The Spectrum side of things is actually handled via emulation custom written for the Vega so sadly there is no real original ZX Spectrum hardware inside the console, but because of the emulator, it is capable of running games developed for the 48k and 128K Spectrum. The reality is that the Vega is a micro console powered by an ARM Processor similar to that found in most modern mobile phones along with a graphics controller. The old Zilog Z80 processors aren’t being made anymore and I think it’s a safe bet that no where is making RAM chips small enough to cater for the needs of the 16-bit era, let alone a 48K system. No matter how primitive the technology may be that is inside the old 8-bit systems, manufacturing them today would be prohibitively expensive. Even the ZX Spectrum name has been licensed from Sky In-Home Service Ltd (who purchased the brand from Amstrad) to make sure that this was going to be as close to a real Spectrum experience for gamers as possible.īefore I carry on going into too much detail, I have to point out that this isn’t quite a ZX Spectrum. Supporting him are Dr David Levy (President of the International Computer Games Association, author of over 50 books on computer games, AI, and robotics and far too many other credits to mention here), Paul Andrews (producer and entrepreneur with extensive work in the media and games industries) and last but certainly by no means least – Sir Clive Sinclair who needs no introduction, and Sir Clive is a part shareholder of Retro Computers Ltd.
It has been designed by Chris Smith who is a former Spectrum games developer and who is now recognised as being the foremost expert on Spectrum hardware.
In the case of the ZX Spectrum Vega, this is a complete stand-alone console designed and built in the UK with an impressive pedigree behind it. Retro Computers Ltd, decided to go down a more practical approach with their device…
#Sinclair zx spectrum vegas android#
In the case of the latter, while it may look like a ZX Spectrum in reality it’s little more than a bluetooth keyboard and associated Android / iOS app so the hardware itself isn’t capable of running anything whatsoever. With a small footprint not much larger than Sony’s PlayStation TV, it’s one of two machines released last year bearing the ZX Spectrum name, the other being the Recreated ZX Spectrum from Elite Systems. Produced by way of an Inidegogo crowdfunding campaign, the Sinclair ZX Spectrum Vega is an unassuming device. Seeing the real keyboard of the Vic 20 made it a no-brainer for me at the time, so I ended up progressing through the entire Commodore family from that point, although with a range of friends owning different computers and consoles, the Spectrum was never too far from view… So when it came to getting my own computer for Christmas one year (after a Pong clone and several handheld and tabletop LED games), my choice was between a Sinclair machine or a Commodore Vic 20. I’d been using computers at school since primary school in the late 70s – my school was incredibly lucky to have ONE computer – and because it had been built for the school by my friend’s dad it seemed as if he and I were allowed a bit more computer time than many of the other kids! As an individual, I have to admit that I fell firmly into the Commodore camp. While the Commodore was the more dominant machine globally and more successful overall selling more units and went on to be the most successful home computer of its generation, the home-grown Spectrum was the one that the Brits took to their hearts. The rivalry between the two formats is the stuff of legends. In the 1980s, if you living in the UK and a big 8-bit computer enthusiast, the chances are that you were either a Commodore 64 or a ZX Spectrum owner.
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