1983 PC XT

The IBM PC XT is the successor of the IBM PC. The XT stands for EXtended Technology and was introduced in early 1983. It has enhanced features: CGA graphic card, hard disk, more memory, and no more tape port (!). But it wasn’t very innovative.

There are in fact two versions of the XT motherboard. The first one can accept from 64k to 256k RAM, whereas the later one has support for 640K RAM max, the 101-key keyboard, a 3.5” FDD and a few other details…

In addiditon to the removal of the cassette port, the XT also had eight 8-bit ISA expansion slots VS the PC’s five. The XT’s slots were also positioned closer together, the same spacing all PCs still use today. This made old PC’s totally worthless because you couldn’t buy an XT clone board and drop it into a PC case. Eight slots was a huge boon to the “power user” who had previously found himself having to pick and choose what upgrades to install in the paltry five slots of the PC.

The 5160 was replaced with the PC XT S (20 MB Hard disk, slim size floppy disk unit, 640 KB RAM), then with the PC XT 286.

NAME   PC XT – Model 5160
MANUFACTURER   IBM
TYPE   Professional Computer
ORIGIN   U.S.A.
YEAR   1983
END OF PRODUCTION   Unknown
BUILT IN LANGUAGE   Microsoft BASIC
KEYBOARD   Full-stroke keyboard with numeric keypad and function keys
84 or 101 keys
CPU   Intel 8088
SPEED   4.77 MHz
CO-PROCESSOR   Socket for a 8087 math co-processor
RAM   From 64k to 640k, depending on models
ROM   64 kb
TEXT MODES   80 x 24 / 40 x 24
GRAPHIC MODES   CGA modes : 320 x 200 / 640 x 200
COLORS   16
SOUND   Tone Generator
I/O PORTS   eight internal slots (five 8 bit ISA), RS232c, Centronics
BUILT IN MEDIA   One 5.25” FDD, 360k (3.5” on later models)
10Mb or 20Mb hard-disk
OS   MS DOS
POWER SUPPLY   PSU built-in
PERIPHERALS   Numerous IBM and third-parties expansion cards, i.e. the QuadRam 512 KB RAM card
PRICE   $8000 (Complete version with 640 KB RAM, 10 MB HDD, colour display)

Filed under: 80s Computers - @ January 31, 2022 3:19 PM