New hardware platforms for MiSTer?

[aberu]

You can already buy a full MiSTer build with SDRAM, USB, a case and everything from a few sellers. While it may not be perfect, I think it's good enough for most users.

In my opinion, what would really set your product apart, would be a better FPGA chip. I know that FPGAzumSpass for example cancelled his Nintendo DS core due to the lack of logic elements on the DE10-nano. Nintendo 64 and beyond is likely also impossible on the DE10-nano.

Unfortunately, in order to do that basically every single core will have to be ported all over again, the framework would have to be ported. It would entail a lot more work than designing a complex PCB and case. there aren't really any Altera chips that fit that bill right now that also work with Quartus Lite (free). So whoever makes a possible "successor" or upgraded MiSTer in the future, would likely have to look to Xilinx.

Hopefully this hobby just keeps growing in this way, and I'm sure sorg has kept his eye on developments in the dev board space for this kind of thing.

It's also worth mentioning that the only reason this version of the Cyclone 5 was cheaply (relatively) accessible, with all the other needed components is because it is still subsidised by Intel through its university program. Even without all the other factors you mentioned, how cost prohibitive a more powerful FPGA would be is a step too far I think right now... I think a more realistic, but unlikely target might be a version that clocks higher to help out Ao486.

There are ones out there which are roughly twice as powerful as the de10-nano's Cyclone V (and have a lot more BRAM which is key) but cost like 50% more, but would require a subcarrier board to be designed as well. Someone is looking into it, but I doubt it will be quite as strong a "competitor" (for lack of a better word) as they think it will be, and it could be a year or two at minimum, IF it even works out. It's very very cost-prohibitive compared to the MiSTer then as a result.