The Sinclair ZX80 computer was a home computer that serves as one of the earliest predecessors to the laptop. It came with the wave of microcomputers introduced in the late 1970s and early 1980s that allowed consumers to use word processing software, do programming, and even play video games.

The Sinclair ZX80 computer was the first home computer under $200 in the United States.

First released in January of 1980, both as an assembled version for £99.95 (or $199.50 USD) and as a kit for £79.95, the Sinclair ZX80 computer’s unbelievable low price totally cracked open the microcomputer market. That’s because the Sinclair ZX80’s low price point and convenient, easy-to-use tech allowed more people than ever to be able to afford a home PC. These factors resulted in over 50,000 unit sales at the outset and a several-month-long waiting list for the ZX80 — a number that was completely unheard of for its time.