdown.

KLEVV, the consumer brand of Essencore, was at Computex 2023 to showcase the latest in its storage and memory technology for PC gaming.

If you're unfamiliar with the KLEVV or Essencore name, all you need to know is that it's one of the world's top vendors of DRAM modules and NAND flash, so its gaming products come with the same focus on performance, stability, and quality.

Taking a stroll through the KLEVV (and Essencore) booth at Computex 2023, it was great to not only to see the new CRAS C950 PCIe Gen5x4 M.2 SSD (with funky aluminum heatsink) push sequential read speeds of up to 12000MB/s and the CRAS V RGB and BOLT V DDR5 gaming memory push speeds of up to 8600MT/s with capacities of up to 48GB - but that all of this hardware was put to good use, in awesome PC mods created by some talented artists and builders.

YouTube channel The Eric Experiment has documented how he built - from scratch - a tiny custom, fully functional 486 PC. Using actual parts, this is not a Raspberry Pi system emulating a classic MS-DOS PC; the video outlines a fascinating, cool, and brilliant journey to create a mini 486 PC. Here's a look at the final product sitting next to what an actual 486 PC looks like. And, yeah, like us, you're probably wondering how he fit all of that hardware in such a tiny space.

Hardware-wise, this is rocking an Intel DX4 100 with 32 MB of memory with sound and video compatible with old-school Windows 3.11, 95, and MS-DOS.

The short answer is that it wasn't easy, even with a four ISO-slot backplane, to stack all the cards and hardware in a compact space. From custom PCB designs and other hacks, it's a masterclass in modding.