Amstrad PCW 9512+

Released in 1991, the Amstrad PCW 9512+ was the premium member of Amstrad’s redesigned PCW range. It combined a 4 MHz Zilog Z80A processor and 512KB of RAM with a paper-white monitor, a standard 720KB 3.5-inch floppy drive and a letter-quality daisy-wheel printer.

Locoscript and CP/M Plus preserved compatibility with the established PCW software library, while the new disk format made storage more convenient. The £449 plus VAT package remained aimed at writers and small offices that valued clean printed output.

Notable Features

• 512KB RAM and a 720KB 3.5-inch disk drive
• Paper-white monochrome display
• Locoscript and CP/M Plus compatibility
• Letter-quality daisy-wheel printer
• Redesigned monitor and system case

Historical Significance

• Modernized the premium PCW 9512 with standard 3.5-inch storage
• Extended the PCW platform into the early 1990s
• Remained focused on writers and small offices rather than general multimedia use

Collectors Notes

• Requires bootable PCW system disks
• Daisy wheels and ribbons can be difficult to source
• Inspect the drive, keyboard and printer mechanism
• Complete systems should include the matching printer and software

Specifications

Technical Information
Name	Amstrad PCW 9512+
Manufacturer	Amstrad
Launched	Tuesday, January 1, 1991
Discontinued	1993
Launch Price	£449 plus VAT, including monitor, keyboard, daisy-wheel printer and software
Country	United Kingdom
CPU	Zilog Z80A
Units Sold
Expansion	Parallel printer port and optional serial interface
Printer	Included letter-quality daisy-wheel printer
Storage	One built-in 720KB 3.5-inch floppy drive
Keyboard	Separate full-size keyboard with numeric keypad and function keys
Sound	Internal beeper
System Software	Locoscript and CP/M Plus loaded from disk
RAM	512KB
Graphics	Monochrome bitmapped display generated in software
Display	720 × 256 paper-white monochrome display; 90 columns × 32 lines
CPU Speed	4 MHz