Toshiba 3200SX
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The Toshiba T3200SX, launched in 1989, was a groundbreaking portable computer notable for its use of a 16 MHz Intel 80386SX 32-bit processor, a sharp 11.2-inch gas-plasma VGA display, and robust expandability with ISA slots—features that positioned it as a true desktop replacement for business professionals. Its claim to fame was combining desktop-class performance and expandability in a portable (though heavy) clamshell form factor, bridging the gap between earlier bulky portables and the modern laptop, and introducing advanced features like a high-resolution plasma screen and substantial memory expansion. The T3200SX saw significant popularity among professionals and in industrial applications. 
- Manufacturer: Toshiba
- Type: Luggable (portable) computer
- Release Date: 1989
- Cost at release: USD $6,299 (CAD ~$16,000 adjusted for inflation)
- MIPS: 3
Hardware Specifications
- CPU: Intel 80386SX, 16 MHz
- Memory (RAM): 1 MB standard, expandable up to 13 MB
- Display: 11.2-inch gas-plasma VGA, 640×480 resolution
- Graphics: VGA compatible
- Storage: 40 MB or 100 MB hard drive (depending on configuration)
- Floppy Drive: 1.44 MB 3.5-inch floppy disk drive
- Expansion: Two ISA slots for internal expansion cards
- Ports: Serial, parallel, external monitor, keyboard/mouse
- Weight: Approximately 7.7 kg (17 lbs)
- Power: AC-powered (not battery-operated)
- Input devices: Built-in keyboard, optional external mouse
Operating System & Programming Languages
-
Operating System: Toshiba MS-DOS 4.01, Toshiba MS-DOS 3.3, IBM OS/2 1.1. Optional: AT&T UNIX System V/386 R3.0 (T/PIX 2.1)
- Supported Languages:
- BASIC (via GW-BASIC or QBasic under MS-DOS)
- C and C++ (via compilers such as Microsoft C, Borland C++)
- Pascal (Turbo Pascal, Microsoft Pascal)
- FORTRAN (Microsoft FORTRAN, others)
- Assembly language (MASM, TASM)
- COBOL, dBASE, and other languages available for DOS/OS/2/UNIX environments
Notables
- The Toshiba T3200SX was nicknamed a “portable desktop replacement” or “luggable” due to its large size and weight, yet it was designed for mobility compared to traditional desktops.
- It featured an advanced 16 MHz Intel 80386SX 32-bit processor and a sharp 11.2-inch gas-plasma VGA display, which was unusual and high-end for portables of its era.
- The keyboard used Alps mechanical switches, offering a tactile feel similar to modern high-end mechanical keyboards—an uncommon feature in laptops then.
- The T3200SX included ISA expansion slots, allowing users to install desktop-class cards, such as industrial measurement devices or ISDN modems, making it highly customizable for professional and industrial applications.
- It was notorious for its proprietary hardware quirks, such as non-standard RAM, BIOS restrictions to certain hard drives, and a challenging disassembly process.
- The machine had no battery, so it was portable only in the sense that it could be easily moved and plugged in elsewhere, unlike later laptops.
- The T3200SX is recognized as a transitional device, bridging the gap between early, bulky portables and the modern laptop, and helped set the stage for future portable computing innovations
Donated By: Arlen Michaels