Do you remember the specifications of your first personal computer? If not you may be able to find it on this timeline of some of the most popular personal computers in production since the first one came out in 1971. HP’s research team created the ‘Specifications of Personal Computers Over Time’ which includes the processor speeds and RAM of twenty-one models of personal computers from various big-name computer brands. You’ll find models from Apple, IBM, Commodore, Gateway, Sonjy, Lenovo, Acer, HP, and even the world’s first ever personal computer from Kenbak. Processor speeds are an important computer specification and indicates the number of instructions that the computer is able to execute per second.
Processing speeds of the first personal computer were equivalent to 1.00 megahertz while today’s personal computers have processing speeds that reach 2.0 gigahertz or higher. The other specification included in the analysis is the random access memory, known as RAM, which is where data for software and applications is stored and can be accessed quickly. The first personal computer was found to have just 256 bytes of RAM while today's computers have 16 gigabytes of RAM. Did the specifications of any of these personal computers surprise you?
