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Sinclair ZX Spectrum

Budget brilliance in rubber keys

Clive Sinclair’s £125 Spectrum put colour computing within reach, igniting the UK’s bedroom coding boom.

ZX Spectrum Home computerZ80Tape storage 1982–1992

Overview

Launched in April 1982, the ZX Spectrum delivered colour graphics and a Z80 CPU in a compact, low-cost package. It dominated British classrooms and bedrooms, providing the backdrop for countless type-in listings and homegrown hits chronicled by magazines like CRASH and Your Sinclair.

Fast facts

  • CPU: Zilog Z80A at 3.5 MHz.
  • Models: 16K/48K originals, followed by the Spectrum+, 128K, and Amstrad-produced variants.
  • Graphics: 256×192 pixels with attribute-based colour blocks.
  • Sound: 1-bit beeper on early models; AY-3-8912 chip on later 128K versions.

Why it mattered

  • Price disruption: undercut rivals with a £125 launch price, spreading quickly through Europe.
  • Community: magazines like Crash and Your Sinclair fostered type-ins, reviews, and humour.
  • Exports: produced a thriving Spanish and Eastern European clone scene (Timex, Investrónica, Didaktik).

Modern legacy

  • Emulation: Fuse, Spectaculator, and MiSTer cores keep the machine alive.
  • Homebrew: new Spectrum releases appear annually, many targeting modern dev competitions.
  • Cultural footprint: the Spectrum defined UK game culture, from comedic loading screens to cheeky copy protection.

See also