My Original Xbox Died – Succesfully Replaced It With A PC (Core i3) Running Linux Lakka ✅

RetroGaming On Linux (1) – Running Lakka on a Core i3, the DIY console

After years of faithful service my original Xbox gave up the ghost. It was a chipped device capable of playing imports and all regions as well as retrogaming & emulation.

I have successfully replaced it with a small form factor PC I obtained from Elise’s work for 30 euros including a 22″ monitor. I ended up getting three of these systems for my 3 monitor setup.

One of these systems sits in the living room as a media center PC and one is in use over at a friend’s place and the last one became my Linux Retro Gaming Box running Lakka.TV. Lakka is a small lightweight Linux distribution with RetroArch as the main UI that turns the system into a completely gamepad controlled do it yourself retro gaming system. No mouse and keyboard necessary for normal day to day operation. Just turn it on and operate it pretty much like you would a Playstation 3.

Dell OptiPlex 980, 4 GB RAM , 250 GB HD
Intel Core i3 550 / 3.2 GHz; dual core , 4 threads, 64 bit capable
Intel Q57 Express Chipset
Intel GMA 4500 Dynamic Video Memory Technology 5.0 Built-in graphics on displayport to HDMI (incl audio)

Logitech Wireless F710 controller (USB Dongle)
Grundig Wireless Mouse/Keyboard (USB Dongle) – not really needed

I recorded this video earlier in the week and the audio ended up being screwed up. I had no time to reshoot it so I ended up narrating over the first bit.

I show the system, the Lakka website and then I demonstrate in great detail the games and systems I have running on my little quiet Dell desktop that was never originally intended to play video-games but ends up doing the emulation side of things in a far superior way to the original XBOX. Sadly it doesn’t play my original Xbox Games. I have to divert those games (at lease the compatible ones) to the Xbox360 but I am seriously hoping XboxOne will end up being very compatible with the old games.

Lakka on this system does 60fps, vsync enabled retrogaming in a very consistent way for many of the supported platforms. Quite impressed I am with this software. Kudos to the creators.

Linux Gaming On a Budget!
I have a second similarly specced IBM Thinkstation running Ubuntu and RetroPi with a Geforce 210MX graphics card that is a little more capable but it needs a mouse and keyboard next to the same Logitech Wiresless F710 controller. I should try Android x86 5.x, 6.x or even 7.x on these PCs to see how that holds up.

I own all games shown here on there original media, I don’t condone piracy. To me emulation is about preservation and ease of use and saving wear and tear on the original systems. And a fascination about how these systems work and how to make
differences in architecture go away through software.

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