You just loaded up your enormous full tower PC and 17 inch CRT monitor in the back of your friend's brother's cousin's friend's station wagon, and made it happen. I had a Rubbermaid tub that I would use to lug the tower and all the necessary cables and accessories. A properly gaming-specced laptop would have been absurdly expensive (they still are) and a bit like cheating anyway.

I had a lanboy? case that came with a carry strap. The case was also mostly aluminum so it was pretty light. Not many people had laptops back then. Managers at work maybe had one. Most people had a proper desktop.

Don’t forget your speakers! Got show off your highly refined collection of mp3s…