[JPLeRouzic]

A recent (2014) and intriguing concept for making a small computer that feels like it was made in the past is the PDP-11/Hack, which only uses a DEC J-11 microprocessor, some RAM, and a common UART.

The original concept By Brent Hilpert:

http://madrona.ca/e/pdp11hack/index.html

Another implementation:

https://www.chronworks.com/J11/

A more complex and modern PDP-11/Hack:

https://www.5volts.ch/pages/pdp11hack/

[nxobject]

This being the PDP-11, even if you don't have any RAM, I'm sure the registers are mapped into memory somewhere contiguous where you can still run code from them :)

[rbanffy]

I can't imagine these being cheap - those relics are no longer being made.

[JPLeRouzic]

I bought a DEC J-11 for $45 on eBay, the maximum price I saw was around $100:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/326186449818

[Tor3]

I got mine for just below $40, from what I believe (though one can never be certain) a reliable seller. Still haven't decided how I will proceed, I want to use it for a real project and not just as a decoration.

[JPLeRouzic]

You might be interested in this new "PDP-11/Hack de luxe" by Peter Schranz:

https://forum.vcfed.org/index.php?threads/pdp-11-hack-de-lux...