The Most Collectible PCs of All Time
Is that computer in your attic a treasure...or trash? Here's the scoop on 19 historic digital antiques, worth from $10 to $10,000 and beyond.
Harry McCracken
TRS-80 Model 1 (Tandy, 1977). Estimated units sold: hundreds of thousands; original price: $599; current market value: $25 to $250
The TRS-80 (please, don't call it the Trash-80) was sold at Tandy's Radio Shack stores, so it was probably the first computer American consumers encountered at their local shopping mall. Ugly and spartan but extremely useful, it spawned an array of add-ons, spinoffs, and successors that made Radio Shack the world's leading computer retailer for a time. Vintage examples don't cost a fortune, but if you're feeling simultaneously nostalgic and cash-strapped, a visit to Ira Goldklang's wonderful TRS-80 Revived site is the next best thing. (Photo courtesy of the Obsolete Technology Website.)PCW Download Guide
A Guide to Business IT
Related Desktops Articles
- 5 Movies Starring Computers Homicidal. Amorous. Vengeful. Yearning. Cute. Anyone who says that computers aren't emotional hasn't seen these five films.
- IMac Performance Evolves Through the Years No one touted the iMac as a computing power house when it first began shipping 10 years ago today. But at some point in the...
- Eight Ways the IMac Changed Computing The iMac made an instant impression when Apple first unveiled it in May 1998.
- When Apple's Reach Exceeds Its Grasp In the past year, we've seen numerous examples of how Apple's reach can dramatically exceed its grasp.
- Turn Any PC Into a Media Center Looking to turn your computer into the ultimate home-entertainment device? Here's how to get a top-notch media experience out of the PC you already own.
Best Prices on Desktops
DX4200-UB001A DesktopPrice: $679.99
iMac 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo 20" DesktopPrice: $1049.00
TouchSmart IQ504 DesktopPrice: $1019.99
Acer Aspire AM1640-U1401A Desktop PCPrice: $249.99
iMac Intel Core 2 Duo 24" DesktopPrice: $1700.00
Mac mini MB138LL/A DesktopPrice: $571.58
-
CDW Virtualization Center What is Virtualization and how can it help you save money? Click here to find out.
-
Asus Laptop Showcase Ultra-fashionable thin and light notebooks with SmartLogon Face Recognition. Find out more...
-
HP Ink Center Bring improved color and brilliance to your printed material. Visit the Resource Center for more info...
PC World's Marketplace
PC World's Free Whitepapers
"The Most Collectible PCs of All Time" Comments