MGT Sam Coupe

The SAM Coupé is a British 8-bit home computer that was launched in late 1989 by Miles Gordon Technology (MGT). It was intended as a successor to the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, a popular home computer in the UK during the 1980s. The SAM Coupé was designed to offer enhanced capabilities compared to the Spectrum while maintaining compatibility with its software base.

1. Development: The SAM Coupé was developed by a team led by Bruce Gordon, son of Miles Gordon, the founder of MGT. It was announced in late 1989 and promised several improvements over the aging ZX Spectrum.

2. Features: The SAM Coupé featured a Z80B processor running at 6 MHz, which was significantly faster than the 3.5 MHz processor found in the ZX Spectrum. It had 256 KB or 512 KB of RAM, a palette of 128 colors, and enhanced sound capabilities compared to its predecessor. It also included two joystick ports, a MIDI interface, and a disk drive interface.

3. Software Compatibility: Despite its hardware improvements, the SAM Coupé aimed to maintain compatibility with the vast library of software available for the ZX Spectrum. It achieved this through a combination of hardware emulation and software tricks.

4. Reception: The SAM Coupé received some positive reviews for its enhanced capabilities and backward compatibility. However, it faced tough competition from more powerful 16-bit computers like the Commodore Amiga and Atari ST, which were gaining popularity at the time.

5. Limited Success: Despite its promising features, the SAM Coupé struggled to gain traction in the market. It faced challenges such as a lack of developer support and the dominance of other platforms. MGT went into liquidation in 1990, just a year after the SAM Coupé's launch.

6. Legacy: Despite its short lifespan and limited commercial success, the SAM Coupé has developed a cult following among retro computing enthusiasts. Its hardware capabilities, compatibility with Spectrum software, and unique features have made it a sought-after collector's item.

Overall, while the SAM Coupé failed to achieve widespread success in the competitive home computer market of the late 1980s and early 1990s, it remains an interesting footnote in the history of British computing and continues to be remembered fondly by enthusiasts.