Brand: Sinclair Research Ltd.
Model: ZX Spectrum
Made in: Republic of Korea
Manufacturer: Samsung Electronics Company Ltd.
First year of production: 1984
Board design: Richard Altwasser
Software: Steve Vickers (at Nine Tiles Ltd.)
Case design: Rick Dickinson
Dimensions: 233 × 144 × 30 mm (feet adds 2 mm)
Weight: 550 g (Issue 4S)
Besides production at Timex in Dundee, Scotland, Thorn-EMI Datatech in Feltham, Middlesex, AB Electronics in Abercarn, Wales and TMX in Caparica, Portugal, a production line was set up at Samsung in Korea. It was their first sub-contracting job as they were not yet big in consumer electronics at that time.
Technically the Issue 4S (Samsung) boards were similar to Sinclairs’ Issue 3 boards but with extra solder pads so that alternative components could be fitted.
Samsung Spectrums are known for their sturdier keyboard membranes and usually survive over 40 years of storage.
