ZX Spectrum
The ZX Spectrum was one of the most iconic and influential home computers of the 1980s, particularly in the UK and Europe. Released in 1982 by Sinclair Research, it followed on from the ZX81 and offered colour graphics, sound, and a full BASIC interpreter at a low price point.
The Speccy—as it became affectionately known—was instrumental in sparking the British games industry and inspiring a generation of bedroom coders. Early models offered 16 KB or 48 KB of RAM and used a rubber-keyed design that became visually synonymous with the platform. Later versions expanded memory, added better sound, and introduced peripherals like the ZX Interface 1 and Microdrive.
💡 Did You Know?
- The Spectrum’s display used a unique method of colour encoding that limited each 8×8 pixel block to two colours—this was nicknamed “attribute clash.”
- Over 24,000 titles were released for the platform, including games, utilities, and educational software.
- Many modern UK developers, including the founders of Rare and Codemasters, got their start on the ZX Spectrum.