The Zilog Z80 has turned 50
The Zilog Z80 processor, a foundational 8-bit chip, has reached its 50th anniversary. The article reflects on its massive influence on early personal computing and its surprising longevity in industrial applications.
Why it matters
The Z80 is a cornerstone of computing history, demonstrating how hardware designs can remain relevant in industrial sectors for decades after their consumer peak.
As of writing, the Zilog Z80 processor was officially launched 50 years ago, in July of 1976, less than 4 years after the last human had walked on the moon, decades closer to WWII than to the present day, roughly at a half way point between the Kennedy assassination and the fall of the Berlin wall, closer to the Korean war than to 9/11 which is itself an event that happened a quarter of a century ago. (Sorry...)
The processor was extremely successful, being used in many 8 bit microcomputers, including early personal computers, home & hobby computers, as well as many embedded, industrial applications.
Together with the 8080 & 8085 that it is binary compatible with, it contributed to creating a de facto hardware standard for 8 bit micros, allowing a de facto software standard of CP/M, and Microsoft BASIC.
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