First personal computers

IBM PC

The IBM PC was introduced in 1981. It was perhaps the first to wear the "PC" label, but that was IBM's only innovation.

Make	Model	Introduced	Price	Technology	Form
IBM	5150 PC	1981	?	8088/VLSI	desktop

Apple][

the 1977 Apple ][ was the first highly successful mass-produced personal computer, but not the first personal computer. Nor was the 1976 Apple 1, which can be considered an Apple ][ prototype since only 200 or so were made.

The Apple 1 signaled the end of toggle switches and blinkenlights, and launched the interactive graphical microcomputer as a new class of machine.

Make	Model	Introduced	Price	Technology	Form
Apple	Apple ][	April 1977	$1295	6502/LSI	desktop
Apple	Apple 1	May 1976	$666	6502/LSI	single-board

IBM 5100

The 5100 was just one of several personal computers IBM made before the PC. It was followed by the 5110, the 5120, the Datamaster, and then finally the 5150 PC. 

 

Make	Model	Introduced	Price	Technology	Form
IBM	5100 portable Computer	September 1975	$9000-$20,000	LSI	portable all-in-one
IBM	5110	1978	?	LSI?	portable all-in-one
IBM	5120	1980	?	LSI?	all-in-one with build-in 8" floppies
IBM	Datamaster	1981	?	LSI/8085	all-in-one with build-in 8" floppies

MITS Altair

You're way off! The Altair, introduced in January 1975, was the first computer to be produced in fairly high quantity, and it was the first computer to run Microsoft software, but we're not sure that's a good thing.

Unfortunately for computer history buffs, the Altair is often mistakenly called the first personal computer by Microsoft-loving journalists who don't know any better

Make	Model	Introduced	Price	Technology	Form
MITS	Altair 8800	January 1975	$439 for kit, $621 assembled	8080/LSI	S-100 desktop box

 
SCELBI-8H

the Scelbi-8H (1973) was another microcomputer that preceded the Altair. Like the Altair, it was available from the manufacturer both as a kit and as a pre-assembled computer.

The machine was designed by Nat Wadsworth.

Make	Model	Introduced	Price	Technology	Form
Scelbi	8H	1973	$565	8008/LSI	desktop

HP -65

Some people consider the HP 65, introduced in 1973, a mere calculator, but it was fully programmable; you could even play games on it. HP even called it a personal computer in their introductory article in the HP Journal, but it wasn't the first. 

 HP Claculator Museum
 

Make	Model	Introduced	Price	Technology	Form
Hewlett Packard	65	1973	$795	LSI	handheld

Xerox Alto

The Alto, introduced in 1973, but never commercially produced, was perhaps the most innovative design in computer history: it had a mouse, a GUI, an object-oriented OS and development tools, and fast networking with the first ethernet cards. These are features that wouldn't be common until 10 years later, and even 20 years later some of them were still cutting edge

 Xerox Workstation Collections

 

Make	Model	Introduced	Price	Technology	Form
Xerox	Alto	April 1973	N/A	MSI	workstation

HP 9830

The HP 9830, introduced in 1972, was the first desktop all-in-one computer. It even had BASIC in ROM, but few people know about it because HP marketed it primarily to scientists and engineers, very quiet people.

Even earlier (1968), HP produced a similar desktop machine called the 9100. However, since it didn't have a full alphanumeric keyboard or display, it is generally considered a sophisticated programmable calculator rather than a general-purpose computer. According to one researcher, the term personal computer was first used to describe the 9100A.

Make	Model	Introduced	Price	Technology	Form
Hewlett Packard	9830A	1972	$5975	MSI	desktop all-in-one

Kenbak-1

the Kenbak was designed by John Blankenbaker, introduced in 1971 and sold through small ads in magazines like Scientific American. It was affordable and small, but far from the first.

This otherwise obscure machine was named "first personal computer" by a smart group of judges under the auspices of a contest held by The Computer Museum in Boston in 1986

 Computer Museum

 

Make	Model	Introduced	Price	Technology	Form
Kenbak	Kenbak-1	1971	$750	MSI	desktop

DEC PDP-8

the PDP-8, introduced in 1965, was available as a desktop model as early as 1968, and while it was too expensive for most people, and required racks of peripherals to be useful, it was very personal for its time.

The PDP-8 inspired Steven Gray to found the Amateur Computer Society and publish the ACS Newsletter, the first spark of the hobbyist movement predicted by Edmund C. Berkeley almost 20 years earlier. 

Make	Model	Introduced	Price	Technology	Form
DEC	PDP-8	1965	?	SSI, core memory	desktop

 
Heathkit EC-1

The EC-1, introduced in 1959, was a small inexpensive desktop computer. It was available as a kit for under $200! But it wasn't digital. It was analog, and could be used to solve certain types of problems, but it's not what most people think of as a computer today. 

 

Make	Model	Introduced	Price	Technology	Form
Heathkit	EC-1	1959	$199	analog tubes	desktop