IBM PC 5150
[vin29]
The IBM Personal Computer (model 5150, commonly known as the IBM PC) is the first microcomputer released in the IBM PC model line and the basis for the IBM PC compatible de facto standard and was released on August 12, 1981.
Type: Personal computer
Generation: First generation
Release date: August 12, 1981; 43 years ago
Lifespan: 1981–1987
Introductory price: US$1,565 (equivalent to $5,240 in 2023)
Discontinued: April 2, 1987; 37 years ago
Operating system: IBM BASIC / PC DOS 1.0
CP/M-86
UCSD p-System
CPU: Intel 8088 @ 4.77 MHz
Memory: 16 KB – 256 KB (motherboard) (DRAM)
Removable storage: 5.25″ Floppy drives (160 KB or 320 KB), Cassette
Development and Release
- The IBM PC was developed in just one year, an incredibly short time for IBM which was known for taking years to create new products.
- It was unveiled on August 12, 1981, at the Waldorf Hotel in New York.
- The project to create the PC was codenamed “Project Chess”.
Technical Specifications
- The original IBM PC had an Intel 8088 processor running at 4.77 MHz
- It initially came with 16KB of RAM, expandable to 256KB on the motherboard
- The base model had no floppy drives and relied on cassette storage
Design and Architecture
- IBM chose an open architecture, publishing complete specifications to foster third-party hardware and software development
- The PC used mostly off-the-shelf parts from third-party manufacturers to keep costs down and speed up development
- It included a built-in BASIC interpreter in ROM
Market Impact
- The base price was $1,565, equivalent to about $5,240 in 2023
- It created the standards that dominated personal computing for the next 40 years
- The open architecture led to a booming market of IBM PC-compatible computers
Interesting Tidbits
- “Colossal Cave Adventure” was the first video game available for the IBM PC
- Some original IBM PCs from 1981 still function today, over 40 years later, due to their modular design and high-quality manufacturing
- The PC ran a series of hardware tests (POST) during boot-up, a first for microcomputers at the time
Donated by: Arlen Michael