We upgrade our tech regularly—new iPhones, faster processors, graphics cards that can handle the latest games. Old hardware often gets resold or discarded. But many older devices remain surprisingly useful. Here are eight examples of vintage tech still holding its own.
Table of Contents
- Retro Computers Mining Bitcoin
- A Reliable Mechanic's Assistant Since the '80s
- Vintage Tech as a Bakery POS System
- Outdated Systems Managing Nuclear Arsenals
- Windows XP Powers Multi-Billion Dollar Aircraft Carrier
- Critical Airport Infrastructure Fails Due to Legacy Software
- Classic Hardware Used for Cutting-Edge Research
- Nostalgia Keeps Old Systems Alive
Retro Computers Mining Bitcoin
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One enthusiast showed a 1982 Commodore 64 could mine Bitcoin, albeit incredibly slowly—0.3 hashes per second. An RTX 3080 GPU, for comparison, manages 100 million hashes per second. Mining a single Bitcoin on the C64 would take roughly a billion years.
Another YouTuber, stacksmashing, mined Bitcoin with a 1989 Nintendo Game Boy, connected to the internet via a Raspberry Pi Pico. It achieved 0.8 hashes per second—faster than the C64, but still about 125 trillion times slower than modern ASIC miners. Mining one Bitcoin would take longer than the universe has existed.
A Reliable Mechanic's Assistant Since the '80s
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A Commodore 64C in Gdansk, Poland, has assisted mechanics for over 30 years. It survived a flood and still flawlessly calculates drive shaft measurements. This shows older technology can sometimes outlast its modern counterparts. With a 1 MHz CPU and 64 KB of memory, it runs custom software created by the business owner.
Vintage Tech as a Bakery POS System
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An Indiana bakery has used a Commodore 64 as its point-of-sale (POS) system since the 1980s. Affectionately nicknamed the "breadbox," it functions as a reliable online cash register. Unlike modern POS systems prone to software update issues, the C64 remains reliable, requiring only updated baked goods labels on the keyboard.
Outdated Systems Managing Nuclear Arsenals
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The United States manages part of its nuclear arsenal using a 1976 IBM computer with 8-inch floppy disks (around 80 KB of data). While modernization is planned, the current system remains due to its reliability.
Similarly, Germany's navy uses 8-inch floppy disks on its Brandenburg-class frigates. Built in the 1990s, these ships rely on this outdated technology. Upgrades involve floppy disk emulators, but the original system persists, perhaps due to nostalgia.
Windows XP Powers Multi-Billion Dollar Aircraft Carrier
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The British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, costing billions, runs on Windows XP (support ended in 2014). The Royal Navy assures necessary security measures are in place, but the reliance on outdated software is notable.
Britain's Vanguard-class submarines (Victorious, Vigilant, and Vengeance) also use Windows XP for intercontinental missile management. These systems are offline for security, with updates not planned until 2028.
Critical Airport Infrastructure Fails Due to Legacy Software
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In 2015, Paris Orly Airport experienced a failure when a computer running Windows 3.1 (1992) crashed. The DECOR software (providing pilots with weather data) stopped functioning, causing flight suspensions.
Classic Hardware Used for Cutting-Edge Research
Retro computers like the Commodore 64 are used in education to teach programming and simulate simple physics experiments. Their simplicity aids in understanding fundamental computing concepts.
Nostalgia Keeps Old Systems Alive
Many organizations retain legacy systems due to habit or nostalgia. Maintaining compatibility with existing workflows or avoiding costly upgrades contributes to the continued use of familiar tools.
These examples demonstrate the surprising resilience of outdated technology. From gaming consoles mining cryptocurrency to vintage computers guiding defense systems, legacy tech proves remarkably persistent. While upgrades will eventually replace them, these devices highlight the enduring value of simplicity and reliability.
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