The PC1640 is based on a 8 MHz Intel 8086 processor. Though the PC1640 was the successor to the Amstrad PC1512, the specifications of these machines were almost identical (except for the increase in memory). This machine had 640 KB of RAM and came along with a 20 MB hard disk.

The PC1640 was not only a success in being sold to companies and corporations. Due to the pricing and successful marketing campaign by Amstrad, the PC1640 was also an important competitor in the home computer scene. Besides Amstrad, this computer was also sold by the company Schneider in several European nations.