They were five times more expensive and up to 1,000 times less powerful than current phones; however, they are icons of history
The computer industry is constantly bragging about the growth in the adoption of smartphones and tablets in the world, but at 33 years old, personal computers are still a sector that sells more than 75.7 million units every three months worldwide, from the agreement with consulting firm Gartner.
To remember its importance, three decades after they became popular, we share 10 personal computers that have made history:
1. Apple II
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| 10 personal computers that have marked the last three decades |
Yes, this computer is not a PC, but although it is not on the list, the Apple II is considered by many to be one of the first personal computers in the world. The first models began to be sold in June 1997. These were some of their characteristics:
- It had a MOS Technology 6502 processor at 1MHz
- 4KB RAM
- Interface to load and save programs via audio cassette
- The initial sale price was $ 1,298 for the 4 KB of RAM model and $ 2,638 for the model with 64 KB of RAM.
2. IBM PC
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| 10 personal computers that have marked the last three decades |
It was launched on the market on August 12, 1981, and although it was very popular for its capabilities, currently a cell phone would surpass it.
- 16 KB of RAM
- I was using an Intel 8088 processor
- There was no entry for floppy disks, these had to be purchased separately.
- It was priced at approximately $ 1,565
3. Macintosh
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| 10 personal computers that have marked the last three decades |
In 1984 Apple began marketing its first Macintosh personal computer and MAC OS. The computer was featured in the 18th Super Bowl with an ad directed by Ridley Scott (director of films like Alien), referring to George Orwell's 1984 novel. Apple released several versions of the team.
- Motorola 68000 processor with 8 MHz
- 512 KB of DRAM memory
- It included a series of work programs like MacWrite and MacPaint
- The computer screen was 512x324 pixels (on iPhone 5s it has an 1136x640-pixel screen at a resolution of 326 dots per inch)
- Price $ 3,195, in 1986 Apple released a 1GB model of RAM for $ 2,600.
4. IBM XT 286
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| 10 personal computers that have marked the last three decades |
In January 1986, Mexico was part of the history of personal computing, when IBM announced that it would manufacture some models of the IBM XT 286 computer at its facilities in Guadalajara.
- It had 640 Kb of RAM
- I was using an Intel 80286 6MHz processor
- 20 MB hard drive (the equivalent of five songs or a video of approximately three minutes)
5. Commodore 64
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| 10 personal computers that have marked the last three decades |
One of the first personal computers to come onto the market and according to the figures, also one of the best-selling in history. It was launched on the market in 1982 and discontinued in 1994.
- It had 64 KB of RAM memory
- A small cathode-ray screen
- I used 5 ¼ inch floppy disks
- It had an approximate cost of $ 595.
6. Compaq Portable SLT / 286 1903
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| 10 personal computers that have marked the last three decades |
It weighed just over six kilos and its battery was around one kilo. It was one of the first laptops to become popular within corporate settings. As a curiosity, its keyboard, like a modern iPad, was removable.
- 80C286 12 Mhz processor
- VGA display
- 40 MB hard drive
- Its price was $ 5,399
7. Toshiba T1100, T1000 and T12000
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| 10 personal computers that have marked the last three decades |
While the first laptop concepts were introduced by IBM in the late 1970s. The first models of mass consumption laptops arrived in late 1985 with the T1000, T1100, and T12000 models of the Japanese Toshiba.
- They had a 4.77 Mhz CPU
- They did not have a hard disk and all the programs ran through floppy disks
- Its screen was 640x200 with liquid crystal technology (LCD)
8. ThinkPad
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| 10 personal computers that have marked the last three decades |
One of the most used series of laptops in the corporate world. The first models to go on the market were 700, 700C, and 700T in 1992. According to IBM, they won more than 300 design awards in their first years on the market. One of its most outstanding features was the incorporation of the TrackPoint, a small red button in the center of the keyboard that allowed using the equipment without the need to connect a mouse.
- Some 700 series models used Intel Pentium I 233 MHz processor
- CD player and Floppy Drive incorporated in some models
- They ran with Windows NT4 operating system and later with Windows 95
- The price of some models was between $ 2,999 and $ 4,999
9. iMac G3
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| 10 personal computers that have marked the last three decades |
This model is remembered more for its design than for its computing power. Its rounded, colored casing finished in translucent plastic was different from conventional PCs.
It was the first Apple model when Steve Jobs returned to the firm in August 1998, and after achieving solid sales for six years, it was discontinued in March 2003.
- Had storage up to 128GB
- It had a disk reader and some models even with a DVD reader.
- It was one of the first machines with USB input.
- It was priced at about $ 1,199
10. Asus Zenbook UX21E
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10 personal computers that have marked the last three decades
The Asian firm was one of the first (after Apple) to break into the Ultrabook calling market: high-performance, battery-powered computing equipment with no drives to read CDs or DVDs.
Generally, these types of machines have solid-state hard drives to increase the speed of data reading and reduce power consumption. More than the model, the Zenbook marks the perfect example of innovation that the computer industry of the last three decades.
- Core i3, i5 or i7 processor up to 1.8 GHz
- 4 GB RAM memory
- 11.6-inch screen with a high-definition resolution of 1366x768 pixels
- The solid-state hard drive from 64GB to 256GB
- Weighs 1 kilogram
- Price $ 1,399.
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