Amstrad · Gen
Hardware
The original PCW model, launched in 1985 as an all-in-one word-processing system with a green monochrome display, 256 KB of RAM, a single 3-inch floppy drive, and a bundled dot-matrix printer. It shipped with LocoScript and was aimed primarily at home and small-office word processing rather than general-purpose computing.
A higher-memory follow-up to the PCW 8256, retaining the same general platform but doubling RAM to 512 KB and adding a second 3-inch floppy drive. It was intended to improve multitasking and disk handling for serious word-processing users while remaining compatible with the PCW software ecosystem.
A redesigned PCW introduced in 1987, moving to a new case and updated peripherals while keeping the same text-oriented word-processing concept. It used 512 KB of RAM and became the main bridge model before the later 9256 and 9512+ variants.
A 1991 cost-reduced successor that kept the PCW family concept but moved to a 3.5-inch floppy drive and 256 KB of RAM. It is generally treated as a distinct model because its storage hardware and memory configuration differ from the earlier machines.
An upgraded version of the PCW 9512 released in 1991, notable for replacing the older 3-inch drive with a 3.5-inch drive and offering printer bundle options. It remained compatible with the PCW software line while modernizing the storage side of the platform.
A later 1995 PCW-family revision that continued the word-processor format with updated internals and packaging. It is usually grouped with the final generation of classic PCW machines and is compatible with the broader PCW ecosystem.
The final PCW-family machine, launched in 1995 with a much more radical redesign and different software environment from the earlier models. It is generally regarded as incompatible with the classic PCW line, so it belongs as its own distinct model rather than a mere revision.