{"id":5686,"date":"2022-01-11T16:41:30","date_gmt":"2022-01-11T16:41:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loadzx.com\/sinclairworld\/?page_id=5686"},"modified":"2025-09-24T16:22:43","modified_gmt":"2025-09-24T16:22:43","slug":"oxford","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/loadzx.com\/sinclairworld\/oxford\/","title":{"rendered":"Oxford (1975-76)"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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1974<\/div>
Sinclair Radionics<\/div><\/div>
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Sinclair Oxford Gillette GPA<\/div>
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This black calculator was developed for Gillette, the razor company, as it explored entering the consumer electronics market. Known as the Gillette Personal Accountant (GPA), it offered basic arithmetic functions and an eight-digit LED display. Although short-lived, its design laid the groundwork for Sinclair\u2019s Oxford range launched the following year. The moulded plastic casing was slightly rougher than later versions, but its internals and layout formed the blueprint for a new generation of affordable, British-made pocket calculators.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>

1975<\/div>
Sinclair Radionics<\/div><\/div>
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Sinclair Oxford 100<\/div>
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Introduced as the first model in the Oxford range, this black calculator offered four-function arithmetic with an eight-digit red LED display and a constant key for repeated calculations. It could be powered either by a standard 9-volt battery or plugged into the mains\u2014useful for saving battery life during regular use. The Oxford 100 reused the design of the earlier Gillette GPA, but with a cleaner finish and improved casing, becoming a familiar entry point to electronic calculation in mid-1970s Britain.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>

1975<\/div>
Sinclair Radionics<\/div><\/div>
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Sinclair Oxford 150<\/div>
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This black calculator added percentage and square root functions to the original Oxford 100 design, marking a small but useful upgrade for everyday calculations. It featured an eight-digit red LED display and algebraic input, and was powered by a standard 9-volt battery. Housed in a rounded case typical of later Oxford models, the 150 represents the incremental expansion of Sinclair\u2019s calculator range as it sought to balance low-cost design with added functionality for home and office users.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>

1975<\/div>
Sinclair Radionics<\/div><\/div>
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Sinclair Oxford 200 - Mk. 1<\/div>
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This early Oxford 200 model features a red LED display and offers memory and percentage functions\u2014two upgrades over the more basic Oxford 100. It shared the same size and power source as other calculators in the range, using a 9V battery or mains adaptor. Launched in 1975, it reflected Sinclair\u2019s aim to balance functionality with affordability in a fast-changing market.<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>

1975<\/div>
Sinclair Radionics<\/div><\/div>
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Sinclair Oxford 200 - Mk.1<\/div>
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Identical in function to other Oxford 200 models, this version features a distinctive blue \u201c200\u201d model number printed at the top right of the casing\u2014a subtle variation within the Oxford range. At <\/span>almost twice<\/span> the price of the Oxford 100, it offered useful extras like memory recall. This model <\/span>retained<\/span> its red LED display, and its compact design made it a practical choice for home or office use.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>

C. 1975-76<\/div>
Sinclair Radionics<\/div><\/div>
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Sinclair Oxford 200 - Mk.2<\/div>
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Later examples of the Oxford 200 switched from red LED to green vacuum fluorescent displays, which were easier to read in low light. This change echoed broader trends in calculator design during the mid-1970s. Despite its updated display, the model retained its key features\u2014basic operations, memory, and percentage\u2014powered by a single 9V battery or mains adaptor.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>

C. 1975-76<\/div>
Sinclair Radionics<\/div><\/div>
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Sinclair Oxford 300 - Mk.1<\/div>
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This scientific calculator brought advanced trigonometric functions\u2014like sine, cosine and tangent\u2014to a wider public at a much lower cost than most competitors. Its red LED display might indicate it as an earlier version within the 300 range. Although ideal for students and professionals, the Oxford calculators in general were known for draining their 9V batteries quickly. At the time, a specialist magazine even advised using a bulky battery for longer life\u2014though this made the calculator too heavy for portability, effectively making it deskbound.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>

C. 1975-76<\/div>
Sinclair Radionics<\/div><\/div>
<\/i><\/div>
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Sinclair Oxford 300 - Mk.2<\/div>
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Designed for affordability and everyday use, this scientific model included functions like trigonometry and square roots. Its green vacuum fluorescent display made numbers easier to read, and a small switch at the top allowed users to toggle between degrees and radians\u2014useful in science and engineering. A white \u201c300\u201d model number printed on the casing helped distinguish it within the Oxford range. Although more powerful than the Oxford 200, it shared the same short battery life.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>

C. 1975-76<\/div>
Sinclair Radionics<\/div><\/div>
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Sinclair Oxford Universal<\/div>
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An evolution of the Oxford 100, this white model included additional functions such as memory, percentage, square root, and reciprocal. Its green vacuum fluorescent display (VFD) offered better battery efficiency than earlier LED versions, reflecting a brief move toward lower-power alternatives before LCDs took over the market. The Universal was among the most advanced models in the Oxford range and represents Sinclair\u2019s attempt to stay competitive as cheaper, more efficient Japanese calculators began to dominate.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>

1976<\/div>
Sinclair Radionics<\/div><\/div>
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Sinclair Oxford Scientific<\/div>
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This advanced model offered trigonometric, logarithmic, and exponential functions\u2014tools essential for students and engineers. It featured an unusual top-mounted switch that let users toggle between degrees and radians, two different units for measuring angles. Its green vacuum fluorescent display <\/span>(VFD) <\/span>supported scientific notation and showed up to eight digits. Released near the end of the Oxford range, it reflected the growing demand for affordable scientific calculators in the mid-1970s<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div>

C. 1976<\/div>
Radionic Products<\/div><\/div>
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Sinclair Electronic Pocket Calculator Kit<\/div>
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This build-it-yourself calculator kit invited young users to explore how everyday electronics worked\u2014an early precursor to today\u2019s STEM kits. Sold by Radionic Products <\/span>Ltd.<\/span>, its design closely matches the Sinclair Oxford 150 and references Sinclair on the calculator\u2019s <\/span>packaging<\/span>, suggesting shared components or manufacturing links. The finished calculator offered functions like percentages and square roots, all assembled without soldering\u2014making technology hands-on and approachable for learners as young as eleven.<\/span><\/span><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n

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