Electronics Engineer & Retro Tech Obsessive

Real tests.
No fluff.
25 years in.

I'm Mark Baxman. I've owned nearly every home computer and games console ever made, starting with a Sinclair ZX81. This site is where I share everything I've learned — FPGA consoles, mini PCs for emulation, retro gadgets, and electronics tools. Hands-on, first-person, no PR samples.

FPGA Consoles Emulation Retro Gadgets Electronics Tools

Explore the lab

// lab_status.log

Years in Electronics 25 yrs

Consoles Owned 100+

Articles Published 110+

First Computer ZX81

Affiliate Bias NONE

Every recommendation is based on gear I've personally tested. When I say avoid something, it's because I've made that mistake.

What we cover

Four things I know better than most

Pick your interest and I'll point you straight to the best content and the gear worth buying.

🕹️

FPGA & Retro Consoles

The closest you'll get to playing on original silicon — without the hardware dying on you. I've tested MiSTer, Analogue consoles, and everything between.

Shop FPGA consoles on Amazon →

💻

Mini PCs & Emulation

Small boxes. Enormous game libraries. I've built and tested SBCs and mini PCs for PS2, GameCube, N64 and beyond — so you don't waste money on the wrong one.

Shop mini PCs on Amazon →

⏰

Retro Gadgets & Clocks

The gear that makes a desk look like it belongs in a different era. Flip clocks, gravity clocks, retro cameras, and genuinely weird stuff I actually own.

Shop retro gadgets on Amazon →

🔧

Electronics Tools

25 years of bench work means I've tried nearly every multimeter, power supply, and soldering station going. These are the tools I actually reach for.

Shop electronics tools on Amazon →

MB ENGINEER

Mark Baxman

Electronics Engineer

About

This isn't a content farm.
It's one person's obsession.

I've worked in electronics for 25 years and at various points I've owned nearly every home computer and games console you can think of. It started with a Sinclair ZX81 and honestly, it never really stopped.

Every recommendation on this site is based on gear I've personally tested or owned. When I say something is worth buying, it's because I'd buy it again. When I say avoid something, it's because I've made that mistake so you don't have to.

Years in Electronics

100+

Consoles Owned

1981

First Computer

Fresh from the bench

Latest from the lab

All articles →

Displays

Sony Trinitron vs JVC D-Series for Retro Gaming: The Engineering Reality Behind Picture Quality

Sony Trinitron or JVC D-Series for retro gaming? How aperture grille and slot mask tubes really differ, which inputs matter, how they age, and how to check a used CRT.

25 Oct 2026 Read →

Nintendo

Best GameCube HDMI Adapters (2026): Carby vs Kaico vs Prism vs EON

Which GameCube HDMI adapter should you buy? We compare the Carby, Kaico/BitFunx, Retro-Bit Prism HD and EON GCHD Mk-II, explain why you need a DOL-001 console, and cover options for DOL-101 owners.

25 Oct 2026 Read →

Uncategorized