IBM PS/2 Model 25 286
| Company type | Product model |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer hardware |
| Predecessor | IBM PC/XT, IBM PC/AT |
| Founded | August 4, 1987 |
| Founder | International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) |
| Fate | Discontinued |
| Successor | Later PS/2 models such as Model 25 286 and Model 25 SX |
| Headquarters | Boca Raton , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | José García (head of Boca Raton team for Model 25 SX) |
| Products | Personal computer (all-in-one desktop) |
| Owner | IBM |
| Parent | IBM Personal System/2 series |
The Personal System/2 Model 25 along with its variants, the 25 286 and 25 SX, serve as IBM's budget-friendly models within the Personal System/2 (PS/2) series. Similar to the Model 30, the Model 25 employs an Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, which allows it to support expansion cards from earlier IBM machines like the PC/XT and PC/AT. However, it is incompatible with the advanced PS/2 units that utilize Micro Channel architecture. Distinctively, the Model 25 family is designed as an all-in-one system, combining the CRT display and motherboard into a single chassis. This line was primarily marketed toward small business owners, home office users, and students.
Development and release
Launched on August 4, 1987, the Model 25 was the fifth model introduced in the PS/2 series. It featured an Intel 8086 CPU operating at 8 MHz, approximately twice as fast as IBM’s initial PC model. A student-oriented edition named Collegiate came equipped with two 720 KB floppy drives, up to 640 KB of RAM, a PS/2 Mouse, Windows 1.04, and four blank floppy disks.
In 1990, IBM updated this lineup with the Model 25 286, which incorporated an Intel 80286 processor clocked at 10 MHz. Later in late 1991, IBM’s Boca Raton team headed by José García developed the Model 25 SX featuring a 20 MHz Intel 80386SX processor. This configuration was aimed at K–12 educational institutions and brought improved graphics capabilities supporting up to 256 colors, along with standard ports for overhead projectors and network connectivity. The price range for this model was between $1,249 and $1,899. Sales of the Model 25 series were limited to the United States market.
The initial Model 25 did not come with or officially support hard disk drives; nevertheless, third-party hard drive solutions became available by late 1987. Subsequent models such as the 25 286 and 25 SX offered hard drives as optional components.
Reception
Several critics drew parallels between the Model 25 and Apple’s original Macintosh. Stephen Satchell from InfoWorld initially described it as a "deformed Macintosh," though he later acknowledged its closer alignment with other PS/2 models. David E. Sanger of The New York Times referred to it as "perhaps the most attractive computer" IBM had designed for casual users, noting that while it was "relatively inexpensive for an IBM," it remained somewhat "overpriced." Both Sanger and Gus Venditto from PC Magazine expressed dissatisfaction with the absence of a built-in hard disk drive. Venditto pointed out that aftermarket hard drives were too large to fit into the Model 25’s two floppy drive bays and that no official hard disk solution had been announced. He also mentioned that one ISA slot was partially obstructed by the CRT monitor, restricting expansion card options. Overall, Venditto praised the robust construction and described the Model 25 as a "well-crafted, fast computer for environments where space is limited."
Submodels
| Model | IBM P/N | Processor | Clock speed (MHz) |
Bus | No. of slots |
No. of drive bays |
FDD | HDD | Stock RAM |
Maximum RAM |
Video adapter | Monitor | Form factor | Date introduced | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 8525-001 | Intel 8086 | 8 (0 w) | ISA, 8-bit | 2 | 2 | one 720 KB | none | 512 KB | 640 KB | MCGA | 12-in. monochrome | All-in-one | Template:Date table sorting | Space Saving Keyboard |
| 25 | 8525-004 | Intel 8086 | 8 (0 w) | ISA, 8-bit | 2 | 2 | one 720 KB | none | 512 KB | 640 KB | MCGA | 12-in. color | All-in-one | Template:Date table sorting | Space Saving Keyboard |
| 25 Collegiate | 8525-C02 | Intel 8086 | 8 (0 w) | ISA, 8-bit | 2 | 2 | two 720 KB | none | 640 KB | 640 KB | MCGA | 12-in. monochrome | All-in-one | Template:Date table sorting | Space Saving Keyboard |
| 25 LS | 8525-L01 | Intel 8086 | 8 (0 w) | ISA, 8-bit | 2 | 2 | one 720 KB | none | 512 KB | 640 KB | MCGA | 12-in. monochrome | All-in-one | Template:Date table sorting | Token Ring network support |
| 25 LS | 8525-L04 | Intel 8086 | 8 (0 w ) | ISA, 8-bit | 2 | 2 | one 720 KB | none | 512 KB | 640 KB | MCGA | 12-in. color | All-in-one | Template:Date table sorting | Token Ring network support |
| 25 286 | 8525-006 | Intel 80286 | 10 (1 w ) | ISA,16-bit | 2 | 2 | one 1.44 MB | none | 1 MB | 4 MB | VGA | 12-in. color | All-in-one | Template:Date table sorting 1990 10 | Space Saving Keyboard |
| 25 SX | 8525-K00 | i386SX | 20 | Industry Standard Architecture,16-bit | 3 | 2 | one 1.44 MB | none | 1 MB | 16 MB | Video Graphics Array | 12-in. color | All-in-one | Template:Date table sorting 1992 04 |