Why Are Cellphone, Computer and Video Game Console Restoration Projects So Popular?

If you’re into tech and have been looking online, you might have come across a video of some old cellphone, computer or game console being repaired from a broken and ugly to a near-perfect state.

It’s a popular trend going around these days, and you’ll find a lot of content on it on YouTube and other social platforms.

The question is, why does this sort of content get so many views?

Nostalgia value

Restoration projects usually relate to technology from the past, and looking at systems and devices from years gone by brings a certain level of nostalgia. Everyone remembers their first phone or game system, and we all have fond memories with them. Some of us might still have those very devices lying in some obscure drawer in our house because we didn’t have the heart to throw it away.

Nostalgia is what keeps those old devices there, and it’s what prompts content of this sort to be created and viewed. Many of the content creators are themselves aficionados of the devices they repair. Repairing an old device for an audience that loves it brings a really heartwarming feeling to the viewers. It’s this emotion that generates more views, and in turn, more content.

Easy to repair

One of the most important things about repairing a device is how easy it is to restore it. Popular devices and systems often have a lot of units, parts and repair tutorials floating around; niche devices, not so much. However, since we’ve had a lot more advancements with technology in recent years, it’s become easier to repair and restore units from the past even with jerry rigging them.

Repairing an old game system will often require microchips, ICs, lasers, etc. that can be easily sourced from others just like it. If you have advanced alternatives, those can work too.

Managing these repairs is a lot easier, as well. Now that the repair industry has grown quite a lot, and we have more competent repair ticket management software to go around, managing and streamlining repairs is more convenient. 

Resale value

Most of the times, the devices that go through restoration and repairs are still viable for people in the market. For phones, they carry a certain unique charm to them (especially in today’s era where every phone has a standard form factor). For game systems, there are often collectors that would like to buy and preserve them.

Repairing and restoring old systems can help generate some income for those that do it if they put those systems and devices up for sale. Many phones from the past few years are still viable as daily drivers. Any further than that, and they can be considered collectors items.

For video game systems and computers, a lot of the games and programs that run on older generation hardware aren’t available on modern systems. Therefore, to preserve them, older systems can be refurbished and restored so that those games and programs are not lost to the history of time. Projects like the Video Game History Foundation aim to preserve and catalog video game systems and games for this very purpose.

Additionally, there’s been a lot of collectors that have cropped up over the years. They end up collecting systems and devices as a hobby, sometimes purchasing more than one in the process. Being able to restore an old system and provide them with it can turn a very nice profit, given that they are willing to pay handsomely.

Informative for DIY repairs

When people create content that focuses on repairs and restoration, they are indirectly also creating a guide on how to do those repairs as well. Lots of viewers end up doing their own repairs on devices that they have seen videos for.

This is great for a number of reasons. Through this content, many people learn how to repair devices that they have, and get a general feel for repairs in the process. It also helps them save money by doing the repairs themselves instead of taking it to a repair shop. Still others find it a good project to work on during their spare time, providing a nice little hobby to engage in, similar to woodworking.

The content created based on these restoration projects breathes new life into the repair community, bringing more people into the fold and teaching them how to work on repairs. It also allows them to make certain modifications to the devices in order to make them more appealing and suited to their tastes.

For these reasons, cellphone, computer and video game console restoration projects have been fairly popular with people as of late, and will continue being popular into the future.