description Exidy Sorcerer Overview
The Exidy Sorcerer is a home computer system introduced in the late 1970s by Exidy, featuring a Zilog Z80 microprocessor. It was distinctive for its ROM cartridge slot located above the keyboard, which allowed users to run software without relying solely on cassettes. Initially targeted at the educational market, the computer comes with a built-in BASIC programming interpreter. It was encased in a fiberglass chassis instead of metal, which differentiated it from many contemporary machines.
help Exidy Sorcerer FAQ
When was the Exidy Sorcerer introduced?
The Exidy Sorcerer was introduced in 1978 as a home computer from Exidy. It belongs to the early wave of late-1970s personal computers. [Smithsonian](https://www.si.edu/object/exidy-sorcerer-microcomputer%3Anmah_334653)
What processor did the Exidy Sorcerer use?
The Sorcerer used a Zilog Z80 processor. That Z80 design gave the 1978 Exidy system a well-known 8-bit computing platform for its era. [Smithsonian](https://www.si.edu/object/exidy-sorcerer-microcomputer%3Anmah_334653)
Why was the Exidy Sorcerer's ROM cartridge slot important?
The machine accepted plug-in ROM cartridges, called ROM PACs, so software could be loaded from a cartridge rather than only from cassette. The Smithsonian example notes that it included a standard BASIC cartridge. [Smithsonian](https://www.si.edu/object/exidy-sorcerer-microcomputer%3Anmah_334653)
How did the Exidy Sorcerer differ from the Commodore PET and TRS-80?
It competed in the same late-1970s home-computer market as the Commodore PET and Tandy TRS-80. Its distinctive feature was the plug-in ROM-PAC slot above the keyboard, which made cartridge software a central part of the design.
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