Apricot VX FT
| Industry | Computer hardware |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
Key people | Peter Horne (R&D director), Bob Cross (lead designer) |
| Products | VX FT server, VX 9000 series, Qi workstation |
| Parent | Mitsubishi Electric (since April 1990) |
The VX FT, which was later renamed the FTs, is a server introduced by Apricot Computers at the end of 1989. It holds the distinction of being the first fully integrated system equipped with Intel's i486 processor. Engineered as a fault-tolerant file server, the VX FT offers five full-height bays for hard drives, supporting up to 5 GB of storage. It also includes eight Micro Channel architecture expansion slots—an uncommon feature among PS/2 clone machines—a built-in uninterruptible power supply, and memory capacity extending to 16 MB of RAM.
Background and development
The project was overseen by Peter Horne, who served as Apricot’s R&D director. The VX FT’s designation stems from the earlier VX series of file servers released in early 1987. In 1988, Apricot broadened this lineup with the VX 9000 series—essentially rebranded versions of Sequent Computer Systems' Symmetry SMP platforms—designed for intensive computational tasks and capable of supporting up to ten Intel i386 processors running UNIX System V.
Horne’s team completed the VX FT’s development within three months, drawing design inspiration from their Qi workstation range. Positioned to fill the gap between the Qi and VX 9000 models, the VX FT was intended as a successor to the original VX servers while both other product lines remained available.
Bob Cross, who had been Apricot’s lead designer since 1983, was responsible for the VX FT’s aesthetic and structural design. It mirrors the Qi’s appearance but adopts a larger tower format consistent with the original VX chassis. Production occurred at Apricot’s manufacturing facility in Scotland, with collaboration from Mitsubishi Electric—a Japanese electronics giant and investor in Apricot—which later acquired Apricot in April 1990.
Specifications
The VX FT’s dimensions are , and it has a substantial weight largely due to its dual 12-amp lead–acid batteries that compose its uninterruptible power supply. This UPS system is loosely connected to a robust 465-watt main PSU equipped with surge protection, and can be disabled through a switch located on the rear panel. For handling, two top-mounted handles facilitate lifting, while sleds on the base allow for precise placement; casters were deliberately excluded for safety reasons, recommending that lifting be performed by a team.
The motherboard (), an extended and customized variant of that used in the Qi workstation, incorporates eight expansion slots—doubling the number found on the Qi—and features a CPU daughterboard housing an i486 processor running at 25 MHz, Intel’s flagship x86 chip as of April 1989. A more economical version offered a 25-MHz i386 processor seated directly on the motherboard socket. Memory support extends up to 16 MB via proprietary double-decker SIMM modules, though it also accepts standard 80-nanosecond 2 MB SIMMs for configurations up to 8 MB, addressing cost and availability considerations.
Expansion cards utilize IBM’s licensed Micro Channel architecture, classifying the VX FT as a PS/2 clone. Of its eight slots, four are designed for 32-bit MCA cards while the remaining four accommodate 16-bit MCA cards. One of these 16-bit slots includes an extension connector tailored for specialized video cards; Apricot marketed an add-on featuring Chips and Technologies’ high-performance 452 Super VGA controller to augment the onboard VGA controller, thereby improving SVGA display capabilities.
Primarily intended as a file server, the VX FT provides five full-height drive bays alongside an integrated Adaptec SCSI host adapter, allowing installation of up to five 1-GB hard disk drives totaling 5 GB of storage space. Backup options included tape drives such as a floppy-controller-based 3M DC2000 (80 MB), an SCSI AccuTrak (150 MB), and a full-bay SCSI DAT/DDS drive by Hewlett-Packard offering capacities up to 1.2 GB. These drives are concealed behind a motorized door controlled through the Microscreen—a two-line backlit LCD panel with five software buttons enabling access to drives, power management, reset functions, standby mode, and maintenance operations.
Networking capabilities feature an integrated Ethernet controller compatible with both thicknet and thinnet connections; optional Token Ring network adapters were also available. Rear connectivity includes parallel ports (both standard and bidirectional), RS-232 serial ports, PS/2 mouse and keyboard interfaces, and VGA output for video.
Security measures include a pin tumbler lock located at the rear for basic physical access control. An optional Qi Environment security suite offers infrared remote access management via a master setup disk that requires code entry for system access. Unauthorized attempts trigger alarms differentiated by breach type. The system supports versatile security policies such as disabling network interfaces outside business hours while permitting scheduled backups, as well as controlling access to disk drives and expansion slots. Replacement setup disks must be obtained directly from Apricot if lost.
Release
Apricot officially introduced the VX FT on 31 May 1989, shortly after Intel launched the i486 processor. This made the VX FT the earliest announced system utilizing the i486, preceding IBM's June 1989 declaration of their 486/25 Power Platform upgrade card for the PS/2 Model 70 386 by approximately three weeks. Within 24 hours of its debut, Apricot secured multiple business evaluation agreements, and by September 1989, Byte magazine recognized it as the first 486-based computer worldwide.
IBM followed by releasing the 486/25 Power Platform in early October 1989, aligning with Intel’s initial production runs of the i486. Despite IBM being first to market with commercial i486 hardware, a recall occurred due to a calculation flaw in early Intel i486 chips. Shipments recommenced in December after Intel resolved the defect. In that same week, Apricot completed its inaugural permanent VX FT sale, delivering units to Fuel Oils Ltd located in London and Kent. Later that month, IBM unveiled the PS/2 Model 70 486 featuring the factory-installed 486/25 Power Platform.
In November 1989, Apricot revealed plans for a dual-processor SMP version of the VX FT equipped with two 25-MHz i486 CPUs. Originally slated for release in May 1990, this model eventually launched in June 1991 under the new designation FTs. Owing to its specialized business market orientation and premium entry price of £14,780 in 1989, sales of both VX FT and FTs progressed slowly.
Reception
Paul Lavin from PC User, reviewing an almost final preproduction unit, observed that synthetic benchmark tests ranked the VX FT server among top-tier IBM-compatible machines. He emphasized its strong disk performance, outperforming the IBM Model 70 486 as well as many 33 MHz PCs, and competing effectively against systems equipped with DPT. In a collaborative review with Michael Nadeau published by Byte, they noted certain limitations—such as absence of hardware disk caching resulting in slower access times and overheating issues in early i486 chips—but stressed that with a starting price around $18,000, Apricot positioned the VX FT as an economical alternative to PC workstations and entry-level minicomputers, delivering robust multi-user performance alongside enhanced security features.
See also
- Compaq Deskpro 386, recognized as the first publicly released computer system featuring an i386 processor
External links
- Apricot VX FT at Ardent Tool of Capitalism