5 Worst 80s Tech Gadgets That Are Now Just Collectibles
via Ruairidh MacVeigh / YouTube
The 1980s was a time of bold innovation in technology, but not every gadget was a success. Many devices were ahead of their time or too clunky to gain widespread popularity. Today, these relics are more about nostalgia than function, sitting as collectibles rather than useful tools.
1. Sinclair C5
The Sinclair C5 was a one-person electric vehicle launched in 1985. Marketed as the future of urban transportation, its low speed, limited range, and awkward design made it impractical for most people.
Drivers often felt unsafe due to its low height, which put them at car bumper level. Despite its innovative concept, it failed to resonate with consumers and quickly disappeared from the market.
2. Sony Betamax
Sony’s Betamax lost the videotape format war to VHS, despite having better picture quality. Its shorter recording time and higher price turned off potential buyers, who preferred the more convenient VHS tapes.
As VHS dominated, Betamax became obsolete, leaving early adopters with an expensive device and a dwindling library of tapes.
3. LaserDisc Player
LaserDiscs offered higher-quality video than VHS but came with significant downsides. The players were expensive, the discs were oversized, and only a limited selection of movies was available.
Many users found it frustrating that LaserDiscs couldn’t record, making them less versatile than VHS. By the end of the decade, LaserDiscs were a niche product at best.
4. Casio VL-Tone
The Casio VL-Tone combined a calculator and a mini keyboard into one gadget. While it gained attention for its novelty, the sound quality and functionality left much to be desired.
Its keyboard produced basic tones that quickly became repetitive. As calculators and musical devices improved, the VL-Tone became more of a quirky collectible than a practical tool.
5. Commodore 64 Disk Drive
While the Commodore 64 itself was a groundbreaking computer, its disk drive was notoriously slow and prone to errors. Loading a game or program often required patience as users dealt with crashes or long wait times.
Its high cost also deterred some users. Modern storage devices have long replaced this cumbersome relic, leaving it as a reminder of early computing struggles.
