Vintage specialist Retro Games Ltd has released a special white edition of its revamped ZX Spectrum.
The modernised device, simply named The Spectrum, was released in November 2024 and included 48 built-in games.
Now a white edition has been released, designed to pay tribute to one of UK computing’s most oft-repeated stories.
The story goes that a special version of the ZX Spectrum with a white case instead of its usual black case was given to its inventor Clive Sinclair, to mark 1 million units sold.
While the white Spectrum was a one-off that was never commercially released – and while some even question whether it was ever created at all – Retro Games’ new design pays tribute to that story.
The hardware itself is identical to The Spectrum released in November 24, meaning it’s still a full-sized recreation of the ZX Spectrum 48K, including its rubber keyboard, and it still has 48 games built-in, ranging from ’80s classics to modern homebrew releases.
It contains HDMI output and has USB support for controllers and “custom content”, which essentially means players can run ROMs of other Spectrum games via a USB stick.
The standard version of The Spectrum doesn’t come with any controllers, but the white edition includes a white microswitch joystick to match the computer’s colour scheme, as well as a custom white USB stick and a Crash magazine.
The Spectrum White Edition is available now at £129.99 / €149.99, while The GamePad White is £19.99 / €24.99. Both can be purchased at the official Plaion Replai store.
VGC reviewed The Spectrum when it was originally released in 2024, and called it “a fitting resurrection of the classic ZX Spectrum 48K, rubber keys and all”.
“The Spectrum is the best device on the market for those who have fond memories of Clive Sinclair’s classic home computer and just want an easy way to relive those days,” we wrote.
“Its library of games also makes it a brilliant starting point for those who didn’t have a ZX Spectrum but want to learn more about this very British part of gaming history. You may want a controller to get the most out of it, however.”
