The MZ-80K was introduced in 1978 to the Japanese market in kit form. It was then introduced to the European market in 1979 as a ready-built computer. It was sold from August 1979 in Germany for DM 1.800. In the UK it was officially unveiled in October 1979 at the Birmingham International Business Show, and was priced at £600. By mid-1981 the price had fallen to £380 in the UK.

This all-in-one computer featured a 10-inch video display unit, 78-key ASCII keyboard and a built-in cassette player with tape counter.

It was the first computer released in the MZ-80 series of computers, which were built around the Z-80 CPU. In 1981 the MZ-80B, a business orientated version of the computer was released. The MZ-80K was replaced by the MZ-80A in 1982.

The MZ-80K was a big success with about 100,000 systems sold.

Further Sharp MZ information can be found at http://www.sharpmz.org/mzovview.htm

This model was donated by Ernest Cheale.

Other pictures show the Chess game being played on the computer.

Manufacturer: Sharp
Date: 1979

This exhibit has a reference ID of CH2867. Please quote this reference ID in any communication with the Centre for Computing History.