Home computer

The home computer is a consumer-friendly word for the second generation of microcomputers (the technical term that was previously used), entering the market in 1977 and becoming common during the 1980s.

Notable home computers

The list below shows the most popular and/or historically significant home computers of the 1980s, their initial year of release, and their region/country of origin. A plethora of home computers came out during this period, but most failed to have a significant impact on the market or the history of home computing and as such are not mentioned (this includes machines not sold/known outside its home market). Different models in a line of compatible computers are listed as a whole, such as the Apple II and TRS-80 families.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(For a comprehensive overview of home computers, i.e. not just the most notable ones given below, see the List of home computers.)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Apple II (June 1977, North America) (color graphics, eight expansion slots)
• Tandy Radio Shack TRS-80 (August 1977, N. Am.) (first home computer for less than US$600)
• Commodore PET (December 1977, N. Am.) (first all-in-one computer: keyboard/screen/tape storage)
• Atari 400/800 (1979, N. Am.) (custom chip set with sprites, etc)
• Commodore VIC-20 (1980, N. Am.) (under US$300; first computer in the world to pass the one million sold mark)
• TRS-80 Color Computer (1980, N. Am.) (Motorola 6809, OS-9 multi-user multi-tasking)
• Texas Instruments TI-99/4A (June 1981, N. Am.) (16-bit CPU)
• Sinclair ZX81 (1981, Europe) (£49.95 in kit form; £69.95 pre-built)
• BBC Micro (1981, Europe) (premier educational computer in the UK for a decade; advanced BASIC)
• ZX Spectrum (April 1982, Europe) (best-selling British home computer; "made" the UK software industry)
• Commodore 64 (August 1982, N. Am.) (best-selling computer model of all time: > 20 million sold)
• Apple Macintosh (1984, N. Am.) (first fully GUI-based home/personal computer; first 16/32-bit)
• MSX (late 1984, Japan) (a computer 'reference design' by ASCII and Microsoft, manufactured by several companies)
• Amstrad/Schneider CPC & PCW ranges (198?, Europe) (British std. prior to IBM PC; German sales next to C64)
• Atari ST (1985, N. Am.) (first with built-in MIDI interface; also 512 KB RAM for less than US$1000)
• Commodore Amiga (July 1985, N. Am.) (custom chip set for graphics and sound; multitasking OS)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Related Topics:
NEC PC-8001 - 1979

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Related Topics:
Sharp X1 - 1982

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Related Topics:
Sharp X68000 - 1987

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Related Topics:
FM Towns - 1989 - I386

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~