Model:  ORIC 1

Released:  1983

Info: While being overshadowed by the similar Spectrum in the UK the Oric 1 was a big success in France initially before being taken over by other computers like the Schneider / Amstrad CPC and Thomson.

Model:  Dragon 32

Released:  1982

Info: The Dragon was built in Port Talbot, Wales and was 90% compatible with the US Tandy CoCo, only lacking its full colour mode. This was mostly due to the switch to PAL video.

Model:  Plus 4

Released:  1984

Info: The name refers to the 4 apps on the ROM (word processor, spreadsheet, database, and graphing); it was billed as “the productivity computer with software built-in”. It was a flop and derided as the “Minus/60” a pun on the numerical difference between the Plus/4 and the popular C64.

Model:  64

Released:  1982

Info: The C64 is still to this day the world best ever selling personal computer with sales of over 17 million!

Model:  BBC Mirco

Released:  1981

Info: The BBC Micro was the first ever computer designed to go in schools as the part of the UK government’s computer literacy program supported by BBC Television.

Model:  800XL

Released:  1983

Info: The XL series of computers were a minor upgrade of the popular Atari 400/800 computers first released in 1979. They were more streamlined, featured more RAM and built in BASIC.

Model: CPC 464

Released:  1984

Info: The Amstrad CPC range were the first foray into home computing by Sir Alan Sugar and designed to be an affordable all in one computer set-up.

Model:  Electron

Released:  1983

Info: The Electron was released due to massive demand for a cheaper version of the BBC Micro used in schools. Early supply problems meant that Acorn failed to take advantage of the early interest.

Model:   ZX Spectrum +

Released:  1983

Info: The ZX Spectrum+ was released in order to satisfy all the people who wanted a machine with a proper keyboard. It had 48k of memory and was later replaced by the 128k model famous for its massive heat sink known as the “toast rack”.