PC-8801 - MAME machine

Computer published 45 years ago:

PC-8801 © 1981 NEC Home Electronics, Ltd.

TRIVIA
NEC established an early lead in the Japanese home computer industry with the 1979 release of the PC-8001. From there, NEC expanded and diversified its lineup with a three-pronged approach. For the home and family market, there was the low-cost PC-6001 series, featuring a cartridge ROM slot and novelty features like speech synthesis. For the electronic hobbyists and amateur programmers, there was the midrange PC-8001 series. And for the high end, NEC introduced a new line of 8-bit computers in 1981 called the PC-8801. It was released in November 1981 in Japan.

Featuring a 4MHz Z80A-compatible processor and a 640x200-pixel, 8-color display, the PC-8801 was twice as fast as the PC-8001, with eight times as many pixels and up to four times as much RAM. However, the biggest selling point was its backwards compatibility with PC-8001 software, providing a smooth upgrade path for customers who had already bought into the NEC ecosystem. Games were not the primary focus, as NEC intended to sell its high-end 8-bit machine to a whole spectrum of customers ranging from computer enthusiasts to small businesses and educational institutions.

The PC-8801 was popular from the moment of its release, but soon after, rival companies released their own competing computers like the Fujitsu FM-7 and the Sharp X1. These computers offered compelling new features that outclassed the PC-8801, especially for games. Meanwhile, in 1982, the mainframe division of NEC released a new 16-bit computer called the PC-9801, which swiftly became the computer of choice for business and office work. By 1984, the PC-8801 was having an identity crisis. It was a solid all-round computer, but it failed to excel at anything in particular. Something new was needed to keep the PC-8801 relevant.

CONTRIBUTE
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