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Zenith Z-120

Sale price £359.00 Regular price £399.00

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Zenith Z-120 Computer

A very nice example of a weird computer!  The Z-120, when released, had a foot in the past with an S-100 bus, and a foot in the present with an MS-DOS operating system.  But that led to a really interesting identity crisis, being neither good at being an S-100 system nor good at being a PC Compatible (it is very much not).  So dysfunctional, so '80's, so cool. 

  • The keyboard has been disassembled, cleaned, and fully tested.  
  • Both disk drives have been disassembled, cleaned, lubricated and are fully functional. 
  • The screen has been aligned and is bright and crisp.
  • MS-DOS disk included

NOTE: This item is available for local delivery in the Chicagoland area only (within 60 mile radius of Aurora, Illinois), or pickup in Aurora, Illinois.  Shipping these is very problematic as we cannot insure them against damage in transit.  You may arrange a freight company or UPS store in the Chicago area to pack and ship for you and we're happy to work with them and drop it off there for you.  We recommend the UPS store in Sycamore, Illinois for pack-and-ship services.  However, we CANNOT guarantee the unit will arrive intact and working -- ship at your own risk please. 

Another option is to pick this item up at the Vintage Computer Festival Midwest each September.  We can hold it for you until then. 

Because shipping is not available for this item, the Bonus Life Computers charge for local delivery is waived for this item.  After ordering, we will contact you to arrange delivery or pickup.  


All of our systems are graded based on cosmetic condition, relative to how they came from the factory.  Pluses and minuses may be assigned when a system is slightly better or slightly worse than the three grades we offer.  

The grades are as follows:

Grade 1: System is as new, with no more than one or two minor blemishes in places not visible when placed in the traditional position a desk.  Yellowing must be non-existent or barely observable.  Cases have no cracks, no nicks, and no deep scratches.  All chips are original or OEM replacements. System will be fully operational. For software, all manuals and disks are present and the case has very little sign of age, wear, or use.

Grade 2: System is very presentable, with few blemishes in areas visible when placed in the traditional position a desk.  There may be some level of yellowing but not to the extreme.  Cases have no cracks.  Cases may have some minor scuffs or light scratches in visible areas.  Cases may have nicks or dents in places not apparent when looking at the unit from the traditional operating position.  White keys may have some yellowing.  Chips may be original, OEM replacements, or third-party reproductions (ex: ArmSID or SwinSID replacements for SID chips). System will perform all key functions normally, except where third party reproduction chips may alter functionality slightly (for example replacement SID chips may sound slightly different than original chips).  For software, check the item description to determine if manuals and disks are included.  The packaging will be very nice, with some signs of age (rubbed spots, slight creases or tears, some fading).

Grade 3: System may have cracks on the case, significant blemishes in visible areas, missing trim pieces that do not affect proper operation, or significant yellowing.  White keys are probably fairly yellow.  These systems are discounted significantly and intended for people who want a system but don't care that it doesn't look great on a desk, or would like to do a more extreme restoration on their own (ex: painting cases).  Chips may be original, OEM replacements, or third-party reproductions (ex: ArmSID or SwinSID replacements for SID chips). System will be fully operational, except where third party reproduction chips may alter functionality slightly.  For software, check the item description to determine if manuals and disks are included.  The packaging will have significant signs of age or abuse (many rubbed spots, creases, tears, or heavy fading).

NOTE: If you order a Condition 3 unit, please keep an eye out for an email from us confirming that you intended to do that.  We won't ship until you confirm you wanted a Condition 3 and it wasn't just a mistake of picking the lowest cost option in the store!  Hope you understand.

Ungraded: Non-working parts machines, non-working components, or items that obviously can't be graded (such as cables or disks).