Tech specs chronology
From thecrankyhermit
1971
- Business: Coin-Op
- Input: Joysticks
- Multiplayer
- Sound
- Video: Raster
1972
- Media: Cartridges
- Multiplayer: Hot seat
1973
- Multiplayer: Team
1975
- Multiplayer:
- Co-Op
- 8 Players
- Singleplayer
- Sound: Stereo
- Video: Color
1976
- Feature: Portrait mode
1977
- Business: Retail
- Input: Keyboard
- Media: Cassette Tape
- Platforms:
- Apple II (MOS 6502)
- Commodore PET (MOS 6502)
- Atari 2600 (MOS 6507)
1978
- Media: 5.25" Floppy Disk
- Platforms:
- Odyssey 2 (Intel 8048)
- TRS-80 (Z80)
- RAM: 48KB
- Video: Apple II Hi-Res
1979
- Platforms:
- Apple II+ (MOS 6502)
- Atari 8-bit (MOS 6502)
- Intellivision (General Instrument CP1600)
- Video: 80-column text
1980
- Platform: TRS-80 CoCo (Motorola 6809)
1981
- Business: Freeware
- Input: Mouse
- Platforms:
- BBC Micro (MOS 6502)
- IBM PC (Intel 8088)
- VIC-20 (MOS 6502)
- ZX81 (Z80)
- RAM: 64KB
- Software: MS-DOS 1.0
- Sound: PC Speaker
- Video: CGA
1982
- Business: Shareware
- Media: Download
- Platforms:
- Colecovision (Z80)
- Commodore 64 (MOS 6510)
- Dragon (Motorola 6809)
- FM-7 (Motorola 6809)
- PC-88 (Z80)
- ZX Spectrum (Z80)
- RAM: 128KB
1983
- Feature: Password save
- Media: 3.5" Floppy Disk
- Platforms:
- Acorn Electron (MOS 6502)
- IBM PCJr (Intel 8088, 16-color display)
- IBM PC XT (Intel 8088, internal hard drive)
- MSX (Z80)
- NES (MOS 6502)
- PC-98 (Intel 8086)
- Sharp X1 (Z80)
- Software: MS-DOS 2.0
- Sound: PCjr Polyphony
- Video:
- Hercules
- PCJr 16-color
1984
- Feature: Hard drive installable
- Platforms:
- Amstrad CPC (Z80)
- Commodore 16 (MOS 7501)
- IBM PC AT (Intel 286)
- Macintosh (68K)
- RAM: 256 KB
- Software: MS-DOS 3.0
- Video: EGA
1985
- Feature: JAMMA
- Multiplayer: 2 players by modem
- Platforms:
- Amiga 1000 (68K, OCS)
- Atari ST (68K)
- MSX 2 (Z80)
- Sega Master System (Z80)
- RAM: 512KB
1986
- Feature: Battery backup save
- Multiplayer: Null-modem cable
- Platforms: Apple IIgs (WDC 65816)
- Software: Kickstart 1.2
- Sound: Covox
1987
- Media: 3.5" HD Floppy Disk
- Multiplayer: Play-by-E-mail
- Platforms:
- Acorn Archimedes (ARM2)
- IBM PS/2 (Intel 386DX)
- Sharp X68000 (68K)
- TurboGrafx-16 (WDC 65C02)
- Software: MS-DOS 3.3
- Sound:
- AdLib
- Roland MT-32
- Video:
- MCGA
- VGA
1988
- Media: CD-ROM
- Multiplayer: IPX
- Platforms:
- Genesis (68K)
- TurboGrafx CD (WDC 65C02)
- RAM: 1MB
- Software: MS-DOS 4.0
1989
- CPU: Intel 486DX
- Multiplayer: LAN
- Platforms:
- FM Towns (Intel 386SX)
- Game Boy (Z80)
- Sound: Sound Blaster
1990
- Platforms:
- Amiga 3000 (68030, ECS)
- Game Gear (Z80)
- SNES (WDC 65816)
- Software: Windows 3.0
- Sound:
- AdLib Gold 1000
- Dolby Pro Logic
- Thunderboard
1991
- Multiplayer: TCP/IP
- Platforms:
- CD-i (68K)
- Macintosh Quadra (68040)
- Neo-Geo (68K + Z80)
- Sega CD (68K)
- RAM: 2MB
- Software:
- Linux
- MS-DOS 5.0
- System 7.1
- Windows 3.1
- Sound:
- General MIDI
- Pro Audio Spectrum
- Roland Sound Canvas
- Sound Blaster 16
- Sound Blaster Pro
- Video: Super VGA/XGA
1992
- CPU: Intel 486DX2
- Platform: Amiga 4000 (68040, AGA)
- Sound:
- Gravis Ultrasound
- Windows Sound System
1993
- CPU: Intel P5
- Platforms:
- 3DO (ARM60)
- Amiga CD-32 (68020, AGA)
- RAM: 4MB
- Sound:
- Ensoniq Soundscape
- Sound Blaster AWE32
1994
- Platforms:
- PlayStation (MIPS R3000)
- PowerMac (PowerPC 601)
- Sega Saturn (2x Hitachi SH-2)
- Software: Browser
1995
- Feature: Widescreen
- RAM: 8MB
- Software: Windows 95
- Video:
- 1MB VRAM
- Direct3D
- DirectDraw
- Glide
- OpenGL
1996
- CPU: Intel P5MMX
- Platform: Nintendo 64 (MIPS R4200)
- RAM: 16MB
- Software: Flash
- Sound: DirectSound 3D
- Video: DirectX 3
1997
- CPU: Intel P6
- Media: DVD-ROM
- Platform: PowerMac G3 (PowerPC G3)
- RAM: 32MB
- Sound: Dolby Digital
- Video:
- 2MB VRAM
- DirectX 5
1998
- Platforms:
- Dreamcast (Hitachi SH-4)
- Game Boy Color (Z80)
- Software: Windows 98
- Sound: EAX
- Video:
- 4MB VRAM
- DirectX 6
1999
- CPU: Intel P6SSE
- Platform: PowerMac G4 (PowerPC G4)
- RAM: 64MB
- Software:
- Mac OS 8.6
- Symbian
- Windows 98SE
- Windows Mobile
- Video:
- 8MB VRAM
- DirectX 7
- Hardware TnL
2000
- Platform: PlayStation 2 (Emotion Engine)
- Software:
- J2ME
- Windows 2000
- Video:
- 16MB VRAM
- DirectX 8
2001
- CPU: Intel NetBurst
- Platforms:
- Gameboy Advance (ARM7)
- Gamecube (PowerPC 750CXe)
- Xbox (Intel P6)
- RAM: 128MB
- Software: Windows XP
- Sound:
- DTS
- EAX Advanced HD
- Video: DirectX 8.1
2002
- Video:
- 32MB VRAM
- DirectX 9
2003
- Software:
- BREW
- Steam
- RAM: 256MB
- Video:
- 64MB VRAM
- DirectX 9.0b
- Pixel Shader 2.0
2004
- Platforms:
- Nintendo DS (ARM9)
- PSP (MIPS R4000)
- RAM: 512MB
- Software: Windows XP SP2
- Video:
- DirectX 9.0c
- Pixel Shader 3.0
2005
- Platform: XBox 360 (PowerPC Xenon)
- Software: OSX 10.4 Tiger
- Sound: OpenAL
- Video: 128MB VRAM
2006
- CPU: Intel Core 2
- Media: Blu-Ray
- Platforms:
- PlayStation 3 (Cell)
- Wii (PowerPC 750CL)
- RAM: 1GB
- Software: Windows Vista
2007
- Software:
- BlackBerry
- iOS 1.0
- OSX 10.5 Leopard
- Video: 256MB VRAM
2008
- Software:
- Android 1.0
- WiiWare
2009
- Software:
- iOS 3.0
- OSX 10.6 Snow Leopard
2010
- RAM: 2GB
- Software:
- Android 2.3 Gingerbread
- iOS 3.2
- Windows Phone
- Video: 512MB VRAM
2011
- Platforms:
- Nintendo 3DS (ARM11)
- PS Vita (ARM Cortex-A9)
- Software:
- Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread
- iOS 5.0
2012
- Platform: Wii U (PowerPC Espresso)
- Software: iOS 6.0
2013
- Platforms:
- PlayStation 4 (AMD Jaguar)
- XBone (AMD Jaguar)
2014
- Video: 1GB VRAM
First Generation
- Business: Coin-Op
- Input: Joysticks
- Media: Cartridges
- Multiplayer:
- 8 Players
- Co-Op
- Hot seat
- Team
- Singleplayer
- Sound:
- Mono
- Stereo
- Video:
- Color
- Raster
Second Generation
- Business:
- Freeware
- Retail
- Shareware
- Feature: Portrait mode
- Input:
- Keyboard
- Mouse
- Media:
- 5.25" Floppy Disk
- Cassette Tape
- Download
- Platforms:
- Apple II (MOS 6502)
- Apple II+ (MOS 6502)
- Atari 8-bit (MOS 6502)
- Atari 2600 (MOS 6507)
- BBC Micro (MOS 6502)
- Colecovision (Z80)
- Commodore 64 (MOS 6510)
- Commodore PET (MOS 6502)
- Dragon (Motorola 6809)
- FM-7 (Motorola 6809)
- IBM PC (Intel 8088)
- Intellivision (General Instrument CP1600)
- Odyssey 2 (Intel 8048)
- PC-88 (Z80)
- TRS-80 (Z80)
- TRS-80 CoCo (Motorola 6809)
- VIC-20 (MOS 6502)
- ZX81 (Z80)
- ZX Spectrum (Z80)
- RAM: 48KB - 128KB
- Software: MS-DOS 1.0
- Sound: PC Speaker
- Video:
- 80-column text
- Apple II Hi-Res
- CGA
Third Generation
- Feature:
- Battery backup save
- Hard drive installable
- JAMMA
- Password save
- Media: 3.5" Floppy Disk
- Multiplayer:
- 2 players by modem
- Null-modem cable
- Platforms:
- Acorn Electron (MOS 6502)
- Amiga 1000 (68K, OCS)
- Amstrad CPC (Z80)
- Apple IIgs (WDC 65816)
- Atari ST (68K)
- Commodore 16 (MOS 7501)
- IBM PC AT (Intel 286)
- IBM PCJr (Intel 8088, 16-color display)
- IBM PC XT (Intel 8088, internal hard drive)
- Macintosh (68K)
- MSX (Z80)
- NES (MOS 6502)
- PC-98 (Intel 8086)
- Sega Master System (Z80)
- Sharp X1 (Z80)
- RAM: 256 KB - 512KB
- Software:
- Kickstart 1.2
- MS-DOS 2.0 - 3.0
- Sound:
- Covox
- PCjr Polyphony
- Video:
- EGA
- Hercules
- PCJr 16-color
Fourth Generation
- CPU: Intel 486DX
- Media:
- 3.5" HD Floppy Disk
- CD-ROM
- Multiplayer:
- IPX
- LAN
- Play-by-E-mail
- TCP/IP
- Platforms:
- Acorn Archimedes (ARM2)
- Amiga 3000 (68030, ECS)
- Amiga 4000 (68040, AGA)
- CD-i (68K)
- FM Towns (Intel 386SX)
- Game Boy (Z80)
- Game Gear (Z80)
- Genesis (68K)
- IBM PS/2 (Intel 386DX)
- Macintosh Quadra (68040)
- Neo-Geo (68K + Z80)
- Sega CD (68K)
- Sharp X68000 (68K)
- SNES (WDC 65816)
- TurboGrafx-16 (WDC 65C02)
- TurboGrafx CD (WDC 65C02)
- RAM: 1MB - 2MB
- Software:
- Linux
- MS-DOS 3.3 - 5.0
- System 7.1
- Windows 3.x
- Sound:
- AdLib
- AdLib Gold 1000
- Dolby Pro Logic
- General MIDI
- Gravis Ultrasound
- Pro Audio Spectrum
- Roland MT-32
- Roland Sound Canvas
- Sound Blaster
- Sound Blaster 16
- Sound Blaster Pro
- Thunderboard
- Windows Sound System
- Video:
- MCGA
- VGA
- Super VGA/XGA
Fifth Generation
- CPU:
- Intel P5
- Intel P6
- Feature: Widescreen
- Media: DVD-ROM
- Platforms:
- 3DO (ARM60)
- Amiga CD-32 (68020, AGA)
- Nintendo 64 (MIPS R4200)
- PlayStation (MIPS R3000)
- PowerMac (PowerPC 601)
- PowerMac G3 (PowerPC G3)
- Sega Saturn (2x Hitachi SH-2)
- RAM: 4MB - 32MB
- Software:
- Browser
- Flash
- Windows 95
- Sound:
- DirectSound 3D
- Dolby Digital
- Ensoniq Soundscape
- Sound Blaster AWE32
- Video:
- 1MB - 2MB VRAM
- DirectX 1-5
- Glide
- OpenGL
Sixth Generation
- CPU:
- Intel P6SSE
- Intel NetBurst
- Platforms:
- Dreamcast (Hitachi SH-4)
- Gameboy Advance (ARM7)
- Game Boy Color (Z80)
- Gamecube (PowerPC 750CXe)
- PlayStation 2 (Emotion Engine)
- PowerMac G4 (PowerPC G4)
- Xbox (Intel P6)
- RAM: 64MB - 256MB
- Software:
- BREW
- J2ME
- Mac OS 8.6
- Steam
- Symbian
- Windows 98 - XP
- Windows Mobile
- Sound:
- DTS
- EAX
- EAX Advanced HD
- Video:
- 4MB - 64MB VRAM
- DirectX 6 - 9.0b
- Hardware TnL
- Pixel Shader 2.0
Seventh Generation
- CPU: Intel Core 2
- Media: Blu-Ray
- Platforms:
- Nintendo DS (ARM9)
- PlayStation 3 (Cell)
- PSP (MIPS R4000)
- Wii (PowerPC 750CL)
- XBox 360 (PowerPC Xenon)
- RAM: 512MB - 2GB
- Software:
- Android 1.0 - 2.3 Gingerbread
- BlackBerry
- iOS 1.0 - 3.2
- OSX 10.4 Tiger - 10.6 Snow Leopard
- WiiWare
- Windows Phone
- Windows XP SP2 - Vista
- Sound: OpenAL
- Video:
- 128MB - 512MB VRAM
- DirectX 9.0c
- Pixel Shader 3.0
Eighth Generation
- Platforms:
- Nintendo 3DS (ARM11)
- PlayStation 4 (AMD Jaguar)
- PS Vita (ARM Cortex-A9)
- Wii U (PowerPC Espresso)
- XBone (AMD Jaguar)
- Software:
- Android 2.3.3 Gingerbread
- iOS 5.0 - 6.0
- Video: 1GB VRAM