MSX is a set of rules for home computers that were created to help different companies make compatible machines. ASCII Corporation announced MSX on June 16, 1983. Microsoft first thought of the idea as a product for Japan, and Kazuhiko Nishi, a leader at ASCII Corporation, helped promote it.
MSX is a type of home computer design that follows set rules, announced by ASCII Corporation on June 16, 1983. It was first created by Microsoft for the Japanese market and promoted together with Kazuhiko Nishi, the director at ASCII Corporation. Microsoft and Nishi planned the project to create common rules for different home computer makers, similar to the VHS standard for video tape machines.
The Amiga 1200, or A1200 (called “Channel Z” during development), is a personal computer in the Amiga family made by Commodore International. It was introduced on October 21, 1992. The base price was £399 in the United Kingdom, which is about £880 in 2025.
The Amiga 500, also called the A500, was the first widely used version of the Amiga home computer. It uses the same Motorola 68000 processor as the Amiga 1000, along with the same graphics and sound chips, but has a smaller case similar to the Commodore 128. Released in 1987, the Amiga 500 was the first home computer that could run multiple tasks at the same time.
The Atari ST was a series of personal computers made by Atari Corporation. It replaced the company’s earlier 8-bit computers. The first model, the Atari 520ST, was released in limited amounts between April and June 1985 and became widely available in July.
The Atari 8-bit computers, officially known as the Atari Home Computer System, were a series of home computers introduced by Atari, Inc. in 1979 with the Atari 400 and Atari 800 models. These computers use an 8-bit MOS Technology 6502 CPU and three special chips that help with features like moving images, smooth scrolling, four audio channels, and other functions.
The Amstrad CPC (short for “Colour Personal Computer”) is a series of 8-bit home computers made by Amstrad from 1984 to 1990. It was created to compete with other computers like the Commodore 64 and the ZX Spectrum. The CPC became popular mainly in the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and German-speaking areas of Europe, as well as in Canada.
The BBC Microcomputer System, also called the BBC Micro, is a group of small computers made by Acorn Computers in the early 1980s. These computers were part of the BBC’s Computer Literacy Project, which aimed to teach people about computers. The BBC Micro was first released in December 1981 and appeared in several educational BBC TV shows, such as The Computer Programme (1982), Making the Most of the Micro and Computers in Control (both 1983), and Micro Live (1985).
The ZX Spectrum is an 8-bit home computer created and sold by Sinclair Research. It played an important role in the history of personal computers and video games, especially in the United Kingdom. It was one of the most popular British computers, with more than five million units sold.
The Commodore 64, also called the C64, is an 8-bit home computer that was first introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International. It was first displayed at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas from January 7–10, 1982. It holds the record in the Guinness World Records as the best-selling desktop computer model of all time, with estimates suggesting between 12.5 and 17 million units were sold.