Early kit computers

Scelbi-8H Courtesy Hal Layer's Mind Machine Museum

While Micral was searching for a market, competitors to it and the KenBack began to appear - kit computers advertised in hobbyist magazines.

Some of the kits were no more than schematic plans, requiring you to purchase the parts for your computer separately. Others provided all the necessary components, requiring only that you assemble them.

The Scelbi-8H came with 4KB of RAM standard for $565, and was built around the Intel 8008 microprocessor.

The July, 1974 issue of Radio-Electronics Magazine featured Jonathan Titus’ Mark 8 kit computer, also based on the Intel 8008.