Vintage Computer Collectors

Software engineer Josh Dersch, standing, shows a 1970s Xerox Alto computer he restored at the Vintage Computer Festival in Mountain View, Calif., Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026.

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As AI grips world, the thrill of collecting vintage computers is growing

As AI grips world, the thrill of collecting vintage computers is growing

As Silicon Valley invents the artificial-intelligence future, a growing community of hobbyists is preserving the classic computers that helped launch the digital revolution. These hardware enthusiasts collect and restore decades-old Atari, Commodore and IBM machines that are ancestors to today’s laptops, wearable devices and smartphones. Collectors spend countless hours repairing clunky, obsolete machines that most users ditched in the '80s. The community's passion was evident at the Vintage Computer Festival held in Silicon Valley in early August.