Popular Electronics (1954–2003) was a pioneering magazine for electronics hobbyists, emphasizing practical projects and emerging tech. In the mid-1970s, it became a key outlet for microcomputer articles, publishing groundbreaking designs that fueled the personal computer revolution. Its accessible style and detailed build guides inspired thousands to experiment with digital systems.
The most iconic computer project in Popular Electronics was the MITS Altair 8800, featured on the January 1975 cover as "The World's First Minicomputer Kit to Rival Commercial Models." Coming soon after Radio Electronics' Mark-8 article, it detailed how to build the Intel 8080-based kit computer. Priced at $397, the Altair included a 256-byte memory board and front-panel switches/LEDs. The article by MITS' Ed Roberts and Bill Yates provided schematics, assembly tips, and expansion ideas. It sparked the home computer boom, leading to Microsoft's first BASIC and the Homebrew Computer Club.
Popular Electronics ran numerous articles on microprocessors, terminals, and peripherals, often with full construction details. Key examples include:
These projects often tied into emerging CPUs like the 8080 and Z80, with code listings and troubleshooting guides.
Popular Electronics' computer articles democratized microcomputing, with the Altair feature alone sparking the personal computer industry. It inspired clubs, companies (e.g., Microsoft from Altair BASIC), and follow-up designs. Readers built projects from scratch, learning digital logic and programming. The magazine's blend of theory and practice made complex tech approachable, paving the way for the home computer explosion.