I long for the days when technology appeared inexpensive, plastic, and genuine.

      While I was switching between retro games on my Anbernic RG353V, I realized that I missed something unexpected: the appearance of inexpensive gadgets.

      I’m not referring to faulty tech or romanticizing the past when devices had leaking batteries and screens you could barely see. Rather, I mean gadgets that were straightforward. The controls were apparent. The plastic casing didn’t try to pass off as high-end. The ports were visible, not concealed within a sleek design. This simplicity is exactly why I chose this Game Boy Color revival.

      It may not earn design accolades, but it’s genuine, and it makes sense to me.

      When buttons still resembled buttons

      That kind of tangible clarity used to be commonplace. A Game Boy Color didn’t need to imply “interaction model.” It had a D-pad, face buttons, a cartridge slot, and seams that made it feel like a compact device designed for human hands. You could see it and instantly understand what needed to be pressed, opened, swapped, or connected.

      Modern devices often take the opposite approach. Phones became sleek glass rectangles. Earbuds morphed into tiny glossy shapes. Laptops turned into thin metal slabs with fewer ports and minimal tactile indications.

      To be fair, there are valid reasons for some of this: slimmer designs, cleaner appearances, improved durability, and better water resistance. However, they often appear costlier while feeling less user-friendly.

      Somewhere along the line, “premium” became synonymous with “conceal the gadget.”

      When clear plastic made technology feel alive

      Clear plastic still seems strangely radical for that reason. Those transparent shells from the ’90s were inexpensive, eye-catching, and totally unsubtle, but they allowed the internal components to be visible. You could see layers, screws, circuit boards, and quirky sci-fi elements. Even if the transparency was more superficial than functional, it gave the device a playful vibe rather than a sealed-off one.

      That desire hasn’t faded. Nowadays, transparency isn’t utilized to make phones and earbuds feel less anonymous. Playdate transforms a small yellow handheld and a crank into a distinct personality. CMF by Nothing embraces color, modular elements, and exposed controls. Apple’s colorful iMac revival seemed like a small breach in the dominance of silver and space gray.

      I don’t look at such products and think the past triumphed. I just believe many of today’s gadgets could benefit from being a bit more relaxed.

      When inexpensive meant understandable

      Cheap-looking technology wasn’t always deliberately charming. Sometimes it looked low-cost simply because it was. The plastic would creak, colors would fade, and hinges would loosen after enough use. Some products had the design confidence of a toy found at a pharmacy checkout.

      But that was part of their charm. They resembled tools, toys, and small machines instead of lifestyle accessories. They offered handles, slots, ridges, switches, and visual cues that encouraged you to use them. Modern tech often feels like it wants to belong in a showroom rather than a backpack.

      That’s what my Anbernic reminded me of. I don’t need every device to return to being transparent purple, though I wouldn't mind it. I just miss when technology didn’t feel like it was trying to impress in an upscale hotel lobby and instead embraced its nature as a gadget.