PC Clones was a short-lived spin-off of Computer Shopper. I'm not sure what the point was as Computer Shopper already covered PC related stuff. I guess maybe they were trying to publish a more normal sized magazine vs. the phone book sized monstrosity that Computer Shopper was. The premiere issue from 1987 includes:
PC Clones - Premiere Issue - 1987
Computer Gamer is a computer gaming magazine that was published in the U.K. in the 1980s. It covered gaming on home computers that were popular there. Some of which were not familiar to us in North America (like the ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC) and some were (like the Commodore 64). the May 1986 issue includes:
Computer Gamer (May 1986)
If you were a PC user in the 1980s and 1990s and wanted a good PC specific magazine, it was hard to go wrong with PC World. The October 1990 issue includes:
PC World (October 1990)
By 1993, PC World was pretty ubiquitous. You could find it in grocery stores, book stores, etc. It was probably the most popular magazine dedicated to PC compatible computers. I bought my first PC in 1993 several months after this issue hit the stands. The February 1993 issue of PC World includes:
PC World (February 1993)
1976 was before the personal computer revolution really got going. That would happen the following year with the release of systems like the Commodore PET, Apple 2, Atari 400/800, and TRS-80. However, Byte was already covering computers for hobbyists and other small systems users. The July 1976 issue includes:
Byte (July 1976)
Byte was one of the earliest and most technical computer magazines available. In 1978, things were really starting to take off in the 'small computer' arena. The closest thing to a standard were the S100 bus based 8008 or Z80 machines running CP/M. However, the Commodore PET, TRS-80, and Apple II had all recently been introduced. The February 1978 issue of Byte includes:
Byte (February 1978)
PC World was probably the most popular PC specific magazine in the U.S. and the late 1990s was still pretty early days of the Internet (at least in terms of widespread public access). To me, the 1990s to the early 2000s will always be the golden age of the PC. The October 1997 issue of PC World includes:
PC World (October 1997)
By 2013, PC World was a shadow of its former self. In fact, the last issue would be published in August ending a 30 year run. The February 2013 issue includes:
PC World (February 2013)
The Amstrad CPC line of computers were not ones I had ever even heard of back when they were current in the mid 1980s to early 1990s. They were popular in the U.K. but virtually unknown in the U.S. and never commercially available here as far as I know. Amstrad Computer User was one of the magazines that covered these machines in the U.K. The April 1986 issue includes:
Amstrad Computer User (April 1986)
Next to Electronic Gaming Monthly, GamePro was perhaps the most popular video game magazine for many years, at least in North America. I always preferred EGM but GamePro had some great content to. The April 1998 issue includes:
GamePro (April 1998)
Byte was perhaps the most successful early computer magazine. In its early days, it covered what would have been considered small business computers, hobbyist systems, and the first home computers. This issue from July 1981 is from shortly before the original IBM PC was introduced and includes:
Byte (July 1981)
In the 1980s, there wasn't much of an Internet to speak of so you got pretty much all of your computer related info from magazines. Hence the large size of what was probably the most popular PC specific magazine with this one coming it at about 400 pages. Contents for the June 1988 issue includes:
PC World (June 1988)
The Fall 1979 issue of Compute! was the very first issue. I descended from The PET Gazette which exclusively covered the Commodore PET. With the transition to Compute!, it added coverage of other 6502 based computers. You may not think many people had computers in 1979 but the Apple II and Atari 400/800 were already mainstream choices based on the 6502 CPU. This issue of Gazette includes:
Compute! (Fall 1979)
Byte was one of the first computer magazines published in the U.S. It covered a wide variety of 'small systems' including both home computers and machines made for businesses. However, it seemed the popularity of Byte faded the more the popularity of the PC grew. Nevertheless, for much of its life it was extremely popular and issues were huge including this one from November 1988. Contents includes:
Byte (November 1988)/a>
PC World was one of the first major PC dedicated magazines. Unlike other early magazines like Byte and Compute!, it exclusively covered the PC. The October 1985 issue includes:
PC World (October 1985)
Byte was among the earliest computer magazines. It was published from 1975 until 1998, covered just about every computer, and tended to lean toward the technical side. The August 1988 issue includes:
Byte (August 1988)
Byte was among the earliest computer magazines. It was published from 1975 until 1998. It covered a wide range of computers through its life. The October 1985 issue includes:
Byte (October 1985)
Compute! was one of the more popular home computer magazines of its time. It wasn't as technical as something like Byte and it concentrated on the machines most potential users would be buying for their home. The August 1984 issue includes:
Compute! (August 1984)
The mid 1990s was an exciting time for the PC industry. PCs were rapidly being adopted with nearly everyone having one by 2000. The Internet was just becoming mainstream and that's the biggest part of what drove adoption. The October 1996 issue of PC World includes:
PC World (October 1996)
During the mid 90s, just before the Internet exploded, Computer Shopper was at its peak. The April 1996 issue has more than 800 pages and includes:
Computer Shopper (April 1996)