The upscaler I use for all my retro consoles just got Prime Day'd

OSSC upscaler next to Sonic the Hedgehog figure with GamesRadar+ badge on left — (Image credit: Future / Phil Hayton)

I do love me some retro gaming, but using old consoles with new screens is a pain. Luckily, devices like the OSSC exist to bridge interface gaps and make things not look like a blurry mess on modern screens, and Prime Day has sent the upscaler back down to its lowest price.

We've only got a few more hours until Prime Day gaming deals fly off for another year, but you can still grab the OSSC (Open Source Scan Converter) v1.6 for $111.92at Amazon. That just so happens to be the same record-low price I shared with you all during Black Friday last year, and I've been checking in on the upscaler since then just in case it drops.

The specific release I have is slightly different and a bit older, but aside from featuring a funky orange translucent shell, you're getting virtually the same OSSC and remote. You will have to provide your own scart cables for each separate system, and it's worth stressing that this specific upscaler doesn't work with yellow red, and white phono composite wires. That might sound like a bad thing, but take it from me - you don't want to be using anything other than a nice clean RGB signal for playing retro games in 2024 anyway.

Mcbazel OSSC retro gaming upscaler | $139.90 $111.92 at Amazon
Save $27.98 - This Black Friday deal knocks 20% off one of the best upscalers for playing retro games, and it's a bit of an unexpected Black Friday deal. You'll have to sign up for Amazon Prime to access the offer, but if you're new to the service, you can use a free trial to avoid extra expense.

Buy it if:

✅ You have lots of old consoles
✅ You need a way to hook up to new TVs
✅ You're looking for better image quality

Don't buy it if:

❌ You don't care about image quality
❌ You'd rather use an emulation device

Price Check: Newegg $201.99 | Walmart $196.72

UK: £112.99 £91.19 at Amazon

Should you buy the OSSC?

KTC G27P6 monitor connected to PS2 via OSSC running PS1 game Muppet Monster Madness — (Image credit: Future / Phil Hayton)

Alright, let's dive into what the OSSC will actually do for your retro console setup, as that's key when justifying its price. Better described as a "line doubler" than an upscaler, this device will effectively multiply the number of pixels on screen to produce sharper visuals on modern gaming TVs and monitors. Depending on the resolution of the console you're working with, be it the Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo, or original PlayStation, you'll be able to increase the number of horizontal lines by up to x4, which will much better fill 4K displays.

There's an extraordinary number of settings included with the OSSC, and if you dive deep down the rabbit hole, you can get retro visuals that look outstanding on any display. I still have a CRT TV in my house, but I end up using this upscaler with gaming monitors just to see what I can achieve. I even recently hooked it up to the KTC G27P6, a 1440p 240Hz OLED screen that left me mesmerized when used with this device. Using features like BOB deinterlacing, I was able to even stop PS2 games looking like a jittery mess - something I previously wasn't able to pull off on a flat screen.

If you can't remotely be bothered playing with settings, then you might not get the absolute most use out of the OSSC. I'd still say that even in that scenario it's one of the easiest ways to hook old consoles up to a modern screen while still getting great fidelity, but there's so much you can do with this device beyond HDMI output. Ultimately, if you do invest in this upscaler, you'll be on the path to experiencing cutting-edge retro visuals that make cheap upscaling solutions look laughable.

Looking for last minute Amazon offers? Check out Prime Day Steam Deck deals for accessories and handhelds. Alternatively, swing by Prime Day TV deals and Prime Day monitor deals for big screen savings.

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Phil is the Hardware Editor at GamesRadar+ who specializes in retro console setups, choosing the latest gaming handhelds, and navigating the choppy seas of using modern-day PC hardware. In the past, they have covered everything from retro gaming history to the latest gaming news, in-depth features, and tech advice for publications like TechRadar, The Daily Star, the BBC, PCGamesN, and Den of Geek. In their spare time, they pour hours into fixing old consoles, modding Game Boys, exploring ways to get the most out of the Steam Deck, and blasting old CRT TV visuals into their eye sockets.