The machine was conceived by Sir Clive Sinclair and released by his company Cambridge Computer in 1987. Sir Clive was going to market the computer as the Sinclair Z88, but sold the Sinclair name to Amstrad in 1986.

Despite its lightness (the Z88 weighs 0.9 kg) it was surprisingly robust. Its membrane keyboard is almost inaudible, an optional electronic "click" can be turned on if it proves too quiet for the user's taste.

The four AA batteries enables use for 20 hours, while the three memory slots could be be used for RAM expansion, removable mass storage, and proprietary programs.