OneChipBook-12 is an unusual retro laptop with mechanical keyboard

Retro devices are a growing segment with many choices these days, as evidenced by the large number of retro gaming consoles found on Amazon. The new OneChipBook-12 can also be described as a retro laptop, but only based on its looks. This notebook doesn’t feature an older Intel processor or an outdated version of Windows, but it’s an FPGA based on the Altera Cyclone EP1C12Q240.

Among other things, FPGAs can be used for emulation, and the OneChipBook-12 can be seen as an experimental platform for such projects. The laptop ships without a preinstalled operating system, which already indicates that manufacturer 8086YES! is primarily targeting enthusiasts and tinkerers with this product.

Furthermore, the notebook measures approximately 9.8 x 7.5 x 1.5 inches and sports a screen with a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels that’s connected via VGA. External monitors can be hooked up via VGA, S-Video and CVBS, but HDMI is not onboard. The laptop also comes with 32MB SDRAM, but without a hard drive. Full-size SD cards are supported.

USB Type-A is available, and cartridges can be used via a 50-pin connector. Speakers and an audio output are included as well. Moreover, the keyboard has mechanical switches but lacks a numpad or a typical touchpad. That said, joysticks can be connected via DB9 ports. The built-in battery can be charged via a modern connector, namely USB Type-C. The new FPGA laptop with retro looks is now available on Tindie for $215 excluding shipping and potential import fees.