Photos: BBC Micro, Spectrum, Amstrad CPC 464 and more – the machines that defined British computing
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Acorn BBC Micro
Acorn BBC Micro
Launched: 1981
Specs: 2MHz 8-bitrnprocessor MOS Technology 6502 processor, and came with 16KB to 32KBrnof memory. In most instances loaded programs from tape, floppy disc.rnSupport for 640u00d7256, two colour display.
Price: Model Arnu00a3235
Sinclair ZX Spectrum
Sinclair ZX Spectrum
Launched:1982
Specs: 8-bitrnZilog Z80 processor, 16KB or 48KB of RAM and 16KB of ROM. 256 x 192rnresolution display of up to eight colours. Software ran from tapes orrnfloppy discs.
Price: u00a3125
Grundy NewBrain
Grundy NewBrain
Launched:1982
Specs:4MHz Zilogrn80A, 24KB RAM. Output display to TV or monitor. Model AD had a onernline 16-character fluorescent display built into the keyboard. Ablernto drive 640 x 256 display.
Price:u00a3199
Jupiter Ace
Jupiter Ace
Launched: 1982
Specs: 3.85 MHzrnZilog Z80, 3KB RAM, up to 256u00d7192 graphics and storage via externalrncassette tape.
Price: u00a389.95
Dragon 32 and 64
Dragon 32 and 64
Launched: 1982
Specs: 0.89 MZrnMotorola MC6809E processor, 8-bit CPU with limited 16-bitrncapabilities, 32KB or 64KB of memory.
Price: From u00a3199
Camputer Lynx
Camputer Lynx
Launched: End ofrn1982 / 1983
Specs: 4MHz Z80ArnCPU, from 48KB of RAM and a Motorola 6845 as video controller.rnOptional 5.25″ floppy disk-drive available for higher speccedrnmodels.
Price: u00a3225
Memotech MTX
Memotech MTX
Launched: 1983
Specs: 4MHz ZilogrnZ80 A CPU, 32KB u2013 128KB of RAM capable of driving a display with arnresolution of up to 256 x 192 with 16 colours.
Price: From u00a3275
Acorn Electron
Acorn Electron
Launched: 1983
Specs: MOSrnTechnology 6502A CPU clocked at 1MHz when accessing ROM andrn1MHZ/0.5897Mz when accessing RAM, 32KB of RAM. Support for up to 640rnx 200 resolution display with 2 colours. Loaded programs fromrncassette with optional floppy disk add-on.
Price:u00a3175
Oric
Oric
Launched: 1983
Specs: 1MHz 6502A processor, up to 48KB of memory. Display capable of two modes, LORES showing 28 rows of 40 characters and HIRES of 200 rows of 240 pixels above three lines of text.
Price: u00a3129 / u00a3169
Apricot Portable
Apricot Portable
Launched: 1984
Specs: 4.77MHz Intel 8086 CPU, 256KB of RAM and a 3.5-inch floppyrndrive. 80-column / 25 line LCD screen, speech recognition able torndetect 64 words at any one time. Able to output 640 x 256 8-colourrndisplay to monitor.
Price: u00a31965
Amstrad Colour Personal Computer
Amstrad Colour Personal Computer
Launched: 1984
Specs: 8-bit 4MHz Zilog Z80A CPU, 64KB or 128KB of memory splitrnbetween video, ROM and user, integrated tape/disc depending on version. Display resolutionsrnranging from 160u00d7200 pixels with 16 colours to 640u00d7200 pixels withrntwo colours.
Price: From u00a3249
Enterprise
Enterprise
Launched: 1985
Specs: 4MHz Zilog Z80 CPU, 64 KB or 128 KB of RAM. Supportsrndisplay with maximum resolution of 640u00d7256 with 2-colours. Keyboardrnwith integrated joystick.
Price: u00a3228
RiscPC
RiscPC
Launched: 1994
Specs: From 30MHz ARM 610 CPU, maximum memory of 256MB DRAM and 2MB ofrnvideo memory. Supports display with 16-million colours and 8-channelrnsound.
Price: u00a31249
