How Much Does it Cost to Build a Retro Games Arcade Cabinet?
Building a retro gaming arcade cabinet is a great ambition for many an avid retro gamer… At least it was for me. But before you even start on such a project it would be a good idea to have in mind what sort of costs you are looking at in order to complete the build. Buying a fully built arcade cabinet can run into the thousands.
So, how much does it cost to build a retro games arcade cabinet? As a ballpark range, you’re probably looking at as low as £200 for a basic setup, that can only play the older consoles, all the way up to as much £1000+ for a configuration which can handle the top end consoles such as the Sega Dreamcast and PS2. However this is quite a big question you are asking as there are many variables which can either increase or decrease the cost.
Now you need to decide which path is the right one for you. Do you just want to go down the cheap and cheerful road, where you are limited to the types of games you can play but you still have money to spend on the less important things like food and clothing? Or do you want to go all out and splurge all your hard earned cash on the ultimate arcade system that will impress your friends and earn you respect throughout the retro gaming community? The choice is yours, but if you want a little more guidance on which is the best path for you, continue reading.
What Costs Would I Need to Consider When Planning my Retro Gaming Arcade Build?
There are a number of elements that go into constructing a retro gaming arcade cabinet. Most of these you can compromise on to save money and many of them you may have hanging around in your loft or at the back of your garage. Here’s a list of the basic components you will need to consider when preparing to build your cabinet.
- Monitor
- Computer hardware & software
- Sound & lighting
- Controls
- Materials
- Tools
Obviously this is an essential part of your arcade box, but one where you have a multitude of choices in front of you. You could opt for a brand spanking new top of the range 8K monitor or if you’re feeling really retro you could dig out that old CRT television from the attic and extract the screen from there. I would personally avoid CRTs myself as they’re heavy, unreliable and can be quite a challenge to integrate, but hey, if you’re feeling nostalgic then go for it.
Again, this is a very essential part of kit for your arcade box (perhaps the most important part) and one that you need to put a great deal of thought into. Your decision here will determine which systems you will be able to play and potentially how many games you will be able to store. At the cheaper end you could simply opt for a Raspberry Pi to power your retro gaming needs, but what’s the point in taking up all that space just to have it contain a single board computer? In this case you have the privileged luxury of going for something more powerful like an old PC or better yet, a custom made one. With regards to software, this decision is normally made automatically when you choose your hardware.
How would you like your personal arcade experience to look and sound? Speakers are not that difficult or expensive to source so you are not likely to get too many headaches thinking about this aspect. The situation is similar with the lighting of your box and is more a question of your own imagination and abilities rather than one of your budget.
This aspect of your build should be directly related to the choice of hardware that you make. If you are aiming to play the more advanced consoles on your retro gaming machine then you will need to invest in controls that can accommodate such games. For example if you are looking to emulate Sega Dreamcast games, then you will need to install control features such as analogue joysticks and trigger buttons. On the other hand if you want to focus on MAME games, then a traditional six button setup along with a digital joystick is all that will be required. Another consideration you will need to make will be, how many players do you want to cater for? Generally this is likely to be two players; however those vivid memories of you and your friends crowding around a Turtles arcade box may be tempt you into increasing that number to four.
It is with materials that your options are quite limited but they still need to be considered nonetheless. Basically, the question is, what are you going to build your arcade cabinet out of and are you going to paint it? My immediate reaction would be to go with MDF (medium density fibreboard) for the outside shell, with good old two by fours for the support structure. An argument can be made for using plywood however I would not consider this as it’s heavier and more expensive. The main advantage of plywood is that it is harder wearing, so you may want to think about where you will be storing your machine when making this decision. Your other decision regarding materials is how do you want your arcade box to look? Do you plan to paint it and do you want to add artwork to any of the panels? All these little things help add to the cost so make your choices wisely.
I would hope that if you are making the commitment to building a retro arcade box then you would already possess a degree of woodwork knowledge and as such would already own at least a basic set of woodworking tools. Nevertheless, it would be arrogant to assume this is the case for everyone and it is only prudent that I add this consideration to the list.
Example of a Low-End Retro Gaming Arcade Configuration
So what is the cheapest way to configure your new retro gaming arcade box? The table below illustrates a classic example of a low-end retro gaming configuration. Where possible I have attempted to do this by sourcing second hand components in order to save costs, but it should in no way affect the performance of the machine. Obviously this is just one example and there are hundreds of different ways you can configure your cabinet. The choice is yours, but here are a few suggestions to get you started.
| Component | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Samsung S27A850D 27-Inch Monitor sourced second hand from eBay | £20 |
| Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ starter kit | £50 |
| Second hand PC speakers from ebay | £5 |
| 2-player arcade control kit | £30 |
| MDF boards and paint | £75 |
| Total cost | £180 |
Example of a High-End Retro Gaming Arcade Configuration
As with the low-end example, the high-end configuration table below is just one combination of many hundreds available to you. It’s just always useful to have an idea of what works best for those with deep pockets.
| Component | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Samsung S32F351 32-Inch HDMI LED Monitor | £250 |
| Custom built PC | £600 |
| Custom speakers and lighting | £100 |
| 4-player arcade control kit | £80 |
| MDF boards, paint and decals | £100 |
| Total cost | £1130 |
Related Questions
Do I need any woodworking skills to build a retro gaming arcade cabinet? I would recommend that you have at least a basic knowledge of woodworking skills before you attempt a project like this. If not to make the progress at efficient as possible, then to have the confidence that your newly built arcade box is not going to topple over on top of you during your first intense game of Street Fighter 2.
Do I need any coding skills to build a retro gaming arcade cabinet? The coding skills you will need for setting up your retro gaming software will only need to be basic. There are plenty of online tutorials available for any coding question you may have. You may even find yourself revisiting this site when you are searching for your solution.
How long will all this take? This will obviously depend on many factors such as your decisions on hardware, your own abilities as well as the types of tools available to you. A ballpark figure I would give would be 5 days of solid work… but don’t quote me on that.
How much room will I need? A full size arcade cabinet is a substantial piece of kit. Sure, when it’s fully constructed it doesn’t take up more than a few meters squared, however when it’s all in bits the surface area dramatically increases. This is not something you can throw together in the comfort of your bedroom. The tools needed and the mess they create make a dedicated space for this project a necessity. I would not be comfortable building something like this in a space any smaller than a single car garage.
