Compaq SLT

Last updated
Compaq SLT
Compaq SLT-286.jpg
Compaq SLT/286 laptop computer
Manufacturer Compaq
Release dateOctober 17, 1988;35 years ago (October 17, 1988)
Introductory price$5,399 (about $10,992 adjusted) [1]
CPU 12MHz 80C286
Successor Compaq LTE

The Compaq SLT is a laptop computer that was released by Compaq. It was the first laptop released by Compaq. [2] The SLT series was the successor to the Portable III and the predecessor to the more well known Compaq LTE. Two models were produced in the SLT series. The first model, named SLT/286, released on October 17, 1988, [3] is considered to be one of the most notable units in laptop history due to its battery life and superior performance compared to competing models. It is also notable for being Compaq’s first laptop computer. The SLT/286 had a 12 MHz Harris or Intel 80C286 processor (both brands were used throughout the SLT/286’s production) and a grayscale (up to 8 shades) backlit VGA LCD screen, the very first laptop with this feature. The price started at $5,399 for the base-model. [4] [2] [5] [6]

Contents

The second model, the SLT 386s/20, was released in 1990, [7] and featured a 386SX 20 MHz CPU, versus the 286 12 MHz CPU of the SLT/286. It also came with 2 MB of RAM standard (expandable to 14 MB), compared to the 640 KB (expandable to 12.6 MB) the SLT/286 came with, and a 60 or 120 MB hard disk drive, rather than the 20 or 40 MB options the SLT/286 offered.

Docking Station Capability

The SLT line was marketed as a desktop replacement and had a matching docking station, which allowed two standard ISA boards to be used with the SLT.

The docking station retailed for $999. [2]

Models

ModelRelease DateProcessorClock SpeedSpec / Notes
SLT/286 [2] October 17, 1988 286 12 MHz-
SLT 386s/20June 18, 1990 386SX 20 MHz

Battery life

Compaq's main marketing message for the SLT range was its battery life, up to 3-hours minimum. [2] Compaq mentioned this feature in almost all of the SLT literature. Moreover, Compaq released an external battery charger to enable the business user to charge up multiple batteries. [2]

Clones

Grid 386PX Victor Technologies Grid 386PX (BV30E01A).jpg
Grid 386PX

Victor Technologies offered a clone of the SLT/386 model, model Grid 386PX (BV30E01A). Whilst the Grid 386PX looks slightly different, it was unclear whether the Grid 386PX was a true clone or an alternative OEM product.

Acer also offered a clone, known as the AnyWare 1100LX. [8]

Related Research Articles

i386 32-bit microprocessor by Intel

The Intel 386, originally released as 80386 and later renamed i386, is a 32-bit microprocessor introduced in 1985. The first versions had 275,000 transistors and were the central processing unit (CPU) of many workstations and high-end personal computers of the time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IBM PC Convertible</span> 1986 laptop computer by IBM

The IBM PC Convertible is a laptop computer made by IBM, first sold in April 1986. The Convertible was IBM's first laptop-style computer, following the luggable IBM Portable, and introduced the 3½-inch floppy disk format to the IBM product line. Like modern laptops, it featured power management and the ability to run from batteries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Compaq Portable series</span> Laptop manufacturer

Compaq's first computers' form factors were portable, also called "luggables", and then "lunchbox computers", and together constituted the Compaq Portable series. These computers measured approximately 16 inches (410 mm) deep, 8 inches (200 mm) tall, and approximately 20 inches (510 mm) wide. As the products evolved, laptops and notebooks were created offing a new level of portability that caused the market to explode.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Compaq Portable</span> Early portable computer

The Compaq Portable is an early portable computer which was one of the first IBM PC compatible systems. It was Compaq Computer Corporation's first product, to be followed by others in the Compaq Portable series and later Compaq Deskpro series. It was not simply an 8088-CPU computer that ran a Microsoft DOS as a PC "work-alike", but contained a reverse-engineered BIOS, and a version of MS-DOS that was so similar to IBM's PC DOS that it ran nearly all its application software. The computer was also an early variation on the idea of an "all-in-one".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Compaq Portable II</span>

The Compaq Portable II is the fourth product in the Compaq Portable series to be brought out by Compaq Computer Corporation. Released in 1986 at a price of US$3499, the Portable II much improved upon its predecessor, the Compaq 286, which had been Compaq's version of the PC AT in the original Compaq Portable chassis; Portable 286 came equipped with 6/8-MHz 286 and a high-speed 20-MB hard drive, while the Portable II included an 8 MHz processor, and was lighter and smaller than the previous Compaq Portables. There were four models of the Compaq Portable II. The basic Model 1 shipped one 5.25" floppy drive and 256 KB of RAM. The Model 2 added a second 5.25" floppy drive and sold for $3599. The Model 3 shipped with a 10MB hard disk in addition to one 5.25" floppy drive and 640 KB of RAM for $4799 at launch. The Model 4 would upgrade the Model 3 with a 20MB hard drive and sold for $4999. There also may have been a 4.1 MB hard drive included at one point. The Compaq Portable II was significantly lighter than its predecessors, the Model 1 weighed just 23.6 pounds compared to the 30.5 pounds the Compaq Portable 286 weighed. Compaq only shipped the system with a small demo disk, MS-DOS 3.1 had to be purchased separately.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Compaq LTE</span> Line of laptop computers

The LTE is a line of laptops manufactured by Compaq Computer Corporation, introduced in 1989 and discontinued in 1997. It was the first notebook-sized laptop sold by Compaq and the first commercially successful notebook computer, helping launch the burgeoning industry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Subnotebook</span> Obsolete term for smaller laptops

Subnotebook, also called ultraportable, superportable, or mini notebook, was a marketing term for laptop computers that are smaller and lighter than a typical notebook-sized laptop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of laptops</span>

The history of laptops describes the efforts, begun in the 1970s, to build small, portable Personal Computers that combine the components, inputs, outputs and capabilities of a Desktop Computer in a small chassis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Compaq Portable 486</span>

The Compaq Portable 486 is a computer released by Compaq Computer Corporation in 1991. It was the last portable computer/"luggable" released under the Compaq Portable series of computers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IBM Personal Computer XT</span> Personal computer model released in 1983

The IBM Personal Computer XT is the second computer in the IBM Personal Computer line, released on March 8, 1983. Except for the addition of a built-in hard drive and extra expansion slots, it is very similar to the original IBM PC model 5150 from 1981.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IBM ThinkPad 365</span> Notebook computer series by IBM

The IBM ThinkPad 365 is a notebook computer series developed by IBM and manufactured by ASE Group. It was released in North America in November 1995, and was the successor of the ThinkPad 360 series. The series had 8 models that were released before being discontinued, and was succeeded in 1997 by the ThinkPad 380 series.

Armada is a discontinued line of business laptops by Compaq. They started as a more affordable version of the Contura line, but after that, they replaced Contura as a mainstream laptop line, and then the high-end Compaq LTE line were merged with Armada as a premium 7300 and 7700 sub-lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Compaq LTE Lite</span> 1990s series of notebook-sized laptops

The LTE Lite was a series of notebook-sized laptops under the LTE line manufactured by Compaq from 1992 to 1994. The first entries in the series were Compaq's first computers after co-founder Rod Canion's ousting and Eckhard Pfeiffer's tenure as the new CEO. The notebooks were co-developed and manufactured by Compaq and Citizen Watch of Japan. They were a hot-seller for Compaq and spanned multiple models, with various processors and liquid-crystal display technologies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sharp PC-7000</span> Luggable portable computer

The Sharp PC-7000 is a luggable portable computer released by Sharp Electronics in 1985. The PC-7000 was Sharp's second entry into the IBM PC-compatible portable computer market, their first being the PC-5000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Computer and Peripheral</span> American computer company

American Computer & Peripheral, Inc. (AC&P), also written as American Computer and Peripheral, was an American computer company based in Santa Ana, California. The company was founded in 1985 by Alan Lau and released several expansion boards for the IBM PC as well as a few PC clones before going bankrupt in December 1989. Obscure in its own time, the company's 386 Translator was the first plug-in board for Intel's newly released 80386 processor and the first mass-market computing device to offer consumers a means of using the 386 in July 1986.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rabbit 286</span> 1988 portable computer by Chicony Electronics

The Rabbit 286 is a portable computer manufactured by Chicony Electronics starting in 1988. The computer featured an Intel 80286 clocked at 12 MHz and was available in three models, the most expensive having a 20-MB hard disk drive. The Rabbit 286, which was Chicony's first computer system, was released worldwide in April 1988. Chicony sold a bare-bones version of the computer without motherboard, which saw widespread use among systems integrators and original equipment manufacturers.

The PB286LP, released in 1989, was Packard Bell's first laptop computer. The laptop featured an 80C286 processor clocked at 12 MHz and 1 MB of RAM, along with a single ISA expansion slot. Packard Bell released the PB286LP in 1989 among a slew of products aimed at the corporate market. Technology writers gave it mostly positive reviews, although some noted its 16-lb weight as hefty and its monochrome LCD as somewhat flawed. Originally only capable of CGA-mode graphics, the laptop was updated in 1990 to support VGA. Packard Bell discontinued the PB286LP in 1991, in favor of more-compact, notebook-sized computers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zenith SupersPort</span> Line of PC-compatible laptops

The SupersPort is a line of PC-compatible laptops manufactured by Zenith Data Systems and sold from 1988 to 1993. The first two main entries in the SupersPort line included either an Intel 80286 microprocessor clocked at 12 MHz or an 8088 processor clocked at 8 or 4.77 MHz, switchable. Later entries included the 386SX, 486SX and 486 processors. The SupersPort 286 in particular was one of the top-selling laptops of the late 1980s, although Zenith's position in this segment faltered by the early 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Compaq LTE 5000 series</span>

The LTE 5000 series was a series of notebook-sized laptops under the LTE line manufactured by Compaq from 1995 to 1997. The LTE 5000 series was Compaq's first laptop with Pentium processors from Intel. The line of computers were co-developed between Compaq and Inventec of Taiwan and were manufactured entirely by Inventec overseas. The LTE 5000 series marked the last generation in the LTE line, Compaq replacing it with the Armada line in 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Compaq LTE (1st generation)</span>

The LTE, LTE/286, and LTE/386s were a series of notebook-sized laptops manufactured by Compaq from 1989 to 1992. The three laptops comprise the first generation of the LTE line, which was Compaq's second attempt at a laptop following the SLT in 1988 and their first attempt at a truly lightweight portable computer. The LTE line proved highly popular—Compaq selling hundreds of thousands of units between the three—and gave way to successive generations of the line, including the LTE Lite, the LTE Elite, and the LTE 5000 series. With its use of industry-standard floppy and hard drive technologies, the LTE was the first commercially successful notebook computer and helped launch the fledgling notebook industry, which had seen earlier attempts fail due to the use of novel but nonstandard data storage.

References

  1. "The Golden Age of Compaq Computers". PCMAG. Retrieved 2021-03-08.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Lewis, Peter H. (1988-10-23). "THE EXECUTIVE COMPUTER; Compaq Finally Makes a Laptop". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2021-07-30.
  3. "COMPAQ UNVEILS LAPTOP | JOC.com". www.joc.com. Retrieved 2021-08-20.
  4. Compaq Portable SLT/286
  5. InfoWorld. InfoWorld Media Group, Inc. 1988-11-14.
  6. PC Mag 1991 - Compaq SLT/386s/20 Model Released. Ziff Davis, Inc. 1991-03-12.
  7. InfoWorld. InfoWorld Media Group, Inc. 1990-06-18.
  8. PC Mag - Acer AnyWare 1100LX. Ziff Davis, Inc. 1991-03-12.