Zilog to stop making classic Z80 8-bit CPU after 50 years
Zilog's Z80 was a lynchpin of the home computer revolution. The first two 8-bit machines I owned, the ZX Spectrum and the Amstrad CPC, both had one. The versatile chip was a regular co-processor in the 16-bit era, and enjoyed a long golden afternoon as a low-power CPU with an instruction set everyone and their gran knows by heart. After 50 years, though, the company is to finally stop manufacturing the Z80.
Last orders will be taken 14 June 2024, which definitely means someone will suddenly need 20,000 of them for legacy railroad switching network upgrades/industrial control systems/an oversuccessful retrogaming kickstarter in July. I suppose there are a zillion second sources and compatible derivatives and knockoffs, but still! What a run.
Previously: Amstrad CPC 40 years old
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Rob Beschizza, Khareem Sudlow
