The Top 10 Most Iconic Computers of All Time

In the late 1990s, as personal computers became accessible and crucial as internet gateways, specific models took a backseat to broader brand identities. Dell, for instance, skipped advertising individual models in favor of emphasizing one major selling point: affordability. When Apple made a strong return with the iMacs, followed by MacBooks and MacBook Pros, you were either loyal to Mac or PC. The individual brand of PC—whether Dell, HP, or ASUS—became secondary.

However, in the early days of the PC market, things were quite different. Back then, purchasing a computer was a significant financial decision, often costing thousands of dollars and impacting your choice of software for years to come. Consequently, computer enthusiasts developed strong preferences for particular models—and those preferences stuck.

The rivalries between IBM supporters, Tandy users, Apple fans, and Commodore enthusiasts were more intense than any debate between Mac and PC users today. These early machines left a lasting impact on those who used them, shaping a generation of technically proficient programmers. Ask any of them about their first computer, and they'll tell you exactly which one it was—and why it was their favorite.

A few iconic breakout models achieved immense success, selling millions of units. Among these, here are ten of the most famous computers ever made. Your favorite might be featured in this list.

10: Timex Sinclair 1000

Back in 1981, Sinclair introduced a computer with a price tag that still seems unbelievable even 30 years later: $99.95. Known as the Timex Sinclair 1000, or ZX81, it was compact, ran on BASIC, and came with only 2KB of RAM along with a 3.25 MHz processor. By 1981 standards, it was slow, but at just $100, it was an attractive option for hobbyists who couldn’t afford a thousand-dollar PC.

Due to its affordable price, the Timex Sinclair 1000 sold more than 600,000 units in the United States [source: Old Computers]. Its performance was notoriously sluggish—thanks to just four chips, the CPU had to handle all processing tasks, including refreshing the connected display. Activating "FAST" mode sped up calculations but resulted in a dreadful screen refresh rate. Fortunately, the system supported many expansions, such as floppy drives and additional RAM, that significantly enhanced its capabilities.

9: Tandy TRS-80

Ah, Radio Shack. There was a time when it sold computers under its own brand, and they became an immense success. Back in the 1970s, when cassette tapes were the primary storage medium instead of floppy disks, Tandy introduced the TRS-80 personal computer. Thanks to this device, Tandy’s name became as well-known in the 1980s PC market as IBM, Apple, or Commodore.

The TRS-80 was introduced in 1977, just before the home computer market truly exploded. Tandy's first version came with 4K of RAM, a 1.77 MHz processor, and a 12-inch monitor, all priced at $600. Later models, paired with a $300 Expansion Interface, significantly enhanced the machine’s features, adding floppy disk support, more ports, and additional memory [source: Goldklang].

Tandy's TRS-DOS (disk operating system) was a widely used OS before MS-DOS became the standard. Microsoft's early OS showed many similarities to TRS-DOS, which isn't surprising, considering Tandy sold over 200,000 units. It followed up the TRS-80’s success with even more popular models like the 1980 Color Computer, also known as CoCo [source: Old Computers].

8: MSX

While the U.S. and European markets were dominated by companies like IBM, Commodore, Sinclair, and Apple, Japan boasted its own hardware titans in the '80s. The MSX is special because its name – which could stand for Microsoft Extended Basic or Machines with Software Exchangeability – represented a collection of similar systems made by Japanese tech giants like Toshiba and Sony.

MSX was designed as a standardized hardware platform, driven by Kazuhiko Nishi, Vice President of Microsoft Japan. The computers ran on Microsoft BASIC and were more affordable compared to other 1980s machines. Since its 1983 debut, the MSX family has sold over 5 million units [source: Lyon]. While MSX never became a worldwide standard, it achieved considerable success in Japan. (For video game enthusiasts, Metal Gear first launched on the MSX before arriving on Nintendo's Famicom.)

7: NEC PC-98

Unlike the MSX, which brought together a variety of Japanese computers under a unified hardware standard, NEC's PC-98 achieved remarkable success on its own. Released in 1982, the PC-98 featured a 5 MHz Intel 8086 processor, dual display controllers, and a baseline 128KB of RAM. It was a powerful system for its time, and NEC quickly captured around 50 percent of the Japanese market, making the PC-98 a game-changer.

Although the global computer market in the 1980s was ultimately dominated by IBM PCs and their clones, NEC's unique architecture reigned supreme in Japan. Over its lifespan, the PC-98 series sold more than 15 million units, with updates and revisions released over the course of more than a decade. The original PC-98, which debuted in 1982, was not solely responsible for those sales [source: Computing Japan].

In the 1980s, NEC emerged as Japan's leading computer company, with the PC-98 becoming the country's equivalent to the mighty IBM PC.

6: iMac

The iMac defies the common trend in modern computing where no single model is considered unique or iconic enough to rival the fandom of the revolutionary computers from the '70s and '80s. That was, in fact, Apple's intention. When they launched the iMac in 1998, they boldly marketed its vibrant design by criticizing the dull beige of typical PCs. While Apple has moved away from the colorful aesthetic today, the iMac’s fundamental appeal remains: a clean, all-in-one design with all components housed within the monitor itself, offering easy mobility and setup.

The iMac marked the beginning of a transformative era for Apple, paving the way for immense success with products like the iPod and iPhone. Though the iMac never became a top-selling product – Apple struck gold a few years later with the MacBook and MacBook Pro – it was the first Mac in years to make a significant impact on the Microsoft-dominated PC market of the 1990s.

The iMac also redefined Apple's brand image, positioning the company as a style-conscious leader in tech that others would look to for inspiration. In 1999, Apple filed lawsuits against two computer companies for copying the iMac’s distinctive design, which had been promoted through a $100 million marketing campaign [source: McCarthy]. Given Apple's remarkable success with virtually every product since, that campaign was clearly a wise investment.

5: Commodore Amiga

Introduced in 1987, the Amiga 500 followed the success of iconic computers like the Commodore 64 and Apple II. It was faster, newer, and more advanced: With a shift from an 8-bit CPU to a 32-bit processor running at 7 MHz, the Amiga 500 came with 512KB of RAM, supported up to 4096 colors, and included an internal -inch floppy disk drive. All of this was packed into a $700 launch price.

The Amiga was fast, thanks to its architecture featuring multiple coprocessors dedicated to tasks such as audio and video processing. This allowed the main CPU to focus on other tasks. Over a span of ten years, Commodore released numerous Amiga models, but the cost-effective 500 model proved to be the most popular. The Amiga was especially beloved as a platform for gaming and creative software for video and audio production. Its coprocessors made it powerful enough to handle graphic and animation tasks that were otherwise impossible for consumer PCs.

In total, the Amiga family sold about 6 million units – a remarkable achievement for any computer released during the 1980s [source: Amiga History Guide].

4: Apple II

In 1977, while Sinclair launched the $100 Timex Sinclair 1000, Apple unveiled the Apple II. Apple's second foray into the world of hobbyist computers came with a starting price of around $1300, a bit more than the Sinclair, but with good reason. Today, one company no longer exists, while the other reigns as the wealthiest corporation in the world. The Apple II was a groundbreaking success. It took the Apple I's basic design, kept a 1MHz processor and 4KB of RAM, and added a casing and keyboard.

The Apple II stood out with its eight expansion slots, allowing hobbyists to customize their systems, and could be expanded up to 48KB of RAM — a massive amount in 1977. But what truly differentiated the Apple II was its software. Steve Wozniak, Apple's co-founder, designed the Disk II, an affordable 5 1/4-inch floppy drive add-on that was cheap to produce due to innovative software that handled reading and writing. More importantly, the introduction of VisiCalc spreadsheet software turned the Apple II into a powerful corporate tool, prompting businesses to pay over $1000 per machine.

For five years, the Apple II dominated the market, selling over 1 million units and giving birth to offshoot models like the Apple IIe. It played a pivotal role in landing Apple on the Fortune 500 list [source: Old Computers]. The Macintosh debuted in 1983 and had reached 1 million units by 1987. Though the Macintosh name has endured, the Apple II left an indelible mark on the computer industry.

3: ZX Spectrum

While Sinclair enjoyed success in the U.S. with the Timex Sinclair 1000, its most significant contribution to the computing world came with the ZX Spectrum, released in 1982. Much like its predecessor, the Spectrum was a compact and affordable system (£125 in the U.K.), featuring an integrated keyboard. However, the Spectrum vastly improved upon the Timex with 16KB of RAM and a proper hardware keyboard (in contrast to the ZX-81's poor plastic membrane keyboard).

The ZX Spectrum became a global success, with over 5 million units sold throughout its lifespan [source: Old Computers]. However, the Spectrum’s true impact was felt in the U.K., where it brought computing into people's homes. For many, it was their first computer, and its affordability opened the door for countless young hobbyists to develop a passion for technology. The Spectrum effectively launched the careers of many and played a pivotal role in shaping the U.K.'s IT and video game industries.

2: IBM PC

The modern non-Mac personal computer is essentially an IBM PC. The Intel-based machines running Windows that have ruled the market since the 1990s are direct descendants of the IBM PC, which debuted in 1981 with a modest 4.77 MHz Intel 8088 processor and 16KB of RAM. Though IBM’s first personal computer attempt in 1975 was costly and less successful, the 5150 model, launched in 1981, became the turning point. Although not the fastest system, it featured Intel’s 16-bit processor, setting it apart from other computers that still used 8-bit chips. The 8088, despite being a new chip, utilized an 8-bit bus, ensuring compatibility with existing peripherals and memory [source: Reimer].

The IBM PC was priced around $1600 for its base configuration, which was relatively affordable for a powerful machine in its time. Its success led to software being designed specifically for the IBM PC, optimized to take full advantage of the Intel 8088 processor. Consequently, other companies began cloning IBM’s BIOS, resulting in the proliferation of IBM PC clones.

In just a few years, virtually every x86 computer, which utilized Intel processors, became compatible with the IBM PC. All of them ran MS-DOS, and the x86 PC platform quickly became the global standard. The only reason the IBM PC isn't considered the most popular computer ever made is that too many other companies replicated it, creating their own versions.

1: Commodore 64

The Commodore 64 stands as the most successful computer system ever sold. Launched in 1982, it featured a 1MHz CPU and had two major advantages: a robust, programmable sound chip and impressive graphics for a computer of its era. Priced at just $595, the Commodore 64 came with 64KB of RAM (hence the name) and could be easily connected to a TV, transforming it into a versatile hybrid of both computer and video game console.

When introduced in 1982, the Commodore 64’s graphics far outperformed other popular computers like the Apple II. Thanks to its affordability, the Commodore 64 saw strong sales and remained a bestseller for years. As production costs dropped, Commodore continued to lower the price, ensuring its continued success through the 1980s. The Commodore 64 remained in production until 1994.

Affordable modems made the Commodore 64 an excellent choice for connecting to the internet, and like many systems of the time, it ran the BASIC programming language. The platform became highly popular for software development. By the time it was discontinued, the Commodore 64 had outpaced every other computer in terms of sales, with estimates ranging from 12 million to 30 million units. The most likely figure is an astounding 17 million units sold by the end of its production [source: Old Computers].