[1][2] The computer was powered by two 4-bit CPUs laid out in power-saving CMOS circuitry.

A badge-engineered version of the PC-1211, the TRS-80 Pocket Computer (model PC-1), was marketed by Radio Shack in July 1980 as the first iteration of the TRS-80 Pocket Computer with just a marginally different look (outer plastic parts in black, not brown, gray display frame) A badge-engineered version of the Sharp PC-1211 was marketed by Radio Shack as the original TRS-80 Pocket Computer.

This was later referred to as the "PC-1" to differentiate it from subsequent entries (PC-2 onwards) in the TRS-80 Pocket Computer line.

[3] Introduced in July 1980, the "PC-1" measured 175 × 70 × 15 mm and weighed 170 g, and had a one-line, 24-character alphanumeric LCD.

[4][5] The TRS-80 Pocket Computer was programmable in BASIC, with a capacity of 1424 "program steps".