20 Gadgets That Felt High-Tech in the ’90s (But Were Useless Today)
These gadgets once felt futuristic, but now they collect dust, if you even still have them.
- Daisy Montero
- 4 min read
Back in the ’90s, having tech meant oversized camcorders, noisy printers, and remotes with way too many buttons. They felt impressive at the time, but most are now clunky relics of a weird world. This list takes a look at those so-called cutting-edge gadgets that just could not keep up.
1. Pagers
Florian Fuchs on Wikimedia Commons
Before smartphones, pagers were the go-to for instant communication. Doctors, business professionals, and even teenagers relied on these beeping devices to stay connected. Today, they’ve been replaced by instant messaging and mobile notifications.
2. Sony Walkman
Dillan Payne on Wikimedia Commons
The Walkman allowed music lovers to listen to their favorite tunes on the go. However, with the rise of MP3 players and streaming services, cassette players like the Walkman have become relics of the past.
3. PalmPilot
Letdorf on Wikimedia Commons
PalmPilots were among the first personal digital assistants, helping users manage contacts and calendars. Modern smartphones have since integrated and expanded upon these functions, rendering PDAs obsolete.
4. Floppy Disks
HombreDHojalata on Wikimedia Commons
Once essential for data storage and transfer, floppy disks offered limited capacity by today’s standards. USB drives and cloud storage have vastly surpassed their capabilities.
5. CRT Monitors
Fronteira on Wikimedia Commons
Cathode-ray tube monitors were standard before the advent of flat-screen LCDs. Their size and weight made them cumbersome, leading to their decline in favor of sleeker designs.
6. VHS Tapes
Jacek Halicki on Wikimedia Commons
VHS Tapes were the primary medium for home video viewing. The rise of DVDs, Blu-rays, and streaming platforms has made them nostalgic memories.
7. Dial-Up Modems
Frunze103 on Wikimedia Commons
Connecting to the internet once meant enduring the screeching tones of a dial-up modem. Broadband and fiber-optic connections have since silenced these sounds.
8. LaserDiscs
Windell Oskay on Wikimedia Commons
LaserDiscs looked futuristic but were massive and not user-friendly. They offered decent quality but couldn’t compete with the compact convenience of DVDs. Eventually, they faded into tech obscurity.
9. Camcorders
Jacek Halicki on Wikimedia Commons
Families captured birthdays and vacations using camcorders that felt like mini film studios. Today, your phone does the same job with higher quality and no extra baggage.
10. Desktop Towers
Syced on Wikimedia Commons
These massive towers were the brains of every home computer setup. Now, we carry more processing power in our pockets or use sleek laptops and mini PCs.
11. CD Cases
Muxenz on Wikimedia Commons
These bulky zippered cases traveled everywhere, filled with burned mixes and album collections. Streaming has replaced the ritual of flipping through tracks by hand.
12. Universal Remotes
Raimond Spekking on Wikimedia Commons
Trying to program a universal remote felt like cracking a secret code. Now, voice commands and smart home apps do the job without the frustration.
13. Game Boy
Evan-Amos on Wikimedia Commons
The Game Boy was a pocket-sized revolution, but its green screen and AA battery feel ancient now. Mobile gaming and Switch consoles have taken over the handheld throne.
14. Point-and-Shoot Film Cameras
John Nuttall on Wikimedia Commons
Film cameras captured memories but required days to produce results. Instant filters and megapixels on phones have made film feel more like art than everyday use.
15. TV/VCR Combos
George Arriola on Wikimedia Commons
Combining your TV and VCR sounded clever until one part broke and you lost both. Today, streaming sticks and smart TVs keep it all running with fewer moving parts.
16. Dot Matrix Printers
Corvair on Wikimedia Commons
These printers chugged along with a sound you could hear down the hall. Laser and inkjet printers silenced the chaos and improved the quality.
17. Answering Machines
Pittigrilli on Wikimedia Commons
You missed a call, rewound the tape, and hoped the message played clearly. Smartphones now handle voicemails without rewinds or static.
18. CD-ROM Drives
くーさん on Wikimedia Commons
Installing software once meant swapping discs and waiting. Now, apps download in seconds, and no spinning discs are required.
19. Boomboxes
Imageuploader2614 on Wikimedia Commons
These portable stereos were a street style icon, but they guzzled batteries and took up serious space. Bluetooth speakers do better and are lighter today.
20. Trackball Mice
ja:User:Shampoorobot aka ja:User:A16504601 on Wikimedia Commons
Once seen as futuristic, trackball mice confused more users than they helped. Laser and optical mice made navigation smoother and more intuitive.