{"id":21220,"date":"2025-05-21T14:23:13","date_gmt":"2025-05-21T18:23:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/?page_id=21220"},"modified":"2026-06-22T14:58:16","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T18:58:16","slug":"vin75","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/vintage-computing\/item\/vin75\/","title":{"rendered":"Zenith Z-Star 433VL"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<section class=\"w-screen px-6 cu-section cu-section--white ml-offset-center md:px-8 lg:px-14\">\n    <div class=\"space-y-6 cu-max-w-child-5xl  md:space-y-10 cu-prose-first-last\">\n\n            <div class=\"cu-textmedia flex flex-col lg:flex-row mx-auto gap-6 md:gap-10 my-6 md:my-12 first:mt-0 max-w-5xl\">\n        <div class=\"justify-start cu-textmedia-content cu-prose-first-last\" style=\"flex: 0 0 100%;\">\n            <header class=\"font-light prose-xl cu-pageheader md:prose-2xl cu-component-updated cu-prose-first-last\">\n                                    <h1 class=\"cu-prose-first-last font-semibold !mt-2 mb-4 md:mb-6 relative after:absolute after:h-px after:bottom-0 after:bg-cu-red after:left-px text-3xl md:text-4xl lg:text-5xl lg:leading-[3.5rem] pb-5 after:w-10 text-cu-black-700 not-prose\">\n                        Zenith Z-Star 433VL\n                    <\/h1>\n                \n                                \n                            <\/header>\n\n                    <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/vintage-computing\/item\">Vintage Computing Collection<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"zenith-z-star-433vl\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Zenith Z-Star 433VL<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250521_190151772-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250521_190151772-400x533.jpg\" alt=\"Z-Star 433VL\" class=\"wp-image-21223\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250521_190151772-400x533.jpg 400w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250521_190151772-160x213.jpg 160w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250521_190151772-240x320.jpg 240w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250521_190151772-768x1023.jpg 768w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250521_190151772-1153x1536.jpg 1153w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250521_190151772-1538x2048.jpg 1538w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250521_190151772-360x479.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The Zenith Z-Star 433VL was a notable 1990s notebook computer recognized for its compact design, portability, and impressive processing power for its time, featuring a 33 MHz 486SLC microprocessor that offered strong performance and efficient power management. Its claim to fame included innovative features such as the &#8220;J-Mouse&#8221; (a keyboard-integrated mouse control) and a removable nickel-cadmium battery that provided up to three hours of use, making it especially attractive for mobile professionals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Manufacturer<\/strong>: Zenith<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Type<\/strong>: Laptop<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Release Date<\/strong>: 1993<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cost at release<\/strong>: USD $1,500 (CAD ~$3,650 adjusted for inflation)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>MIPS<\/strong>: 8-10<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"hardware-specifications\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"TextRun SCXW36078203 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW36078203 BCX0\">Hardware Specifications<\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>CPU<\/strong>: Cyrix Cx486SLC, 33 MHz<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Memory (RAM):<\/strong> 4 MB standard, expandable up to 12 MB<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Storage<\/strong>: Hard Drive 200 MB, 3.5-inch, 1.44 MB floppy drive<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Display<\/strong>: 9.5-inch monochrome or color LCD (model dependent)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Graphics<\/strong>: VGA-compatible<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pointing Device<\/strong>: Integrated J-Mouse (keyboard-based pointing device)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Battery<\/strong>: Removable nickel-cadmium, up to 3 hours usage<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ports<\/strong>: Serial, parallel, external VGA, PS\/2 keyboard\/mouse<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Weight<\/strong>: Approximately 7 pounds (3.2 kg)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"operating-system-programming-languages\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"TextRun SCXW136206418 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW136206418 BCX0\">Operating System &amp; Programming Languages<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW136206418 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Operating System<\/strong>: Shipped with MS-DOS 6.0 and Windows 3.1<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Supported Languages<\/strong>: BASIC (such as GW-BASIC, QBasic), Pascal (Turbo Pascal, Borland Pascal), C and C++ (Borland C++, Microsoft C), Assembly language (using MASM, TASM), FORTRAN, COBOL, and other DOS\/Windows compilers and interpreters of the era<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"notables\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Notables<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Zenith Z-Star 433VL was also sold as the Packard Bell Statesman, highlighting its dual branding and market reach.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>It featured the unique &#8220;J-Mouse,&#8221; which allowed the &#8220;J&#8221; key on the keyboard to function as a built-in mouse, an unusual and innovative pointing device for laptops at the time.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Z-Star 433VL used a Cyrix 486SLC processor, notable for its power efficiency and hybrid 386\/486 architecture, making it advanced for early 1990s notebooks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Its modular design included a removable nickel-cadmium battery and PCMCIA slot, supporting portability and expandability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The system was recognized for its durability and reliability, with many units reportedly lasting several years without major issues.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>While not a mainstream icon, the Z-Star 433VL holds a place in computing history as a representative of early affordable, portable 486-based notebooks and for its innovative input device, preceding more famous solutions like IBM&#8217;s TrackPoint<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/vintage-computing\/item\">Vintage Computing Collection<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Zenith Z-Star 433VL The Zenith Z-Star 433VL was a notable 1990s notebook computer recognized for its compact design, portability, and impressive processing power for its time, featuring a 33 MHz 486SLC microprocessor that offered strong performance and efficient power management. Its claim to fame included innovative features such as the &#8220;J-Mouse&#8221; (a keyboard-integrated mouse control) [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":19704,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cu_dining_location_slug":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"cu_page_type":[90,123],"class_list":["post-21220","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","cu_page_type-vintage-computing","cu_page_type-vintage-inventory"],"acf":{"cu_post_thumbnail":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21220","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21220"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21220\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25159,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21220\/revisions\/25159"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19704"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21220"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"cu_page_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_page_type?post=21220"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}