List of IBM Personal Computer models

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The original IBM Personal Computer, with monitor and keyboard IBM PC-IMG 7271 (transparent).png
The original IBM Personal Computer, with monitor and keyboard

The IBM Personal Computer, commonly known as the IBM PC, spanned multiple models in its first generation (including the PCjr, the Portable PC, the XT, the AT, the Convertible, and the /370 systems, among others), from 1981 to 1987. It eventually gave way to many splintering product lines after IBM introduced the Personal System/2 in April 1987.

Contents

Notes

Legend
   ISA, 8-bit
   ISA, 16-bit
  Other

Models

Original line

Successor lines

Timeline

Timeline of the IBM Personal Computer
IBM ThinkCentreIBM NetVistaIBM Palm Top PC 110IBM PC SeriesIBM AptivaIBM PS/ValuePointThinkPadEduQuestIBM PS/noteAmbra Computer CorporationIBM PCradioIBM PS/1IBM PS/55IBM PS/2IBM Personal Computer XT 286IBM PC ConvertibleIBM JXIBM Personal Computer AT/370IBM Personal Computer ATIBM Industrial ComputerIBM PCjrIBM Portable Personal ComputerIBM Personal Computer XT/370IBM 3270 PCIBM Personal Computer XTIBM 5550IBM Personal ComputerIBM System/23 DatamasterIBM 5120IBM 5110IBM 5100List of IBM Personal Computer models
Asterisk (*) denotes a model released in Japan only

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IBM Personal Computer AT</span> IBM personal computer released in 1984

The IBM Personal Computer AT was released in 1984 as the fourth model in the IBM Personal Computer line, following the IBM PC/XT and its IBM Portable PC variant. It was designed around the Intel 80286 microprocessor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Computer tower</span> Computer case that stands vertically upright

In personal computing, a tower unit, or simply a tower, is a form factor of desktop computer case whose height is much greater than its width, thus having the appearance of an upstanding tower block, as opposed to a traditional "pizza box" computer case whose width is greater than its height and appears lying flat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Morrow Pivot</span> 1985 personal computer

The Pivot is a family of early IBM PC–compatible portable computers first released in 1984 by Morrow Designs, a company founded by George Morrow. It was the first lunchbox-style portable computer, with a vertically configured case that has a fold-down keyboard. The only external component is a single AC adapter. It would have been a little top heavy except for the large camcorder-style battery loaded into its base. The Pivot was designed by Chikok Shing of Vadem Inc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Irwin Magnetic Systems</span>

Irwin Magnetic Systems, Inc., also known as Irwin Magnetics, was a computer storage manufacturer active from 1979 to 1989 and based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It was founded by Samuel Irwin in 1979 as Irwin International, Inc. The company's primary export was magnetic tape data storage and backup systems for personal computers. Irwin was one of the first companies to manufacture quarter-inch cartridge (QIC) systems for the personal computer market. In 1989, the company was acquired by Cipher Data Products.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tecmar</span> American manufacturer

Tecmar Inc. was an American manufacturer of personal computer enhancement products based in Solon, Ohio. The company was founded in 1974 by Martin Alpert, M.D., and Carolyn Alpert. The company's first products were computerized medical equipment; the company shortly after pivoted to data acquisition boards for the first generation of microcomputers. Popular products included the Scientific Solutions LabMaster series of boards for S-100 and Apple Computer.

The MBC-550 series, also known as the MBC-550/555, is a series of personal computers sold by Sanyo. It was unveiled at the COMDEX/Spring '83 in April 1983 and first released to market in March 1984. All models in the MBC-550 series featured pizza-box-style cases and Intel 8088 microprocessors and run versions of MS-DOS. On its release in 1984, the MBC-550 was the least expensive IBM PC compatible released to date, at a price of US$995. The MBC-550 series followed Sanyo's MBC-1000 line of CP/M 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 PS/2 Model 30</span> 1987 IBM desktop computer

The Personal System/2 Model 30 and Personal System/2 Model 30 286 are IBM's entry-level desktop computers in their Personal System/2 (PS/2) family of personal computers. As opposed to higher-end entries in the PS/2 line which use Micro Channel bus architecture, the Model 30 features an Industry Standard Architecture bus, allowing it to use expansion cards from its direct predecessors, the PC/XT and the PC/AT. The original PS/2 Model 30, released in April 1987, is built upon the Intel 8086 microprocessor clocked at 8 MHz and features the 8-bit ISA bus; the Model 30 286, released in September 1988, features the Intel 80286 clocked at 10 MHz and includes the 16-bit ISA bus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IBM PS/2 Model 25</span> Personal computers

The Personal System/2 Model 25 and its later submodels the 25 286 and 25 SX are IBM's lowest-end entries in the Personal System/2 (PS/2) family of personal computers. Like its sibling the Model 30, the Model 25 features an Industry Standard Architecture bus, allowing it to use expansion cards from its direct predecessors, the PC/XT and the PC/AT—but not from higher entries in the PS/2 line, which use Micro Channel. Unlike all other entries in the PS/2 line, the Model 25 and its submodels are built into an all-in-one form factor, with its cathode-ray tube (CRT) monitor and system board occupying the same enclosure. IBM oriented the Model 25 at home office workers and students.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IBM PS/2 Model 50</span> 1987 IBM desktop computer

The Personal System/2 Model 50 is a midrange desktop computer in IBM's Personal System/2 (PS/2) family of personal computers. First released in April 1987, the Model 50 features an Intel 80286 processor running at a clock speed of 10 MHz. In June 1988, the PS/2 Model 50 received an update in the form of the Personal System/2 Model 50 Z, which offered faster RAM, eliminating the insertion of wait states endemic to the original Model 50 and increasing system performance. The Model 50 was the best-selling line of PS/2 for several years, IBM selling over 440,000 units in the first year of its availability.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IBM PS/2 Model 55 SX</span> 1987 IBM desktop computer

The Personal System/2 Model 55 SX is a midrange desktop computer in IBM's Personal System/2 (PS/2) family of personal computers. First released in May 1989, the Model 55 SX features an Intel 386SX processor running at a clock speed of 16 MHz. In October 1990, IBM introduced a diskless workstation version of the Model 55 SX, called the Personal System/2 Model 55 LS. The Model 55 SX was the best-ever selling computer in the PS/2 range, accounting for 23 percent of IBM's PC sales within four months of its introduction. By 1991, the PS/2 Model 55 SX was the best-selling x86-based PC in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IBM PS/2 Model 60</span> 1987 IBM desktop computer

The Personal System/2 Model 60 is a high-end desktop computer in IBM's Personal System/2 (PS/2) family of personal computers. First released in April 1987, the Model 60 features an Intel 80286 processor running at a clock speed of 10 MHz, the same as its midrange counterpart, the Personal System/2 Model 50. Unlike the Model 50, the Model 60 was built into a tower case and featured four more 16-bit MCA expansion slots and an additional drive bay. The Model 60 was IBM's first Intel-based PC built into a tower form factor and was influential in popularizing towers in computer case design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IBM PS/2 Model 70</span> 1988 IBM desktop computer

The Personal System/2 Model 70 386 and Personal System/2 Model 70 486 are midrange desktop computers in IBM's Personal System/2 (PS/2) family of personal computers. The PS/2 Model 70 386, released in June 1988, features an Intel 386 microprocessor clocked between 16 MHz and 25 MHz and features the 32-bit Micro Channel architecture (MCA) bus; the Model 70 486, released in December 1989, features the Intel 486 clocked at 25 MHz and also includes the 32-bit MCA bus. The latter is essentially a Model 70 386 with the 486/25 Power Platform pre-installed; this was a CPU upgrade card for the Model 70 386 released earlier in October 1989 that was the first commercially available product to use the 486 processor. Both editions of Model 70 are housed in the same case as the earlier PS/2 Model 50 from 1987.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IBM PS/2 Model 80</span> 1987 IBM desktop computer

The Personal System/2 Model 80 is a high-end desktop computer in IBM's Personal System/2 (PS/2) family of personal computers. First released in July 1987, the Model 80 features the 32-bit Intel 386 processor running at a clock speed of 16 MHz. The Model 80 was built into a tower case, the same one as its 16-bit counterpart the PS/2 Model 60. It has several 32-bit MCA expansion slots—the only PS/2 model to include such slots at the time of its release—and between five to six drive bays. The PS/2 Model 80 was the highest-end PS/2 in the original 1987 line-up and was IBM's first PC based on the 386 processor. The Model 80 received several updates over the course of its lifespan, increasing the computer's hard drive capacity as well as the clock speed of its processor and the maximum supported RAM. IBM discontinued the Model 80 in 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aox Inc.</span> American technology corporation (1978–2007)

Aox Inc. was a privately run American technology corporation founded by Michael and Linda Aronson in 1978. Over the course of its 22-year lifespan, the company chiefly developed software and hardware for IBM's PC and compatibles, for the Personal System/2, and for the Macintosh. In its twilight years, the company designed multimedia and teleconferencing devices and chip designs. Aox was founded after Michael Aronson graduated from Harvard University with a doctorate in physics; he stayed with the company until 2000, when he incorporated EndPoints Inc. and switched to full-time fabless semiconductor design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cumulus Corporation</span> American computer company

Cumulus Corporation was an American computer peripheral and system manufacturer active from 1987 to 1993. Based in Beachwood, Ohio and started by Tecmar founder Martin Alpert, the company set out to exclusively manufacture expansion products for IBM's Personal System/2 (PS/2) family of computers—mainly RAM expansion cards. It later released cross-platform CPU upgrade cards and memory expansion cards for other platforms besides the PS/2. Beginning in 1990, the company began trading as Cumulus Computer Corporation and began releasing complete systems of their own. Initially a success story for the tech industry in Cleveland, a botched stock launch in 1992 proved disastrous for the company's ailing cash flow situation, and in 1993 the company was liquidated amid massive debt to suppliers and lenders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonos</span> Defunct American computer systems company

Jonos International, Inc., originally Jonos, Ltd. (JL), later Netcom Research, Inc., was an American computer company active from 1980 to 1992. The company sold a variety of computer hardware products and systems, including STD Bus peripherals, smart terminals, microcomputers, and portable computers. The company's Courier portable computer was the first microcomputer sold with Sony's then-new 3.5-inch floppy disk drives on its release in June 1982. Jonos' systems were widely used in the fields of construction, roadworks, machining, and military.

Xebec Corporation, formerly Microcomputer Systems Corporation, was an American computer hardware company active from 1969 to 1990. The company was primarily known for their data storage products, especially their hard disk controller ICs. A major customer of Xebec was IBM, who used their disk controllers extensively in the PC XT in 1983, their first PC with a hard drive preinstalled.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">MPC 1600</span>

The Multi-Personal Computer (MPC), better known as the MPC 1600, is a line of desktop personal computers released by Columbia Data Products (CDP) starting in 1982. The original MPC, released in June 1982, was the first commercially released computer system that was fully compatible with the IBM Personal Computer.

References

General references

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 Hogan, Thom (September 14, 1981). "IBM Announces New Microcomputer System". InfoWorld. 3 (18). IDG Publications: 1, 14 – via Google Books.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Mueller, Scott (1994). Upgrading and Repairing PCs (4th ed.). Que. ISBN   9781565299320 – via the Internet Archive.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Somerson, Paul (April 1983). "Revised Figures". PC Magazine. 1 (12). Ziff-Davis: 102 – via Google Books.
  4. ↑ Ditela, Steve (December 14, 1981). "Wizard in Your Home". New York. 14 (49): 46–72 – via Google Books.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 IBM Personal System/2 and IBM Personal Computer Product Reference (PDF) (4.0 ed.). International Business Machines Corporation. April 6, 1987 – via Bitsavers.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Machine Preface. IBM Information Systems Group. November 1983. p. MP 1.4 – via the Internet Archive.
  7. ↑ A Guide to IBM Personal Computers (PDF). International Business Machines Corporation. April 1985 – via Ardent Tool.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "IBM PC 1, PC/XT & Portable PC Personal Computers". Microcomputer Systems. 3. Data Decisions: 13. 1984 – via the Internet Archive.
  9. 1 2 3 IBM Personal Computer Hardware Prices (PDF). IBM Product Center. June 1984. p. obverse – via the Vintage Technology Digital Archive.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Staff writer (June 12, 1984). "IBM Cuts Prices, Ups RAM". PC Week. 1 (23). Ziff-Davis: 1 – via Gale. A company spokesman said the boost in memory [to 256 KB] was needed to accommodate the demand for more sophisticated applications, such a windowing. He added that although the 64K-byte systems will remain in production, the company eventually plans to phase them out.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Staff writer (June 11, 1984). "IBM Slashes PC Prices, Adds Memory; Drops 64KB". Electronic News. 30 (1501). Sage Publications: 24 – via Gale.
  12. ↑ Sandler, Corey (April 1983). "IBM Drops the First Shoe". PC Magazine. 1 (12). Ziff-Davis: 90–102 – via Google Books.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Sanger, David E. (June 24, 1987). "I.B.M. Optimistic on Newest PC's". The New York Times: D4 – via ProQuest.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Bridges, Linda; Laura Brennan; Jim Forbes; Bruce Stephen (July 7, 1987). "PC managers regrouping after XT, AT closeout". PC Week. 4 (27). Ziff-Davis: 4 – via Gale. IBM's recent announcement that it will formally discontinue its PC XT line and eventually phase out its PC AT came as no surprise to many corporate users. [...] William Lowe, president of IBM's Entry Systems Division in Boca Raton, Fla., told Wall Street analysts on June 30 that the only remaining XT, the XT 286, will be discontinued within three months and that IBM is working with dealers and large accounts to determine how many more ATs it will make to fill orders.
  15. 1 2 Sager, Ira (April 8, 1985). "IBM moves to reduce PC XT inventories". Electronic News. 31. Sage Publications: 24 et seq. – via Gale. The new floppy disk-based versions of the PC XT basically just strips the 10MB hard disk from the earlier unit. The machines come with base memory of 256KB and are available in either single or dual 360 KB diskette versions. A single diskette unit with keyboard and 256 KB of main memory is priced at $2,270, while the dual diskette version is priced at $2,570. A fully configured PC XT with 256 KB of RAM, a 360 KB diskette, keyboard, monochrome monitor and adapter, and operating system comes in at about $2,860.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Whitmore, Sam (April 8, 1986). "Product blitz may signal more aggressive IBM: firm ups ante for the makers of compatibles". PC Week. 3 (14). Ziff-Davis: 1 – via Gale.
  17. ↑ "IBM 3770 Family Batch Communications Terminals" (PDF). Distributed Processing & Intelligent Terminals. Datapro: C21-491-101. January 1984 – via Bitsavers.org.
  18. 1 2 3 4 Libes, Sol (February 28, 1984). "3270 emulation board makers, beware! IBM is aiming at you". PC Week. 1 (28). Ziff-Davis: 25 et seq. – via Gale.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 Henkel, T. (October 24, 1983). "IBM Takes Wraps off Two Micros Capable of Accessing Mainframes". Computerworld. 17 (43). IDG Publications: 1, 10 – via Google Books.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "IBM Gives Up on the Personal XT/, AT/370". Computer Business Review. New Statesman Media Group. April 13, 1987. Archived from the original on September 20, 2023.
  21. 1 2 "IBM PCjr". Microcomputer Systems. 3. Data Decisions: 6. 1984 – via the Internet Archive.
  22. 1 2 Castro, Janice; Bob Buderi; Thomas McCarroll (April 1, 1985). "Kicking Junior Out of the Family". Time. Time Inc. Archived from the original on June 25, 2009. Retrieved February 23, 2011.
  23. ↑ Staff writer (June 18, 1984). "IBM cuts micro prices". Computerworld. XVIII (25). IDG Publications: 8 – via Google Books.
  24. 1 2 Whitmore, Sam (August 14, 1984). "IBM's New Generation: The PC AT: AT Hikes CPU Speed Sixfold, Memory Fivefold". PC Week. 1 (32). Ziff-Davis: 1 – via Gale. The IBM PC AT Base Model 68, with one 1.2-megabyte floppy-disk drive, will sell for $3,995, according to a source close to IBM. Model 99, with a 1.2-megabyte floppy-disk drive and a 20-megabyte hard disk, will cost $5,795. Both models will use a 6-MHz 80286 microprocessor.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Abruzzese, George (June 29, 1987). "IBM Plans to Terminate Remainder of PC Line". InfoWorld. 9 (26). IDG Publications: 1, 69 – via Google Books.
  26. ↑ Kuzbyt, Bob (October 7, 1985). "IBM introduces 30-MB 5.25-inch Winchester disk drive for AT". Electronic News. 31. Sage Publications: 26 – via Gale.
  27. 1 2 Ristelhueber, Robert; Ira Sager (September 8, 1986). "4 PC suppliers add 286 units in battle with compatibles". Electronic News. 32. Sage Publications: 1 et seq. – via Gale.
  28. 1 2 Whitmore, Sam (January 14, 1986). "IBM Debuts PC AT-Based Point-of-Sale Retail System". PC Week. 3 (2). Ziff-Davis: 8 – via Gale.
  29. 1 2 Whitmore, Sam (April 1, 1986). "IBM meetings said to key on new products". PC Week. 3 (13). Ziff-Davis: 1 – via Gale.
  30. ↑ Sandker, C. (October 8, 1985). "IBM Delivers New PC AT Featuring 30M-Byte Disk: Sets a Price Tag of $5,995". PC Week. 2 (40). Ziff-Davis: 1 – via Gale.
  31. ↑ "Desktop Systems". PC Tech Journal. 4 (13). Ziff-Davis: 69. 1987 – via the Internet Archive.
  32. 1 2 Kennedy, Don (April 2, 1986). "IBM has boosted the processor speed and storage capacity of its personal computer models". PR Newswire. p. NYPR14C – via Gale.
  33. 1 2 3 Staff writer (April 25, 1984). "Industrial-strength PC XT". UPI.com. United Press International. Archived from the original on September 20, 2023.
  34. 1 2 3 "IBM 7531 Industrial Computer" (Announcement letter). International Business Machines Corporation. May 21, 1985. 185-053.
  35. ↑ "IBM unveils entry-level 5531 model". Computerworld. XIX (17). IDG Publications: 48. April 29, 1985 – via Google Books.
  36. 1 2 "IBM 7552 Industrial Computer Model 540" (Announcement Letter). Industrial Business Machines Corporation. November 3, 1987. Retrieved January 19, 2025.
  37. 1 2 Kono, M. E. (December 1992). Surface Computer System Architecture for the Advanced Unmanned Search System (AUSS) (PDF). Naval Command, Control and Ocean Surveillance Center. p. 3 – via Ardent Tool.
  38. 1 2 Wallace, Bob (October 20, 1986). "IBM uncloaks industrial micro as network gateway". Network World. 3 (33). IDG Publications – via Google Books.
  39. 1 2 Cleaveland, Peter (April 21, 1987). "Low-cost, flexible microcomputers get jobs in factories". Instrumentation & Control Systems. 61 (5). Reed Business Information Enterprise: 31 – via Gale OneFile. IBM doesn't advertise the PS/2 as a factory-floor machine, yet the PS/2's backplane bus structure, Micro Channel, appeared in a factory-floor computer before the PS/2 itself came on the market. People who examined the IBM 7552 Gearbox, ostensibly a factory-hardened version of the AT, notice something odd about the unit's bus: It had more bus lines than could be accounted for by the AT bus. The extra lines turned out to be the 16-bit Micro Channel. Nobody at IBM said anything about it at the time, because PS/2 hadn't yet been introduced.
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