The Commodore 64 vs The ZX Spectrum

The Commodore 64 and the ZX Spectrum were two of the most iconic home computers of the 1980s. They were both released in 1982 and were very popular in the UK and Europe. However, they had different strengths and weaknesses, and fans of each machine often debated which one was better.

The Commodore 64 had a more powerful processor, more RAM, better graphics and sound capabilities, and a proper keyboard. It was designed to offer arcade-style gameplay and entertainment. However, it was also more expensive, had a slower disk drive, and had a limited BASIC language.

The ZX Spectrum had a higher resolution, a lower cost, a larger user base, and a more accessible programming environment. It was designed to be affordable and educational, and many classic games were developed on it. However, it also had fewer colors, poorer sound quality, a rubber keyboard, and frequent attribute clash issues.

Both machines had their own unique charm and legacy, and influenced many generations of gamers and programmers. There is no definitive answer to which one was better, as it depends on personal preference and nostalgia. However, some people may think that the Commodore 64 had an edge over the ZX Spectrum in terms of technical capabilities. Others may think that the ZX Spectrum had an edge over the Commodore 64 in terms of popularity and creativity. Ultimately, both machines were great in their own ways, and contributed to the history of home computing and gaming.

#commodore64 #zxspectrum #retrogaming

[delscoville]

Rival on the other side of the pond from where I am, here it was Commodore 64 vs Atari XL/XE

[adroharv]

there's a bunch of games I still play on the Speccy like Sabre Wulf, T.L.L, Cyclone and quite a few more. A marvelous machine. I did own a C64 though and play that loads still. It's not just nostalgia for me but more because I like the atmosphere that you're submersed in when on these great machines but also because they both had some excellent games worth playing

[pjcnet]

No competition for gaming with the C64's custom chips including the awesome SID sound chip and VIC-II chip with hardware scrolling and sprites, the only time the Spectrum won was with pure processing power on the occasional game when things couldn't be offloaded from the C64's slower 6510 processor, mainly early 3D rendered games. You'd also have to put up with 2 colours per character on the Spectrum with no true graphics mode which meant lots of mostly monochrome games or horrid colour clashing, it's amazing what clever programmers achieved in more recent times however with custom multicolour engines, although they're bound to use significant processing time to pull off.

[GWild]

We owe a big debt to Sir Clive Sinclair.

[georgekaplan]

Both brilliant machines. Personally I preferred the 64 due to the amazing SID sound chip and the computer was better for Sprites

[seraphinberktold]

The ZX Spectrum with its huge software library had a distinctive advantage over other home computers. The architecture of the ZX Spectrum was simple without any custom chips. Even the ULA is just some circuitry transferred into a single chip. The Leningrad boards e.g. do not use the ULA.
There were (are!) more than 100 clones of the ZX Spectrum which were produced around the world (and not paying Sir Clive Sinclair any royalties, I'm sure).
So the ZX Spectrum's impact on the world of computing cannot be overstated, especially in Eastern Europe, Russia and other regions like South America, too.
It is impossible to determine just how many Spectrum compatibles have been produced.
I came across sources which state that Timex alone produced 800.000 compatibles in Poland and there is investronica in Spain who, amongst other models, produced a special Spanish version of the ZX Spectrum 128 even before the 128 toastrack model hit the shelves in Great Britain.

[ArneChristianRosenfeldt]

I only read the description. ZX spectrum has 256x192 while C64 has 320x200 plus you can easily open top and bottom borders for sprites used for a fixed status display, while the main playfield scrolls.

Z80 ran at a higher clock, had denser code, and was faster at math with more than 8 bits. C64 has the same 6502 as a lot other commodores, but with the absolute slowest clock. Atari and NES and pcEngine have a higher clock than commodore ( okay C128 had 2 MHz ).

[Retro_Royal]

Never saw a ZX Spectrum in the 80s here in germany but the Screenshots in the press didn´t look to appealing. C64 and Atari, later CPC fought the 8bit wars here.

[kirishima]

Definitely the 64, for its keyboard, ease of programming, sound, massive game library.

I never like the clashing color palette of the Spectrum, which was garish even then. The keyboard was awful and the accessories were bad.