The Power of Vintage
ZX Spectrum
"ZX Spectrum -The Affordable 8-Bit Revolution"
Launched in 1982 by Sinclair Research, the ZX Spectrum became the first truly affordable 8-bit home computer. Sir Clive Sinclair envisioned a computer in every home. To make this possible, early models were even offered as DIY kits. For example, the ZX80 Starter Kit was priced at just £79.95 (or £99.95 fully assembled), selling around 50,000 units.
- The real breakthrough came with the ZX81, which sold 500,000 units in its first year alone
- Later Spectrum models retained the same Zilog Z80 CPU, but added significant improvements in graphics, sound, and storage
Transputer
"Atari Transputer ATW-800.. Faster than Light"
The Atari Transputer Workstation (ATW-800) was a bold and futuristic attempt by Atari to break into the workstation market of the late 1980s. Based on a parallel processing architecture developed by the British company Inmos, the ATW-800 could harness the power of up to 17 transputer CPUs, delivering computing capabilities far ahead of its time.
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Only 350 units were ever produced, including 50 to 100 prototypes
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Launch price: $8,000 (equivalent to $18,650 in 2023)
Commodore 64
"C64 -Commodore's Cash Cow and a Brilliant Computer"
Founded in 1958 by Jack Tramiel, Commodore International was a pioneering American computer manufacturer. Known for producing a wide range of 8-, 16-, and 32-bit systems—including the iconic Amiga series—Commodore’s most successful product was the Commodore 64 (C64). With over 14 million units sold between 1982 and 1994, the C64 became the best-selling single computer model of all time.
COMMODORE 64 AT A GLANCE
- Powered by MOS Technology CPUs -MOS 6510/8500 @ 1.023 MHz (NTSC) / @ 0.985 MHz (PAL)
- Supported 16 colors, 8 hardware sprites (24×21 pixels), and smooth hardware scrolling
Apple Lisa
The Lisa is a rare GUI-based business computer released by Apple Computer, Inc. in 1983. It came in two versions, Lisa I and Lisa II, while the Lisa 2/10 was later modified and rebranded as the Macintosh XL. The Lisa was more advanced than the later Macintosh 128K and 512K, but it was significantly more expensive. The Lisa 1 was sold for $9,995 -equivalent to approximately $29,000 today- while the Lisa 2 was offered at a lower price.
- An estimated 10,000 Lisa units were sold, with only around 500 being Lisa 1 models
- Lisa was officially discontinued in 1985. In 1986, Apple offered Lisa owners the opportunity to trade in their computer and purchase a Macintosh Plus with a hard disk for $1,498
Amiga 4000
A4000 -The Holy Grail of Amiga Computing
Released in October 1992 by Commodore, the Amiga 4000 (A4000) represents the pinnacle of classic Amiga computing. As the most advanced and final Amiga model of its era, it combines a powerful 32-bit architecture, high-resolution AGA graphics, and a deeply expandable hardware platform. Fully compatible with earlier Amiga software, the A4000 opened new horizons for productivity, multimedia, and gaming.
Built with expansion in mind, the A4000 supports accelerators, RAM upgrades, CD-ROMs, graphics and sound cards, and even PC compatibility via 486DX co-processor boards.
- Original price: $3,700 (A4000/040) or $2,400 (A4000/030)
- Inflation-adjusted: ~$7,620 and ~$4,900 respectively
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