PS/2 212Mb SCSI Hard Disk Drive, 170Mb, 212Mb AT-Drives

The 3.5 212Mb SCSI hard drive has a 12mS average seek time, and it can be installed internally in all PS/2 systems with SCSI controllers standard and externally attached to all SCSI-based PS/2 Micro Channel systems when installed in the PS/2 SCSI Storage Enclosure or the PS/2 External Enclosure for SCSI Devices. Also, the drive can be installed in IBM’s Industrial Computer 7546. The AT hard disk drive family has been enhanced with the addition of the 170Mb and 212Mb AT Hard Disk Drives with 16mS and 15mS average seek times. They are supported as options in the PS/2 8525-SX (170Mb only), 8535, 8540 systems; PS/1 2133 or 2155 386SX-25 Models X1X, 486SX-20 Models X4X and the 486DX-33 Models X7X; the 7537 Industrial Computer. The average data transfer rate of the 212Mb SCSI is 2.5Mb per second, 1.66Mb per second for the 170Mb AT and 2.4Mb per second for the 212Mb AT. Available September 21, at $720, $535 and $665 each.

The PS/2 56, 57 486SLC2; PS/2 Ultimedia M57 and Ultimedia DV M57 486SLC2

The PS/2 56 486SLC2, 57 486SLC2, PS/2 Ultimedia M57 486SLC2 and Ultimedia DV M57 486SLC2 have increased processor speed with the 50/25MHz 486SLC2 microprocessor; an internal memory cache controller with 16Kb memory cache larger fast hard disks, either 104Mb or 212Mb; three memory sockets with one 8Mb 70nS single in-line memory module located in socket one, leaving two sockets available for expansion up to 16Mb on the planar; video via the graphics XGA-2 chip set; a SCSI input-output interface; two 9-pin serial ports and a high-speed DMA parallel port, a pointer device port and mouse. All systems come with the Select-a-Keyboard option. Additionally, the PS/2 Ultimedia M57 486SLC2 and Ultimedia DV M57 486SLC2 have the 212Mb SCSI hard disk, a 600Mb CD-ROM, an M-Audio Adaptor, front-mounted headphone and microphone jacks, microphone and volume control, and an ActionMedia II Adaptor. The hard disk contains three operating environments plus a variety of multimedia applications, application samplers and demonstration software. The 9956 models cost $2,655 and the 9557s are between $2,465 and $5,675. The 486SLC2s ship on September 21 but the Ultimedia systems will not be out until December.

PS/2 486SLC2 Upgrades

IBM is very pleased with its new 486SLC2 microprocessor, which comes in 50MHz internal, 25MHz external and 40MHz/20MHz versions, and the PS/2 486SLC2 processor upgrade applies to the PS/2 Model 56 SX, Model 56 SLC, Model 57 SX, Model 57 SLC, M57 SLC and 7546 Industrial Computer. The microprocessor includes an internal memory cache controller and 16Kb memory cache and the Upgrade operates at 40MHz, double the system clock speed, for internal operations, and at the 20MHz system clock speed for external operations. IBM says that the combination of double clock speed, integrated cache and optimised instructions provides up to a 271% performance increase over 20MHz 80386SX systems and up to 99% performance increase over its own 20MHz 386SLC systems. The level of performance is up to 53% greater than 20MHz 80486SX systems and up to 20% greater than 25MHz 80486SX systems, claims IBM. Available October 30, the PS/2 486SLC2 Processor Upgrade was announced in June at $935, now $800.

PS/2 76 486, 77 486, 77 486DX2 and Ultimedia M77 486, M77 486DX2 Upgrades

The new PS/2 76, 77 and Ultimedia M77 systems are 32-bit 80486 Micro Channel systems. All have Intel Corp 80486-based processors – 80486DX2-66 (66MHz internal and 33MHz external with 8KB of cache and integrated floating-point processor), and 80486SX-33 (33MHz with 8KB of cache memory). Other features include 8Mb of standard memory, SCSI busmaster cache controller with larger hard disks – 104Mb, 212Mb and 400Mb – video is provided via an XGA-2 adaptor, two 9-pin serial ports, a high-speed DMA parallel port and mouse. The systems include OS/2 2.00.1. The Upgrade Option enables upgrades of 80486SX-33 based systems with the enhancement of an internal processor speed of 66MHz and an integrated floating-point processor. The Ultimedia M77

models include a 212Mb fixed disk, a 600Mb CD-ROM, built-in audio and multimedia functions. The Upgrade Option supports for DOS 5.0, OS/2 2.00.1 and AIX PS/2 1.3. The microprocessor on the PS/2 76 486 and PS/2 77 486 can be upgraded to the 80486DX2-66 through the second processor socket. System memory can be expanded to 32Mb on the system board and 32-bit Micro Channel slots facilitate additional applications. Disk drive bays provide for additional 3.5 and 5.25 devices. Costs go from $2,735 to $5,305, $900 for the upgrade, available November 6.

The PS/2 95 XP 486 Family

The PS/2 Model 95 XP 486 family replaces some of the 8595s and provides the XGA-2 Display Adaptor/A with 256 colours, higher screen refresh rates and non-interlaced scanning. The Model 95 XP i486s are floor-standing computers designed to support network servers, multi-user hosts and technical applications. The xMx models have an upgradable processor complex that contains a 50MHz 80486 processor, ECC memory controller, 256Kb level two cache, and electronic modules to support 40Mb per second streaming data, System Control Blocks and error logging functions. The xLx model has the new double-clocked 80486DX2 microprocessor and supports chips operating externally at 25MHz and internally at 50MHz. The PS/2 Model 95 XP 486 provides up to seven file storage bays and two 3.5 bays are used for the 2.88Mb disk drive and the standard SCSI hard disk drive. Four 5.25 or 3.5 bays accommodate four more SCSI disk drives, providing expansion of up to 3.2Gb of storage in some models. There are eight 32-bit Micro Channel input-output slots, six of which are for expansion. Available September 21, the systems cost $6,815 to $14,015.

PS/2 Server 85

The PS/2 Server 85 systems are low end floor-standing machines with large data storage capacities, and enhanced expandability. There are three models offering either a 104Mb, 212Mb or 400Mb hard disk, a 2.88Mb floppy disk drive and 8Mb of 70ns parity memory, which is expandable to 64Mb on the system board. The system board contains an 80486SX-33 processor and for floating-point processing or additional processing power, there is a second microprocessor socket is provided for the installation of a PS/2 486-33/66 Microprocessor Upgrade Option, the newly announced double-clocked microprocessor option that operates externally at 33MHz and internally at 66MHz. Available September 21, the Server 85 goes for between $4,165 and $5,300.