This is my PC Engine. I got the DUO model (Japanese) since it is the one that can play both HuCards and Super CDs (and Japanese HuCards are much more common than American). It also has composite output and an updated Bios.

The PC Engine was another one of those system who were incredibly expensive when I was a kid in Brazil. I would read about it on magazines and just be amazed at its graphics. Even though this was not truly a 16-bit system (its CPU was the 8-bit HuC6280A but it had 2 16-bit video processors: the HuC6260 Video Color Encoder and the HuC6270A Video Display Controller) the PC Engine was much closer to the newer Sega Genesis and Super NES than the previous 8-bit generation. It was also released before the other 16-bit systems so it was really an amazing machine for its time.

Considering the fact that the PCE never really had a lot of success outside Japan, it is amazing that so many consoles and games can still be found nowadays at reasonable prices. The games are really snappy and fun: I think the PCE versions of Bomberman are still the best.

Technical Specs:

NAME	PC Engine DUO
MANUFACTURER	NEC
TYPE	Video Game Console
ORIGIN	Japan
YEAR	1991 Original PCE released in 1987
END OF PRODUCTION	1995
GENERATION	Fourth Generation
CPU	8-bit HuC6280A
SPEED	3.58 or 7.16MHz
CO-PROCESSOR	Dual graphics processor setup. One 16-bit HuC6260 Video Color Encoder (VCE), and one 16-bit HuC6270A Video Display Controller (VDC). The HuC6270A featured Port-based I/O similar to the TMS99xx VDP family.
RAM	Work RAM: 8KB Video RAM: 64KB
GRAPHIC MODES	256×239, 512×240
COLORS	Maximum of 482 (241 background, 241 sprite)
SOUND	6 Mini-Wavetable audio channels, programmable through the HuC6280A CPU
I/O PORTS	Composite video via RGB, Joystick
BUILT IN MEDIA	Single-speed CD-ROM drive, managed by an NEC microcontroller and using the SCSI-I interface
OS	Super CD-ROM² System, v3.00
POWER SUPPLY	External power supply unit