ZX Spectrum Next
The 21st-century Spectrum: FPGA, HDMI and SD card, in a case designed by Rick Dickinson.
The ZX Spectrum Next was born from a Kickstarter campaign in 2017 and reached its backers in 2020. It is a new, FPGA-based computer, compatible with the Spectrum 48K, 128K and +3, with a processor running at up to 28 MHz, 1 MB of RAM and HDMI and VGA outputs.
A new Spectrum
The project was funded by a Kickstarter campaign in 2017, which far exceeded its target, and the first machines reached backers in 2020. A second campaign, that same year, funded a new production run.
The case was designed by Rick Dickinson, who designed the cases of the ZX81 and the original Spectrum. It was one of his last pieces of work: he died in 2018.
Inside
There are no period chips: all the Spectrum hardware is recreated in an FPGA. The processor, the Z80N, is Z80-compatible, adds new instructions and can run at 3.5, 7, 14 or 28 MHz.
It has 1 MB of RAM (up to 2 MB), an SD card reader instead of cassettes, three recreated AY sound chips, new graphics modes with hardware sprites, and HDMI and VGA outputs. It runs 48K, 128K and +3 software.
Trivia
- 10 REM
At the back it has an expansion port compatible with many of the original Spectrum's interfaces.
- 20 REM
The Accelerated version takes a Raspberry Pi Zero as a coprocessor.
- 30 REM
The community keeps releasing new games, made from scratch for the Next's graphics modes.
The family: Sinclair
- 1977 Science of Cambridge MK14
- 1980 Sinclair ZX80
- 1981 Sinclair ZX81
- 1982 ZX Spectrum 16K / 48K
- 1984 ZX Spectrum+
- 1984 Sinclair QL
- 1985 ZX Spectrum 128
- 1986 ZX Spectrum +2
- 1987 ZX Spectrum +3
- 1987 ZX Spectrum +2A / +2B
- 2017 ZX Spectrum Next
Compared with the other models
| Model | Year | Processor | Memory | Video | Sound | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Science of Cambridge MK14 | 1977 | SC/MP · 4,43 MHz | 256 B | LED 7 segmentos | — | Monitor 512 B |
| Sinclair ZX80 | 1980 | Z80A · 3,25 MHz | 1 KB (16 KB) | TTL · 32 × 24 mono | — | 4K BASIC |
| Sinclair ZX81 | 1981 | Z80A · 3,25 MHz | 1 KB (16 KB) | ULA · 32 × 24 mono | — | 8K BASIC |
| ZX Spectrum 16K / 48K | 1982 | Z80A · 3,5 MHz | 16 / 48 KB | ULA · 256 × 192 | Beeper 1 bit | 48 BASIC |
| ZX Spectrum+ | 1984 | Z80A · 3,5 MHz | 48 KB | ULA · 256 × 192 | Beeper 1 bit | 48 BASIC |
| Sinclair QL | 1984 | 68008 · 7,5 MHz | 128 KB | ZX8301 · 512 × 256 | 8049 · beeper | QDOS + SuperBASIC |
| ZX Spectrum 128 | 1985 | Z80A · 3,55 MHz | 128 KB | ULA · 256 × 192 | AY-3-8912 · 3 ch | 128 BASIC |
| ZX Spectrum +2 | 1986 | Z80A · 3,55 MHz | 128 KB | ULA · 256 × 192 | AY-3-8912 · 3 ch | 128 BASIC |
| ZX Spectrum +3 | 1987 | Z80A · 3,55 MHz | 128 KB | Gate array · 256 × 192 | AY-3-8912 · 3 ch | +3 BASIC + +3DOS |
| ZX Spectrum +2A / +2B | 1987 | Z80A · 3,55 MHz | 128 KB | Gate array · 256 × 192 | AY-3-8912 · 3 ch | +3 BASIC |
| ▶ ZX Spectrum Next | 2017 | Z80N (FPGA) · até 28 MHz | 1 MB | FPGA · HDMI / VGA | 3 × AY + DAC | NextZXOS |
Let me know when one arrives: ZX Spectrum Next
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