IBM Personal Computer (PC)
Model:5150
Released:September 1981
Price: US $3000
CPU:Intel 8088, 4.77MHz
RAM:16K, 640K max
Display:80 X 24 text
Storage:optional 160KB 5.25-inch disk drives
Ports:cassette & keyboard only
internal expansion slots
OS: IBM PC-DOS Version 1.0

The IBM Personal Computer ("PC") was not as powerful as many of the other personal computers it was competing against at the time of its release. It has only 16K on-board RAM and uses an audio cassette to load and save data - the floppy drive was optional, and no hard drive was yet available.

Even so, it is very expandable, more so than most. Expansion slots on the motherboard allow easy installation of additional memory, as well as serial, parallel, video and other options.

This wasn't IBM's first attempt at a personal, or micro-computer, although it is by far their most successful.
  • In 1975, the model 5100 was an entirely self-contained, portable computer system - probably the first ever.
  • Developed between 1979 and 1981, the Datamaster was an all-in-one desktop system for word processing.


    These two earlier attempts were both very expensive and sold poorly.

    This time IBM was determined to do it right - in order to save time and money, instead of developing their own hardware and software, they used already available off-the-shelf components. The CPU was from Intel, and the operating system (OS) was by Microsoft, who licensed it to IBM as PC-DOS.

    The unfortunate side-effect of this was that other companies could obtain these same components and create their own version of the PC, and cut into IBM's market. But there was one aspect of the PC which could not be legally copied - the BIOS, as it was copyrighted and protected by law. But Compaq and the others eventually found a legal but 'dishonest' way to duplicated that as well, opening the floodgates to cheaper but still compatible IBM clones.

    Although not necessarily the best machine by technological standards, IBM's expertise and the fact that the IBM PC actually looks and feels like a professional computer system made the IBM PC and subsequent PC clones extremely popular. They have evolved into today's so-called Wintel (Windows + Intel) computer systems, used world-wide.

    Related Links

  • vintageibm.net - Dedicated to the preservation and restoration of the IBM 5150 PC.
  • IBM 5150 from IBM.com


    • Partial History the IBM PC

    • 1967: IBM builds the worlds first floppy disk.
    • 1967: IBM introduces the worlds first 8" floppy disk.
    • 1973: IBM introduces the IBM 3340 hard disk unit, known as the Winchester.
    • 1975: September - IBM's Entry Level Systems unit unveils "Project Mercury", the IBM 5100 Portable Computer.
    • 1981: September - IBM ships the IBM 5150 PC Personal Computer.
    • 1982: April - Eight months after the introduction of the IBM PC, 50,000 units have been sold.
    • 1982: May - Microsoft releases MS-DOS 1.1 to IBM, for the IBM PC.
    • 1982: June - The first IBM PC clone, the MPC, is released by Columbia Data Products.
    • 1982: August - After one year of production, IBM ships the 200,000th IBM PC.
    • 1982: November - Compaq Computer introduces the Compaq Portable PC, the first 100% IBM compatible. It cost Compaq US$1 million to create an IBM-compatible ROM BIOS that did not violate IBM's copyright.
    • 1982: At the West Coast Computer Faire, Davong Systems introduces its 5MB Winchester Disk Drive for the IBM PC, for US$2000.
    • 1983: March - IBM announces the IBM PC XT, with a 10 MB hard drive, 128KB RAM and a 360KB floppy drive. It costs US$5000.
    • 1983: November - IBM announces the IBM PCjr. It is US$700 for the bare configuration.
    • 1984: February - IBM introduces the IBM Portable PC.
    • 1984: March - IBM ships the IBM PCjr. It uses the 8088 CPU, 64KB RAM, and one 5.25-inch disk drive, but no monitor. It costs US$1300.
    • 1984: August - IBM announces the PC AT, for US$4000-6700.
    • 1985: April - IBM abandons production of the IBM PCjr.
    • 1986: April - IBM announces the IBM PC Convertible, 80C88-based, 256K RAM, and two 720K floppy disks, for US$2000.
    • 1986: April - IBM discontinues the IBM Portable PC.
    • 1986: September - IBM announces the IBM PC-XT Model 286, with 640KB RAM, 1.2MB floppy drive, 20MB hard drive, serial/parallel ports, and keyboard for US$4000.
    • 1987: IBM discontinues the IBM PC (model 5150) line.
      Source: Chronology of Events in the History of Microcomputers



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