IBM PS/2 Note

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IBM logo.svg
ManufacturerIBM
Introduced1992
Discontinued1994
ProcessorIntel 386

The IBM PS/2 Note (stylized as PS/2 note or PS/note) is a series of notebooks from the PS/2 line by IBM. It was announced in March 1992, half a year prior to the release of the first ThinkPad, the IBM ThinkPad 700. The series was discontinued in 1994.

Background[]

After the departure of Bob Lawten from IBM, the team at IBM had little development direction after the IBM PS/2 L40SX. James Cannavino pushed for the new notebook series, which fell behind schedule.[1] The N45SL, N51SX and N51SLC were announced on the same day as the IBM PS/2 (color laptop) CL57SX. During this time there was a distinction between notebooks and laptops, where the former are A4 sized and the latter are larger.

The notebooks were modeled after the PS/55 Note which was released by IBM in Japan in April 1991.[2]

Models[]

PS/2 and PS/note laptop models
1991 1992 1993 1994
PS/2 note N33SX N51SX;
N51SLC
PS/note 182;
E82;
N82 		425/425C
N45SL

PS/2 note[]

Mainstream line with 7-row layout only.

N33SX[]

IBM PS/2 Note N33SX with external floppy drive

The PS/2 Model N33 SX (also known as PS/2 note N33 sx) was the first notebook-sized computer from IBM which was announced in 1991.[3] This model was based on the AT-bus and had between 2 or 6MB RAM. It has a 9.5" 16-greyscale VGA LCD, a 1.44Mb floppy and expansion ports and a 40Mb or 80Mb HDD, and weighs 5.5 lb (2.5 kg).[4]

N51SX[]

The PS/2 Model N51SX[5] (or PS/2 Note N51SX) was a low-end mainstream notebook, which contained a slower version of the typical 386SX found in other notebooks. The N51SX was delayed for months.[6]

N51SLC[]

The PS/2 Model N51SLC (or PS/2 Note N51SLC) was based on IBM their 368SLC.[6] This model has a PS/55 note sibling.[7]

PS/note[]

Entry-level line.

N45SL[]

The PS/Note N45SL was priced at $2,045 and contained a 25MHz 386SL. It had 2MB RAM and a 80[8] or 120MB HDD[9] and was equipped with only 6-row keyboard without dedicated navigation block; the similar layout has a low-end ThinkPad 300 laptop.

PC Mag considered the display a disappointment, but noted its good design and performance.[8]

It was manufactured by Zenith Data Systems.[10]

182/E82/N82[]

The PS/Note 182 and PS/Note E82 was equipped with 80386SL CPU, PS/Note N82 was equipped with 80386SX and released in 1992. This line has a 7-row keyboard layout and similar to next-year PS/note 425 model case (but with gray case color and without TrackPoint).

Model 425/425C[]

The PS/Note 425/425C are identical to the ThinkPad 350/350C.[11]

Accessories[]

Communication cartridge

Communication cartridge II [12][13]

External floppy

External numpad

Discontinuation[]

In March 1994, it was reported that IBM would consolidate the PS/Note series into the ThinkPad 300 series.[14] In 1994, the ThinkPad 360 series was released.

References[]

  1. ^ A., Dell, Deborah (2000). ThinkPad: a different shade of blue. Sams. p. 84. ISBN 0-672-31756-7. OCLC 781169669.
  2. ^ Scannell, Ed (23 Dec 1991). "IBM readies 6 portables". InfoWorld.
  3. ^ "IBM PS/2 Note - Computer - Computing History". The Centre for Computing History. Retrieved 2021-04-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ Name (1992-02-25). "IBM UK LAUNCHES COLOUR LAPTOP AS WELL AS NOTEBOOK". Tech Monitor. Retrieved 2021-04-18.
  5. ^ "Personal System/2 Models N51 SLC and N51 SX" (PDF).{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ a b Fitzgerald, Michael (1992-03-30). Going down in history. Computerworld. IDG Enterprise. p. 38.
  7. ^ "PS/55note N51SLC 8551-S08". www.mars.dti.ne.jp. Retrieved 2021-05-18.
  8. ^ a b "IBM PS/note N45sl". PC Mag. Ziff Davis, Inc. 1992-12-22.
  9. ^ "PS/Note N45 SL" (PDF).{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ^ "PS/2 Model N33 SX". Ardent Tool of Capitalism. Retrieved 2021-04-19.
  11. ^ Hardware Maintenance Manual Volume 1: Laptop, Notebook, Portable and ThinkPad Computers (PDF). p. 205.
  12. ^ "8551 - PS/Note N51". Archived from the original on 2020-08-14.
  13. ^ "IBM Personal System/2 Communications Cartridge II" (PDF). kev009.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ Lee, Yvonne. "IBM revamps line with four ThinkPads". InfoWorld.

External links[]

Preceded by PS/2 Note Succeeded by
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