 While the CPU clock speed was comparable to that of the Macintosh, and the later Atari ST and Amiga, the 8-bit databus and cycle stealing of the ZX8301 gate array limited the QL's performance.At the time of the rushed launch, on 12 January 1984, the QL was far from being ready for production--there being no complete working prototype in existence.Although Sinclair started taking orders immediately, promising delivery within 28 days, first customer deliveries only started, slowly, in April.