Original Hardware
Nothing defines nostalgia better than working with the original hardware. First of all, there's the power switch which starts off the fans, motor mechanisms of the disk drives, the sounds were a great way to let the user know that everything was operating well or a nuisance to your parents if that computer was in the common area of the home.
Other than the experiencing the sounds, because these can be emulated too but it's the CRT, or the bright phosphor of the text file or ready prompt. Perhaps it's the cycle perfect border effects on some software demo.
These are among some of the benefits but there are some caveats too:
- Cost due to rarity or hard-to-find components.
- Failing electronics can make a rare find worthless unless a problem can be fixed.
- Failing components can be dangerous or damage a system further.
- Aging media can be difficult or impossible to find.
- It's possible to find new floppy disks from old stock but these aren't cheap.
- Due to failing hardware peripherals or media, it may be necessary to purchase adapters which can also become costly due to demand.
These and other reasons can deter collectors, keep this in mind if you wish to go that route.
Emulation
Emulation isn't perfect, in fact, some things may not run properly due to old copy protection schemes, imperfect processor emulation, or inaccurate hardware emulation.
The legality of ROMs or computer software can make certain applications difficult or impossible to find. The lack of manuals are often enough to make some games or applications unusable.
Depending on the emulated machine, there are usually large communities of user groups available through social media like Discord, Reddit, or even Facebook (Meta).