Peripherals included a printer, a cassette tape storage unit, and a CRT interface.

[15] In 1978, the Hitachi Basic Master and Sharp MZ-80K, both developed by consumer electronics companies, were released as personal computers targeted for hobbyists, not for business use.

It was released as the COMPO BS/80, but it failed in the market due to its poor built-in BASIC and slow clock speed.

[16] When Goto visited Silicon Valley to survey the application of microprocessors, he ran across Kazuhiko Nishi at a computer store.

After lunch, they went to Microsoft's office, and then Gates told him the importance of having a de facto standard.

They asked New Nippon Electric (NEC Home Electronics since 1983) to sell the personal computers through their consumer distribution network.

The system unit, displays and storage devices were all developed by NEC, and manufactured by New Nippon Electric.

When he circulated the contract with Microsoft for approval, computer division's director criticized they planned to purchase the software from a small company.

Watanabe knew importance of the industrial standard and third party developers, but his perception was against company's practice.

[20] Watanabe's bosses, Electronic Device Sales Division manager Morichika Sawanobori (沢登 盛親) and executive director Atsuyoshi Ōuchi (大内 淳義), let him do what he wanted.

When he suggested the TK-80 project, Sawanobori supported him in anticipation that it would expand the microprocessor market, and Ouchi trusted their decision.

It would become a computer product involved in NEC's core business, and would influence their corporate image.

[21] The PC-8001 sold well in the educational market because NEC advertised that the PC-8001 used the industrial standard of Microsoft BASIC.

[26] A higher-performance, more graphically capable revision of the PC-8001, the Mark II debuted in March 1983 for a price of 123,000 yen.

While the price of the PC-8001mkII was comparable with other 8-bit computer offerings at the time, its graphics were notably worse than its competitors (most likely an attempt on NEC's part to avoid competing with their own, higher-powered PC-8800 series).

Additionally, the primitive PC speaker was replaced by an FM synthesis audio system.

The Japanese personal computer magazine ASCII concluded in 1979 that "Although some problems remain, at present, we can guarantee it is the strongest machine for both software and hardware.

"[17] Although handicapped by the lack of English documentation, BYTE's American reviewers concluded in January 1981 after evaluating a unit purchased in Japan that "the PC-8001 appears to be an attractive, well-planned, and well-made personal computer ...

[27] While evaluating the US market-localized version of the PC-8001 in May 1982, the authors said that the original PC-8001 had functioned reliably for one and one half years.