When Did the First Computer Come Out?

By Staff WriterLast Updated March 31, 2020

The Z3, designed in Germany by Konrad Zuse and completed in 1941, is widely considered to be the first programmable computer. While later computers were significantly faster, the Z3 laid the groundwork for further development.

In the United States, the Atanasoff-Berry Computer was released in 1942 and influenced ENIAC, the first general-purpose all-electronic computer.

Throughout the 1970s, a wide range of personal computers hit the market. While many of these models achieved some success, it was the Apple II, released in 1977, and the Intel- and DOS-based IBM PC, released in 1981, that laid the groundwork for modern personal computers and most modern servers.