Transistor radios are still commonly used as car radios. Billions of transistor radios are estimated to have been sold worldwide between the 1950s and 2012. The pocket size of transistor radios sparked a change in popular music listening habits, allowing people to listen to music anywhere they went.

Are transistor radios obsolete?

A: "Transistor radio" is an obsolete term now, carried over from when having transistors rather than tubes made small radios possible. It has come to be analogous to a portable, battery-powered radio, so while I will be making some recommendations, they likely will have integrated circuits, rather than transistors.

Do old transistor radios have any value?

You will find small transistor radios at almost any flea market or large estate sale. Most earlier transistors will have some value to collectors if they are in good cosmetic condition. Pocket transistor radios found from the later 1960s forward will usually have little to no value.