Difference between revisions of "Other Computers:16 bit computers"
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The 16 bit computer generation peacefully "killed" the 8 bit computers. | The 16 bit computer generation peacefully "killed" the 8 bit computers. | ||
| − | Amstrad couldn't see this move and released the Amstrad Plus range which should have been 16 bit. | + | Amstrad couldn't see this move and released the Amstrad Plus range which should have been 16-bit. |
| − | (Or perhaps it should have | + | (Or perhaps it should have been an hybrid with both a 16-bit CPU and a Z80 to keep compatibility, why not?) |
On the other hand, Amstrad was still producing cheap 16 bit PC compatibles with pseudo EGA capacity (16 colours), so in this way it was actually a 16 bit producer. | On the other hand, Amstrad was still producing cheap 16 bit PC compatibles with pseudo EGA capacity (16 colours), so in this way it was actually a 16 bit producer. | ||
Revision as of 17:27, 5 March 2025
The 16 bit computer generation peacefully "killed" the 8 bit computers.
Amstrad couldn't see this move and released the Amstrad Plus range which should have been 16-bit. (Or perhaps it should have been an hybrid with both a 16-bit CPU and a Z80 to keep compatibility, why not?)
On the other hand, Amstrad was still producing cheap 16 bit PC compatibles with pseudo EGA capacity (16 colours), so in this way it was actually a 16 bit producer.
See Amstrad PC for more information on Amstrad's ventures into the 16bit world.
Notable 16-bit machines of the era:
- TI-99/4 (1979)
- IBM PC (1981), PC/XT (1983), PC/AT (1984), PS/2 (1987)
- NEC PC-98 (1982)
- Apple Lisa (1983)
- Apple Macintosh (1984)
- Sinclair QL (1984)
- Elektronika BK (1985)
- Atari ST (1985)
- Commodore Amiga (1985)
- Apple IIGS (1986)
- Sharp X68000 (1987)
- MSX Turbo-R (1990)
Notable 32-bit machines of the era:
- Compaq Deskpro 386 (1986)
- Acorn Archimedes (1987)
- Apple Macintosh II (1987)
- NeXT Computer (1988)
- FM Towns (1989)
- Atari TT (1990)
- Amiga 3000 (1990)
Note: With the advent of 32-bit machines, hardware coprocessors became largely irrelevant for 2D games. The CPU was finally powerful enough to manage it all in software.
