Sinclair to make PCs

Sinclair, the UK’s favourite computer maker, is making a valiant return, reports Belinda Osborne

The famous console brands of the 1980s are springing back to life. No sooner had Commodore re-emerged as a maker of enthusiast gaming PCs, when Atari announced a new Meerkat range inspired by the seminal Jaguar console. Most exciting for us here in the UK, however, is the return of Sinclair. Trading on its continuing brand heritage, the company hopes to cash in on its legendary reputation for gaming.

‘The ZX81 and ZX Spectrum were the Alienwares and Vadims of their day,’ Sinclair’s executive president Oxford Sovereign told us. Befitting their heritage, the PCs come in kit form, and use Digital Compact Cassette to load software. The top specification model will be called the Sinclair C4. ‘With AMD’s groundbreaking Quad FX platform and ATi Radeon X1950XTX CrossFire inside, it’s sure to pack explosive performance!’ Sovereign told us. ‘And it echoes the legendary C5 electric car, renowned for its speed!’ The new PCs will also be available with specially branded ReadyBoost memory upgrade modules, designed to mimic ZX81 16K add-on packs.

Like Commodore, Sinclair is targeting retail outlets, and the PCs will be available from Argos and select branches of Woolworths. Sir Clive Sinclair told us, ‘It’s a bit of a gamble, but as viewers of my late-night poker sessions will know, I’m not afraid of losing my shirt!’