 While the editor of Personal Computer World was on holiday in May 1981 , his colleagues publicised the magazine 's review of the ZX81 with a cover showing a chimpanzee with the machine above the strapline " Editor benchtests the ZX81 " . ( The chimp returned in later issues to " benchtest " all of Sinclair 's subsequent computers . ) The review , which was written by PCW staffer Dave Tebbutt , acknowledged that the machine had significant shortcomings but nonetheless represented " absolutely amazing value for money " . He described the ZX81 as " a lovely product which will have enormous appeal to people wanting to find out more about computers , but without it costing them an arm and a leg " and concluded : " If you know nothing about computers and you want to enjoy finding out about them , then this machine offers a value for money way of doing just that . Children will love the ZX81 , there can be no question about that , and I suspect that more than a few people who are already familiar with computers will buy one , just to have a bit of fun . " 
