Sinclair QL
| Type | Personal computer |
|---|---|
| Release date | 12 January 1984 |
| Introductory price | £399 (equivalent to £1,620 in 2023) |
| Discontinued | April 1986 |
| Units sold | 150,000 |
| Operating system | Sinclair QDOS, SuperBASIC |
| CPU | 68008 @ 7.5 MHz |
| Memory | 128 KB (896 KB max.) |
| Storage | 2× Microdrive |
| Display | PAL TV or RGB Monitor 256 × 256 (8 colours) 512 × 256 (4 colours) |
| Graphics | ZX8301 |
| Sound | Intel 8049 |
| Connectivity | expansion slot, ROM cartridge socket, dual RS-232 ports, proprietary QLAN local area network ports, dual joystick ports, external Microdrive bus |
| Predecessor | ZX Spectrum |
| Successor | Sinclair PC200 |
The Sinclair QL (for Quantum Leap) is a personal computer launched by Sinclair Research in 1984, as an upper-end counterpart to the ZX Spectrum.
The QL was the last desktop microcomputer from Sinclair Research aimed at the serious home user and professional and executive users markets from small to medium-sized businesses and higher educational establishments, but failed to achieve commercial success.
While the ZX Spectrum has an 8-bit Zilog Z80 as the CPU, the QL uses a Motorola 68008. The 68008 is a member of the Motorola 68000 family with 32-bit internal data registers, but an 8-bit external data bus characteristic of microcomputers.