Uploaded July 2021 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
This is a PCB insertion test for Vectrex homebrew video game cartridges. In this case we are testing the VEXTREME flash based multicart PCBs, but the results stand for any video game cartridge really.
In this video, you'll see the results of 1000 insertion cycles on 4 different Vectrex PCBs:
1 - VEXTREME - ENIG - PCBWAY (https://www.pcbway.com)
2 - VEXTREME - ENIG - JLCPCB
3 - VEXTREME - HASL - JLCPCB
4 - BERZERK - HARD GOLD - GCE
ENIG = Electro-less nickel immersion gold
HASL = Hot air solder leveled
HARD GOLD = A thick plating of gold? This was actually hard gold from 1982, so I'm not really sure how thick it was ;-)
If I had to rank these as far as best PCB technology for the valueL
1 - Hard Gold (theoretically) w/45° - But too expensive
2 - ENIG w/45° - JLCPCB ⭐ best value
3 - ENIG w/45° - PCBWay - better silk screen than JLCPCB - little more expensive than JLCPCB
4 - HASL w/45° from anyone
5 - ENIG/HASL - Not chamfering the edge of the PCB to 45°
This is a PCB insertion test for Vectrex homebrew video game cartridges. In this case we are testing the VEXTREME flash based multicart PCBs, but the results stand for any video game cartridge really.
In this video, you'll see the results of 1000 insertion cycles on 4 different Vectrex PCBs:
1 - VEXTREME - ENIG - PCBWAY (https://www.pcbway.com)
2 - VEXTREME - ENIG - JLCPCB
3 - VEXTREME - HASL - JLCPCB
4 - BERZERK - HARD GOLD - GCE
ENIG = Electro-less nickel immersion gold
HASL = Hot air solder leveled
HARD GOLD = A thick plating of gold? This was actually hard gold from 1982, so I'm not really sure how thick it was ;-)
If I had to rank these as far as best PCB technology for the valueL
1 - Hard Gold (theoretically) w/45° - But too expensive
2 - ENIG w/45° - JLCPCB ⭐ best value
3 - ENIG w/45° - PCBWay - better silk screen than JLCPCB - little more expensive than JLCPCB
4 - HASL w/45° from anyone
5 - ENIG/HASL - Not chamfering the edge of the PCB to 45°
