Production on the remodelled ZX Spectrum Vega will start in February, company SMS Electronics has confirmed.
The ZX Spectrum Vega will go into production next month and is due to go on sale in April.
Coming pre-installed with 1000 classic ZX Spectrum games, the Vega is being manufactured by Nottinghamshire firm SMS Electronics at its Beeston factory.
It has been developed by the Luton-based Retro Computers and is being back by Sir Clive Sinclair, who launched the original ZX Spectrum back in 1982.
“I am absolutely delighted our company has been involved in this project,” said Mark Golby, MD of SMS Electronics speaking to the BBC. “If it sells anywhere near as well as the original ZX Spectrum that could bring massive employment opportunities for us here.”
“If you are a diehard graphics fiend then you are probably not going to get too excited – but this is all about the games, which are extremely addictive. We have a queue of technicians waiting for a chance to test it.”
Details of the 1000 titles to come pre-installed are still being finalised, but Retro Computers promises that the Vega will include many of the best-selling 1980s titles.
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Initially SMS Electronics will produce a run of 1000 ZX Spectrum Vega consoles, which has been financed by a crowdfunding campaign.
The remodelled console will be capable of running all 14,000 of the original ZX Spectrum titles.
When the original ZX Spectrum launched it retailed for the equivalent of £420 for the basic 8K model and a whopping £568 for the top end 48k model.
The ZX Spectrum Vega lacks a built-in keyboard, which the original along with its rubber keys was prized for. Instead, the Vega uses an on-screen keyboard that makes it ill-suited for coding, also unlike the original model.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.