DIY Game Console

To complement my Linux-based handhelds, I wanted a more powerful mini PC that could act as a gaming console for my TV.

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Hardware

I had extra RAM and drives and got a barebones M920 on Ebay.

ComponentSpecPrice
MotherboardLenovo M920 (board only)$75
CPUi7-8700T @ 2.40 GHz (6c/12t, 35W)$75
GPUGeForce RTX 3050 6GB Low Profile$200
PCIe RiserPCIe Adapter$15
RAM16 GB DDR4$0
Storage2 TB SSD$0
Total$365

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Software

Batocera

I use Batocera for the OS, same as on my handhelds.

SyncThing

Games, saves, & metadata all sync (using SyncThing) between the devices so I can play a game on the go and then pick it up on the couch with the big screen.

Bazzite

I have this setup to dual boot (Batocera off USB, Bazzite off a small internal drive). I thought Bazzite would be a better experience for playing Steam games. However I’ve had issues with the power configuration with the GPU I haven’t figured out yet.