The early days of home computing were an exciting and unpredictable time. Different manufacturers were competing at different price points, with varied form factors, each with their own idea of what a modern computer should look like.
The results have largely shaped the now-popular retro-futurism vibe seen in shows likeSeveranceand games likeStarfield. Here are some of the best-looking forerunners of whatever it is you’re reading this on.
Though there were a lot of weird and wonderful early home computers, particularly from markets like the USSR and Japan, I’ve chosen to focus on mostly successful Western brands and models (that many of you will have used in the past). These range from the early days of home computing, right up to the standardization of the modern PC.
10Acorn BBC Micro
Though the A1200 was the first computer Iowned, the BBC Micro was the first one I ever used. The product of British computer firm Acorn and designed in cahoots with the BBC, the Micro was a mainstay in British schools between its introduction in 1981 and its retirement in 1994 (though many likely remained in classrooms long after that). It used a simple command-line-based interface called Acorn MOS, on which I vividly remember launching 8-bit games and educational software.
Both models A and B looked the same, with an off-white enclosure, black keyboard and backing, and striking red function keys adding a splash of color. The Acorn owl logo appears in the top-right corner of the keyboard, with three LED indicators opposite. There’s not a lot more to the Micro, since it is largely dependent on external peripherals likea big chunky CRT monitor, 5.75” floppy drive bays, network interfaces, and dot-matrix printers.
9IBM PC 5150
The IBM Personal Computer—specifically the 5150 model—was the first example of the standardized “IBM PC compatible” standard that came to define modern computing. Though the term is more commonly associated with the x86-based standard that went on to dominate the computing landscape, the first model released by IBM in 1981 still outshines many of the beige boxes that followed it.
The 5150 was a computer in three parts, with the main “lowercase” that housed an Intel 8088 CPU, the iconic Model F keyboard (which used springs, not a membrane), and a monitor that sat atop the main unit. The PC itself had dual 5.75” drive bays and a big chunky power switch on the right edge of the case. The 5150 smashed IBM’s sales targets and quickly secured support from software developers and tens of thousands of orders, and it still looks good today.
Amstrad’s first foray into the home computer market was the Color Personal Computer 464. Released in 1984, the CPC 464 sold more than two million units and was in production for six years, making it one of the most popular home computers of the time in Europe. The computer came in two parts: a main unit that housed the hardware, built-in keyboard, and acassette deck; and a separate monitor which acted as a display and power supply for the main unit.
The CPC 464’s dark styling, colorful keyboard accents, and sharp lines have given it an unmistakable retro-futuristic vibe (and skirted the issue of yellowing with time). The machine was available with a full color monitor or a monochrome green-black variant that cost £100 less at the time. The platform was arguably best known for its games thanks to the inclusion of a standardized joystick port and standout titles likeThe Guild of ThievesandPrince of Persia.
7TRS-80 Model III
In 1977, the Tandy Corporation decided to create a home computer to sell in its Radio Shack chain of stores, and the TRS-80 was born. In 1980, the company released a revised TRS-80 known as the Model III and discontinued the original (now Model I). The successor was compatible with around 80% of existing Model I software and made some big improvements. It’s also a revolution in terms of looks.
The Model III uses an all-in-one design that combines the display, computer hardware, keyboard, drive bays, and a cassette interface into a single neat unit. It was a revolution in simplicity, requiring a single power outlet in contrast to the Model I’s five. The Model 4 and its variants continued this trend, but dropped the iconic black-and-silver TRS-80 color palette for off-white.
6Commodore PET 2001
Around the same time that the TRS-80 was winning over U.S. audiences, Commodore was attempting to win over the North American market with its Personal Electronic Transactor, or PET for short. One area where the Commodore really stands out, however, is in the looks department, thanks to its all-in-one design and bold use of a trapezoid-shaped monitor that sits atop the combined keyboard and hardware unit.
Not only this, the PET had a unique-looking (and feeling) chiclet keyboard with a separate number pad and built-in cassette deck to the right. It looks like a daring combination of a cash register and a terminal you’d see in a movie likeAlien. It also has a party trick where the top of the unit lifts up like the hood of a car to reveal the mainboard and hardware within.
5Apple IIGS
While there are undoubtedly some readers who are disappointed to see me skip over the admittedly iconic Apple II, 1986’s unapologetically boxy IIGS hits a little different. This was the most powerful Apple II ever created, ditching the previous designs for something that more closely resembles a high-end stereo separates system.
The main case and Apple monitor sit perfectly aligned, as did many optional add-on modules, which gave the IIGS a clean—if decidedly pale—aesthetic. Not having a built-in keyboard allowed Apple to ship the IIGS with a comfortably-sized typing peripheral, though you’d also need to find somewhere to stack your floppy drive bays.
4Commodore Amiga 1200
The Commodore Amiga 1200 was my first computer, and the last model ever manufactured by Commodore (despite relatively strong sales). I’m prepared to admit that I have a massive soft spot for the A1200, I still have mine complete with the original box buried somewhere in the spare room. Disregarding my obvious bias, the A1200 still looks like a sharp and sprawling home computer and was one of the last “keyboard and lowercase” hybrids to make it big.
Highly practical with a side-mounted floppy disc drive, a 96-key keyboard, andrevolutionary graphics and audio capabilities, the A1200 went for a “slicked back” look, with a small rounded bump at the foot of the keyboard and straight lines at the top. If you squint, it almost looks like a white Ferrari Testarossa… almost. Unfortunately, the light finish has not aged well in surviving models and, like many computers of the era, has become yellowed over time.
3Apple Macintosh
The Apple Macintosh, later branded the Macintosh 128K, represented a pivotal moment for the company and computer design in general. At a time when so many personal computers required heaps of room and separate cases, monitors, and drive bays; the Macintosh bundled everything together except for the main peripherals. It was expensive, at $2,495 MSRP in 1984, but Apple made more than half a million sales.
The computer has gone down in history for its capabilities, but also for the way it looks. The Macintosh is relatively small, self-contained, and understated. The built-in 1-bit display was sharp but could only output in black and white, and the mouse had a single button. The offset 3.5” floppy drive was unusual at a time when multiple 5.75” bays were more common, and it helps to give the computer its simple look.
2Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 isone of the best-selling computers of all time. Though modern sales numbers make the roughly 17 million shipped units seem tame, the computer was a force to be reckoned with in the decade following its release in 1982. It followed the VIC-20 and aforementioned PET, securing somewhere around 40% market share in the U.S. and even outselling IBM and Apple to dominate the budget end of the market.
Though the Commodore earned its place in the market as a result of its namesake 64KB of RAM at a noteworthy sub-$600 price point, its understated design and chunky aesthetic remains iconic to this day. I’d argue that beige has never looked so good. If you’re partial to the C64, then you might be interested in the return of theCommodore Internationalbrand, which includes the relaunch of the Commodore 64 (starting at $299, as announced in July 2025).
1Sinclair ZX Spectrum
Introduced to the UK market in 1982 and the U.S. a year later, the ZX Spectrum is an incredibly eye-catching and portable machine even to this day. It’s small enough that the keyboard takes up most of the device footprint, with chunky medium-gray rubber buttons contrasted against a dark case with edges that round ever-so-slightly.
By far the most eye-catching detail however, is a diagonal band of four colors in the lower-right corner of the keyboard, a visual representation of the computer’s namesake. The design is iconic and probably helped to catapult the system to dominance with more than five million units sold. Also of note was Sinclair’s aggressive pricing strategy, the ability to connect the Spectrum to a regular TV, and widespread software support as a result of the machine’s fast adoption by developers.
Looking for more beautiful computers? Take a look back atthe most iconic Sony Vaio laptops.
