Compaq Portable III (1987)

The Compaq Portable III, released by Compaq Computer Corporation in 1987, was a significant milestone in portable computing. Here are the key details:

• Specifications:
  • CPU: Powered by an Intel 80286 running at 12 MHz.
  • Memory: Equipped with 640 KB to 8192 KB RAM.
  • Storage: Featured dual 5.25" floppy disk drives or, optionally, one floppy drive and a 10 MB hard drive.
  • Display: Boasted a built-in 10" amber gas-plasma display.
  • Graphics: Utilized a unique CGA-compatible video card.
  • Weight: Weighed approximately 20 lbs.
  • Operating System: Ran MS-DOS 3.1.
• Design and Portability:
  • The Compaq Portable III was advertised as smaller and lighter than previous portable x86 PCs.
  • Although still sizable by today’s standards, it was a significant improvement in portability.
  • The gas plasma display could be tilted up and swiveled for comfortable viewing.
• Innovations:
  • The Portable III’s proprietary graphics mode allowed it to run at a true 640 x 400 resolution.
  • An optional 80287 coprocessor ran at 8 MHz, regardless of the 80286 speed.
  • The RAM consisted of 100-ns 256K-bit chips.
• External Expansion:
  • While lacking internal expansion ports, Compaq offered an optional external expansion unit (model 2662A).
  • This unit provided two full-length, 16-bit ISA add-in cards for $199.
  • It was electrically connected to the computer via a 96-pin port, making it more flexible than completely detached expansion units.

The Compaq Portable III was designed to be the smallest, lightest, and fastest 386 machine, competing with other manufacturers. Its gas plasma display and compatibility with IBM software made it a notable entry in portable computing history 🖥️👜