Micro 4/40

Compu-Sultants’ Micro 4/40 might have been first 4040-based kit. An entry-level system for hobbyists, its processor had only a 4-bit word length, as opposed to the Intel 8080 8-bit length, so the system was limited even by the day’s standards. Partial kits were sold, so it’s possible to find Micro 440 components in other home-made systems.

Having very limited capabilities, Micro 4/40 had a tuff time competing agains other "more powerfull" 8-bit systems. In 1976 Compu-Sultants dropped the prices for the kit. Microcomputer Digest,Vol 2, #7 Jan, 1976 placed a following add:

"$90 4-BIT MICROCOMPUTER KIT Compu-Sultants, Inc. is now offering their MICRO 440 4-bit computer kit (PC board, Intel 4040, clock interface, 256 bytes of RAM and an 87 page manual) for only $90 in single units; $75 in quantities greater than ten. All other parts needed to complete the microcomputer kit are standard and can be purchased elsewhere. The PC boards are early-run versions without plate-through holes. This represents a significant savings in cost, at the expense of having to solder the components on both sides. For an additional $20, Comp-Sultants will throw in the major components of the power supply/TTY interface (PC board, transformer, and regulators)."