{"id":20756,"date":"2025-03-19T14:23:28","date_gmt":"2025-03-19T18:23:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/?page_id=20756"},"modified":"2025-05-21T13:41:15","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T17:41:15","slug":"vin40","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/vintage-computing\/item\/vin40\/","title":{"rendered":"Toshiba 3200SX"},"content":{"rendered":"

Toshiba 3200SX<\/h2>\n

[vin40]<\/p>\n

\n
\n

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\u2014features 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. \"Toshiba<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

    \n
  • Manufacturer<\/strong>: Toshiba<\/li>\n
  • Type<\/strong>: Luggable (portable) computer<\/li>\n
  • Release Date<\/strong>: 1989<\/li>\n
  • Cost at release<\/strong>: USD $6,299 (CAD ~$16,000 adjusted for inflation)<\/li>\n
  • MIPS<\/strong>: 3<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Hardware Specifications<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n
      \n
    • CPU<\/strong>: Intel 80386SX, 16 MHz<\/li>\n
    • Memory (RAM)<\/strong>: 1 MB standard, expandable up to 13 MB<\/li>\n
    • Display<\/strong>: 11.2-inch gas-plasma VGA, 640×480 resolution<\/li>\n
    • Graphics<\/strong>: VGA compatible<\/li>\n
    • Storage<\/strong>: 40 MB or 100 MB hard drive (depending on configuration)<\/li>\n
    • Floppy Drive<\/strong>: 1.44 MB 3.5-inch floppy disk drive<\/li>\n
    • Expansion<\/strong>: Two ISA slots for internal expansion cards<\/li>\n
    • Ports<\/strong>: Serial, parallel, external monitor, keyboard\/mouse<\/li>\n
    • Weight<\/strong>: Approximately 7.7 kg (17 lbs)<\/li>\n
    • Power<\/strong>: AC-powered (not battery-operated)<\/li>\n
    • Input devices<\/strong>: Built-in keyboard, optional external mouse<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Operating System & Programming Languages<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
        \n
      • \n

        Operating System<\/strong>: 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)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          \n
        • Supported Languages<\/strong>:\n
            \n
          • BASIC (via GW-BASIC or QBasic under MS-DOS)<\/li>\n
          • C and C++ (via compilers such as Microsoft C, Borland C++)<\/li>\n
          • Pascal (Turbo Pascal, Microsoft Pascal)<\/li>\n
          • FORTRAN (Microsoft FORTRAN, others)<\/li>\n
          • Assembly language (MASM, TASM)<\/li>\n
          • COBOL, dBASE, and other languages available for DOS\/OS\/2\/UNIX environments<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            Notables<\/h3>\n
              \n
            • 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.<\/li>\n
            • 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.<\/li>\n
            • The keyboard used Alps mechanical switches, offering a tactile feel similar to modern high-end mechanical keyboards\u2014an uncommon feature in laptops then.<\/li>\n
            • 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.<\/li>\n
            • It was notorious for its proprietary hardware quirks, such as non-standard RAM, BIOS restrictions to certain hard drives, and a challenging disassembly process.<\/li>\n
            • 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.<\/li>\n
            • 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<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              Donated By<\/strong>: Arlen Michaels<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              Toshiba 3200SX [vin40] 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\u2014features that positioned it as a true desktop replacement for business professionals. Its claim to fame was combining […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"parent":19704,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"yoast_head":"\nToshiba 3200SX - School of Computer Science<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Toshiba 3200SX The Toshiba T3200SX, launched in 1989, was a groundbreaking portable computer notable for its use of a 16 MHz Intel 80386SX 32-bit\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/vintage-computing\/item\/vin40\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/vintage-computing\/item\/vin40\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/vintage-computing\/item\/vin40\/\",\"name\":\"Toshiba 3200SX - 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