TECHNICAL SHEET
Amstrad Magazine was the reference publication for Portuguese-speaking users of the British brand. Published in Portugal, it began its journey in May 1988, at a time when the number of Amstrad computers was growing rapidly across the Iberian Peninsula. The complete collection consists of 15 physical volumes (spanning 16 nominal issues), ending its run in December 1989.
The magazine positioned itself as a semi-professional publication. While it was born with a primary focus on the CPC range (464, 664, and 6128), it rapidly evolved to cover the PCW word processing line and PC compatibles (1512 and 1640), reflecting the Portuguese market's transition toward professional and office computing.
CONNECTION WITH AMSTRAD USER (SPAIN)
A distinctive feature of Amstrad Magazine was its close editorial relationship with the Spanish magazine Amstrad User. Much of its technical content, game maps, and programming listings were direct adaptations or translations of articles originally published in Spain. This synergy allowed the Portuguese edition to offer high-quality technical and graphic content from its first issue, leveraging the infrastructure of the Spanish publisher.
SECTIONS AND TECHNICAL CONTENT
- [#] Hardware & Peripherals: Detailed analysis of memory upgrades, disk interfaces, and monitor comparisons.
- [#] Programming & Listings: Included numerous listings in BASIC and Machine Code for users to type in their own programs.
- [#] Help & Tips: Sections dedicated to solving operational doubts and offering "pokes" or cheats for video games.
- [#] Professional Software: Guides for tools like LocoScript (PCW) or management applications under MS-DOS (PC).
COLLECTION CLOSURE: SPECIAL ISSUE 15/16
The magazine ended its publication with a special double volume unifying issues 15 and 16, corresponding to November and December 1989. This final copy stood out for its great length and acted as a yearbook/summary of the year's technology, marking the end of Amstrad's monographic presence in Portuguese newsstands before the mass arrival of 16-bit consoles.
