Sinclair ZX Spectrum 48K - Review & Overview

In this video I take look over the original 48k rubber key Sinclair ZX Spectrum and relive some memories of this iconic 8-bit computer.
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[@Inaflap]

I had an Issue 2 16K Spectrum for £125, early in 1983. Much of the software being sold at that point worked on the 16K. After a few months I noticed most of the new titles were for the 48K only, so I bought a cheap 3rd party RAM upgrade. The chips just plugged into sockets on the issue 2 circuit board.

[@AlanC2020]

I had the 48k model. I remember getting this as an upgrade to the zx81. Colours at last! However there was only the spare black and white TV which was unfortunate! The keyboard was a nightmare. I think I had to get the membrane replaced due to non functioning keys. Perhaps killed them with Daley Thompson's decathlon. The manuals were really good from Sinclair. Was nice getting away from the plug in ram pack on the zx81 which wobbled about. Most played games were manic miner, jet set willy and Elite. Ah the memories! Thanks for bringing them back!

[@digitizer3627]

I remember getting this as a hand me down from my cousin how was living in the UK at the time. I already had an MSX and the Speccy had inferior specs compared to the MSX but the games were awesome which I kept getting games for until the summer 1990 when I got the Amiga A500❤. Thanks for the video. Much respect for this little machine which offered computing for the masses.

[@TheRetroEngine]

The ZX Spectrum 48K original rocks, the C64 rolls. My ZX Spectrum 48K original was free, I stole it. Ah fond memories. I used to show off in school saying 'oh nooooo that isn't purple, that's m a g e n t a . Didn't have many friends tbh. Also, I used the word DIMension as much as I could. A peice of history - this and previous computers were before the more modern computers which the graphics built and sound etc built on. Yours is in really good condition. What was the weird sound during The Hobbit. Loved seeing that, I used to playthrough! it back in the day, loved text adventures! Great nostalgic trip showing this machine, love it. I talk too much but I loved this, showing off the ZX Spectrum dead-flesh keyboard machine. Thanks.

[@davidsmart-xy3su]

I have a zx still. I bought it of E-BAY about 25 years ago. It is mint and ive ony tried it once. Ive only got it out of its box to smell it. Reminds me of being a kid in the 1980s

[@MarcKloos]

I had the 16k model, which I later updated to 48k. Then I bought a 128k toastrack. Then fast forward 30 years and I got an Orel BK-08 speccy clone from Ukraine. In addition to those I now also have a Swedish 48 (with a Swedish ROM switch), a Portuguese version with hard black keys, a Portuguese in a black TS1500 case, a Korean 48, an NTSC 48, a Plus, a Plus with Spanish ROM and keyboard, a Egyptian plus with Arabic ROM and keyboard labels, a Swedish "Beckman" plus, a Korean plus, a Spanish toastrack with keypad, a regular toastrack, a toastrack with normal RS232 socket, an Egyptian toastrack with Arabic ROM switch, a grey +2, a French +2 with French 128 menu, a Spanish +2 with Spanish 128 menu and keyboard, an Egyptian +2 with Arabic 48 ROM switch and keyboard labels, a black +2A, a Spanish +2A with Spanish menu and keyboard, an Egyptian +2A with Arabic 48 ROM switch and keyboard labels, a +3, a Spanish +3 with Spanish menu and keyboard, an Egyptian +3 with Arabic menu and ROM and keyboard labels, a KS1 Next, a KS2 Next, a Vega, a Vega+, a Timex Computer 2048 PAL, a Timex Computer 2048 NTSC, a black Timex Computer 2068, a silver Timex Computer 2068, a Timex Sinclair 2068, a Unipolbrit Komputer 2086 with big keys, a Unipolbrit Komputer 2086 with small keys, a Microdigital TK90X, a Microdigital TK95, a Czerweny CZ 2000, a Czerweny CZ Spectrum, a Czerweny CZ Spectrum Plus, an Inves Spectrum +, a deciBell dB Spectrum +, a Didaktik Gama, a Didaktik M, a Sintez 2, a Delta-S, a Dubna-48K, a JET, an Elwro 800 Jr, a ICE Felix HC2000, a Nafanya and a few others. Besides those I also have a number of ZX80 variants, ZX81 variants, 2 Jupiter ACE variants, 2 QL variants and a single PC200. Meanwhile your video is almost over 🤣🤣🤣

[@channex8179]

My first computer was a 48k back in 1986. I remember spending hours typing in code from the examples page of the manual, hitting enter expecting something amazing to happen and was completely underwhelmed when all I had achieved was for a square cursor to bounce around the screen, later me and my mum who was extremely computer literate due to her job made a personal organiser programme that took us days to finish. I agree BBC Basic that they taught us at primary school was way easier and a lot more powerful. It wasn't until I got my Amiga in 1990 that I really got into programming with Amiga Blitz 2.0. I used to make games and distribute copies to my mates to test out. I still have and use my 48k its actually in the cupboard above my head while i'm typing this.

[@drno-xc1yt]

I think many Americans know very little about the more advanced Sinclair machines. In 1982, Timex brought the ZX81 to the USA as the Timex Sinclair 1000, but by 1982 that computer was woefully underpowered relative to the popular Atari 8-bit computers and the Commodore 64, and Timex quickly got out of the computer market. That said, this iteration of the Sinclair is a remarkably capable computer for its day.

[@srvuk]

A nice trip down memory lane. I went for the C64 in3 because I hated that rubber keyboard. I ended up getting one later for some of the games. It was certainly a very big seller that very quickly became more of a games console than a computer for most people.

[@xenorac]

The rubber key 48K is still my first love.

[@abruenin236]

The Sinclairs were also somewhat successfull here in Germany, though we are in Commodore land, probably I was the only one on my school with a Sinclair. I was dreaming about the Atari 8-bit computers, but an Atari 800 costs 2000 Deutsche Mark these days, the disc drive was DM 2500, in summary 4500 DM. For comparison: my parents bought a brand new, mid class Volkswagen Golf for about DM 9000 that time. So in todays money, an Atari 800 with disc drive would be about 15.000,- EUR (half a Golf). Way too much for me. The only computer I could affort was a ZX-81, a year and some jobs later I could upgrade to a 16K Spectrum which I upgraded to 48K. The Sinclair's were built cheap and made many compromises, but were clever desinged. They were so cheap that anyone could afford one, at least I could. I learned programming from the great manual and got completely into it, learned Z80 Assembler and Forth. Later, I studied computer science and can make a comfortable living from that. Thanks so much, Clive Sinclair.

[@timwilcox5158]

yay speccy time.. i own three of them, spectrum + and microdrive, spectrum +2a and Spectrum Next.

[@jessragan6714]

This machine really should have been retired by the time Street Fighter II arrived, yet it got a version of the game which looks like it's running on an Etch-A-Sketch. Even the Commodore 64 didn't have the oomph to handle Street Fighter II, but the ZX Spectrum?!

[@neilthomas6042]

Never owned any model, I believe I used one. I was a console user and didn't own any computer. I now wish I did.

[@aaronsnowden6311]

The instruction manual is the size of War and Peace. 🤣 Loved the video.

[@alanreader4815]

Imagine What a 128 Gigs of Ram Could do today.

[@faenethlorhalien]

Owned a Plus back in the day. What a new world it opened my eyes to!

[@Inaflap]

Just after you said Atari 8-bit was un-affordable @28:18 you showed an advert for an Atari 800XL with cassette recorder and joystick for £79-99. That was the "price crash". Many of the better equipped 8-bit computers were heavily discounted by the mid-1980s. The breadbin C64 was £350 with tape drive in 1983, but down to £200 with a tape drive and software pack at the end of 1985. Sinclair marketed the Spectrum as having hi-res graphics with colour. That wording was important. It's like saying soup with beef, when there's not enough beef to label it beef soup. The Spectrum was hi-res monochrome, with low-res colour. It had sound, but no sound chip, so the CPU had to drop everything whilst the buzzer made a fart noise. The Spectrum was just good enough, but the huge range of software distributed cheaply on cassette was attractive. The BBC micro was attractive, but for its build quality, speed, and great version of BASIC. Shame it always seemed to cost £399, which was a lot for a computer with just 32K RAM. You needed a disk drive for multi-loaders, such as Elite, and a drive cost another £200.

[@MrBrianms]

The printer that needed no ink!

[@mellowgeekstudio]

Here in Brazil it was called TK90-X. I am not sure it was a clone because, apart from the name in the top, it was identical to the british one, rubber keys and all. I had the 48k model, but I do remember the sound coming out of the tv so I was confused when you said only the 128k model did that. Maybe ours was some kind of a mutant hybrid, hence the name change. :)

[@TheLairdsLair]

It was a clone that had some extra features: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TK90X

[@MarcKloos]

The TK90X had a UDG editor and a joystick interface! And yes, it was a very illegal clone! Maybe that's why there is no £ symbol, unlike on the real machine 😁

[@signalcabin]

THREE 60 minute Cassette Tapes in a cellophane pack could be purchased for IR £1 at my local Quinnsworth back in the day ( which ultimately became Tesco )

[@TheLairdsLair]

My mum ran a dancing school so she used to buy TDK C90s by the box at special business rates. She used to tell me that I had to pay her 50p for a tape, but I would just nick them when she wasn't around!

[@ecdhe]

The Spectrum may have had a so-so keyboard, so-so graphics and really basic sounds but this was quite a step up from the ZX-81. Now, how you say "everybody had one" in the UK. How about the BBC Micro? My understanding is that it was popular in the UK as it was in the British schools.

[@TheLairdsLair]

Over 5 million Spectrums were sold and only about 1.5 million BBCs, so not even close. The BBC was too expensive for most households, which is why they bought a Spectrum!

[@ecdhe]

@@TheLairdsLair I'm curious: what 8-bit computers were available in the UK? In France, on top of the four local brands, American computers were available (not necessarily sold well but they were available), British computers (including Acorn, Dragon or Lynx) - even a Belgium computer (the DAI).

[@TheLairdsLair]

There were absolutely loads! It would take forever to list all of them but the top 20 would be something like this (placings maybe slightly off) Sinclair ZX Spectrum Commodore 64 Amstrad CPC BBC Micro Atari 8-bit Commodore 16 Acorn Electron MSX Commodore VIC-20 Sinclair ZX81 Dragon 32 Oric 1/Atmos Amstrad PCW Sharp MZ Tatung Einstein Camputers Lynx Memotech MTX Acorn Atom Sinclair ZX80 CGL Sord M5

[@ecdhe]

@@TheLairdsLair I see here mostly British and American computers (and MSX). Any others were present? e.g. the DAI, Phillips VG500. Did any French or Brazilian computers made it to the British market?

[@TheSudsy]

I had the original 48k after a ZX81 - so the keyboard and the input was second nature. actually a pain in the a** using a proper keyboard like on the BBC, because it was slower.

[@ashley-nq9fm]

For me the 48k spectrum is the only spectrum and is the by far the most iconic spectrum

[@bubbles581]

I first computer was a timex sinclair. The keyboard suuuuucked and never fully worked right

[@mr.y.mysterious.video1]

48k rubber keys was my first computer followed by a plus 3 but truth be told I always secretly wanted a c64. The spectrum hardware wasn't great

[@arostwocents]

It's fantastic, spectrum homebrew is tonnes better than c64 apart from the odd great c64 game.

[@joesshows6793]

The scrolling on that driving game is pretty good.

[@HopkinsDean-r8i]

Thomas David Martin Mary Thomas Deborah

[@jamestoney6108]

Distinct memories of aznm symbol shift to fire

[@buffalodebill7986]

One of my childhood friends had this beast (another one had the C64 and I had the Atari 800XL) - we enjoyed playing games on every computer any of us had, but this machine was the only one I did not enjoy trying to do any programming for. I still recall how I hated the keyboard and how much I was frustrated by the input system as such. Just like you said, the 128K was a huge improvement, especially with the keyboard being at least somewhat tactile, though it still kept the input scheme. If I recall correctly, one of my elementary school classmates had the "+" model, which was also better for non-gaming usage.

[@TheLairdsLair]

The 128k didn't keep the input mode, as I said in the video, it was only needed if you were in 48k mode. The new 128k BASIC had a standard full typing editor.

[@buffalodebill7986]

@@TheLairdsLair I guess you're right, so thanks for the clarification. Indeed, I might have mismatched the two 'higher' models' input scheme - my memories of any of Sinclair computer models are rather foggy, in this regard 🙂 Cheers 🙂

[@benonemusic]

In America during the early 80s, the Timex Sinclair 1000 was definitely recognized as the least expensive possible option for getting a home computer, at $99.95. The 1K of RAM in the first model jumped out in its specs. I hadn’t realized until now that Sinclair enabled you to use your own tape recorder! I had only known of the ones sold by computer manufacturers such as Commodore.

[@DJKC]

I may be wrong,. But I dont think there were ram packs for the Spectrum. The shop I worked in had to send to a nearby service shop to have chips installed. The only ram pack was unique to Shadow of the Unicorn.

[@TheLairdsLair]

There were quite a few different ones actually, here's an example: www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/35675/Cheetah-32K-RAM-Expansion/

[@adamlee7025]

1st hell yeah a specy vid my first computer i have got 1 still till this day i play my spectrum vega more for convenience...any chance of a future review on the spectrum vega?? Love the content ❤ keep up the good work

[@TheLairdsLair]

I did mention it in the video but I have already looked at the Vega and Vega+, both of those videos are linked in the description.

[@adamlee7025]

@@TheLairdsLair cool I will check them out

[@jinchoung]

as an american, I REALLY appreciate the appeal of the rubber key speccy! affordability was soooooo important back then and the fact that sir clive actually cared about accessibility was so huge. and this is something I can only appreciate now but limitations give these 8 bit machines CHARACTER. when I was a kid, I always wanted the latest and greatest and lusted after the newest features on the newest machines but folks who contented themselves with what they had ended up having a lot more fun! I go back to stuff like vic20 now because of the charm of it being so limited and the amazing ingenuity on display when coders were able to squeeze lode runner onto a machine that didn't even have a graphics mode! and the spectrum saving on memory by using the keys as basic tokens, I just consider it that kind of ingenuity - especially since it more or less directly addresses the limitations of the rubbery keyboard. and the fact that basically every kid had it must've created an amazing community where everyone could share and chat about this one unifying aspect of their lives. I don't think any american machine could compete for having THAT level of cultural impact and ubiquity.

[@braillynn]

The Apple II is quite ubiquitous and a lot of the best early PC games came out on the Apple II first. But yes, the Speccy beats it in terms of affordability. Even for as long as the Apple II was around.