IBM PS/2 Model 56
| Company type | Product line |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer hardware |
| Predecessor | IBM PC |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Founder | International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) |
| Headquarters | Armonk , United States |
| Products | Personal computers (desktops, towers, all-in-one systems, portables, laptops, notebooks) |
| Parent | International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) |
The Personal System/2, commonly known as PS/2, was a series of personal computers created by International Business Machines Corporation (IBM). Introduced in 1987, this line represented IBM's second generation of personal computers, taking over from the original IBM PC lineup, which was discontinued following the PS/2 launch. The majority of PS/2 units incorporated IBM's proprietary Micro Channel architecture bus—a strategic effort to regain dominance in the PC market. Nevertheless, certain entry-level configurations continued to use the broadly adopted ISA bus, an open standard prevalent in earlier IBM PCs. The PS/2 family encompassed a variety of form factors, including desktops, towers, integrated all-in-one systems, portables, laptops, and notebooks.
Notes
- Legend
- Clarifications
- Models with IBM part numbers (P/N) designated for markets outside North America are not listed.
- Unless specified otherwise, built-in or optional screens are CRT displays.
- The Space Saving Keyboard is a compact 87-key variant of the Model M, lacking a numeric keypad.
- The Model 25 Collegiate was designed for university students and featured dual 720 KB floppy drives, up to 640 KB of RAM, came bundled with the official PS/2 Mouse, Windows 2.0, and included four blank floppy disks.
- Financial workstations were equipped with a 50-key function keypad tailored for banking tasks.
- LS ("LAN Station") models functioned as diskless workstations without floppy or hard disks, connecting through Ethernet or Token Ring network adapters.
- Ultimedia editions included integrated microphones, SCSI CD-ROM drives, M-Audio sound cards, volume control knobs, as well as headphone and microphone jacks on the front panel.
- Array variants served as PS/2 Servers featuring support for RAID configurations.
Primary lineup
... [Similar entries omitted for brevity] ... ... [Similar entries omitted for brevity] ...| Model | IBM P/N | CPU | Clock speed (MHz) |
Bus type | Slot count | Drive bays | FDD | HDD | Standard RAM |
Maximum RAM |
Graphics adapter | Display | Chassis type | Release date | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | 8525-001 | Intel 8086 | 8 (0 w) | ISA, 8-bit | 2 | 2 | one 720 KB | none | 512 KB | 640 KB | MCGA | 12-inch 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-inch color | All-in-one | Template:Date table sorting | Space Saving Keyboard |
| IBM PS/2 Model 25 Collegiate | 8525-C02 | Intel 8086 | 8 (0 w) | ISA, 8-bit | 2 | 2 | two 720 KB | none | 640 KB | 640 KB | MCGA | 12-inch monochrome | All-in-one | Template:Date table sorting | Space Saving Keyboard |
| IBM PS/2 Model 25 SX | 8525-K00 | i386SX | 20 | ISA, 16-bit | 3 | 2 | one 1.44 MB | none | 1 MB | 16 MB | Video Graphics Array (VGA) | 12-inch color | All-in-one | Template:Date table sorting | |
| Other notable models encompass the IBM PS/2 Model 30, Model 35, Model 40, Model 50, Model 55, Model 56, Model 57, Model 60, Model 65, Model 70, Model 76, Model77 as well as premium versions like the Model80 and Ultimedia series. These featured processors ranging from Intel’s early x86 chips to advanced i486 CPUs and IBM’s proprietary processors such as the IBM386SLC and IBM486SLC2. Bus architectures primarily included both the open Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) and IBM’s exclusive Micro Channel Architecture (MCA). Storage evolved from floppy disks and modest hard drives to larger SCSI and IDE drives capable of supporting hundreds of megabytes or more. Memory configurations spanned from several hundred kilobytes up to multiple tens of megabytes of RAM. Video hardware progressed from MCGA through VGA to SVGA standards, enhancing graphics performance suitable for business environments. | |||||||||||||||
PS/2 Server
| Model | IBM P/N | CPU | Frequency (MHz) |
Bus type | Expansion slots |
Drive bays |
FDD | HDD | Default RAM |
Maximum RAM |
Graphics adapter | Display | Chassis type | Launch date | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Server 85 | 9585-0X6 | Intel 486SX | 33 | MCA, 32-bit | 8 | 7 | one 2.88 MB | 104 MB (SCSI) | 8 MB | 64 MB | SVGA | optional | Tower | Template:Date table sorting | |
| Server 85 | 9585-0X9 | Intel 486SX | 33 | MCA, 32-bit | 8 | 7 | one 2.88 MB | 160 MB (SCSI) | 8 MB | 64 MB | SVGA | optional | Tower | Template:Date table sorting | |
| Server 85 | 9585-0XA | Intel 486SX | 33 | MCA, 32-bit | 8 | 7 | one 2.88 MB | 208 MB/212 MB (SCSI) | 8 MB | 64 MB | SVGA | optional | Tower | Template:Date table sorting |
| Model | IBM P/N | Processor | Clock speed (MHz) | Bus type | Slots | Drive bays | FDD | HDD | Default RAM | Max RAM | Video adapter | Monitor option | Form factor | Release date | Comments |
|---|
| Model | IBM P/N | Processor | Clock speed (MHz) | Bus type | Slots | Drive bays | FDD | HDD capacity | Base RAM | Max RAM capacity | Graphics adapter | Monitor availability | Case style | Launch date |
|---|
| Model | IBM P/N | CPU | Clock rate (MHz) | Bus architecture | Expansion slots | Drive bays | FDD type | HDD size | Standard RAM | Max RAM capacity | Graphics card | Monitor option | Chassis design | Introduction date | Additional info |
|---|
Portables
| Model | IBM P/N | CPU | Operating Frequency (MHz) |
Bus Type | Expansion Slots Count |
Drive Bays Count | FDD | HDD | Installed RAM |
Max RAM |
Graphics Adapter | Display Type | Design Form | Release Date | Remarks | Ref(s). | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P70 | 8573-031 | Intel 386 | 16 | MCA, 32-bit | 2 (one 16-bit, one 32-bit) | 0 | one 1.44 MB | 30 MB (ESDI) | 2 MB | 8 MB | VGA | Monochrome gas plasma display | Portable | Template:Date table sorting | Features slot for optional i387 math co-processor | ||
| P70 | 8573-061 | Intel 386 | 20 | MCA, 32-bit | 2 (one 16-bit, one 32-bit) | 0 | one 1.44 MB | 60 MB (ESDI) | 2 MB | 8 MB | VGA | Monochrome gas plasma display | Portable | Template:Date table sorting | Includes expansion slot for optional i387 co-processor | ||
| P70 | 8573-121 | Intel 386 | 20 | MCA, 32-bit | 2 (one 16-bit, one 32-bit) | 0 | one 1.44 MB | 120 MB (ESDI) | 2 MB | 8 MB | VGA | Monochrome gas plasma display | Portable | Template:Date table sorting | Equipped with optional slot for i387 co-processor | ||
| P75 | 8573-161 | Intel 486 | 33 | MCA,32-bit | 4 (two 16-bit, two 32-bit) | 0 | one1.44MB | 160MB (SCSI) | 4MB | 16MB | VGA | Monochrome gas plasma display | Portable | Template:Date table sorting | |||
| P75 | 8573-401 | Intel i486 | 33 | MCA,32-bit | 4 (two 16-bit, two 32-bit) | 0 | one1.44MB | 400MB (SCSI) | 4MB | 16MB | VGA | Monochrome gas plasma display | Portable | Template:Date table sorting | |||
| IBM PS/2 Model L40 SX | 8543-A44 | Intel386SX | 20 | ISA,16-bit | 0 (one with AT bus expansion port) | 0 | one1.44MB | 60MB (IDE) | 2MB | 18MB | VGA | Monochrome LCD screen | Laptop | Template:Date table sorting | |||
| IBM PS/2 N51SX | 8551-033 | i386SX | 16 | Proprietary bus | 2 (PC Card slots) | >unknown< | >one1.44MB | >40MB (IDE) | >2MB | >10MB | Video Graphics Array | Monochrome LCD panel | Notebook | >unknown< | |||
| IBM PS/2 N51SLC | 8551-025 | IBM386SLC | 16 | Proprietary bus | 2 (PC Card slots) | >unknown< | >one1.44MB | >80MB (IDE) | >2MB | >10MB | Video Graphics Array | Monochrome LCD panel | Notebook | >unknown< | |||
| IBM PS/2 N33SX | 8533-A33 | i386SX | 16 | style="background:#FFC"|Proprietary bus | 2 (PC Card slots) | >unknown< | one1.44MB | 40MB (IDE) | >unknown< | >unknown< | >unknown< | Monochrome LCD display | Notebook | >unknown< | |||
| \[[IBM PS/2 N33SX\]\] | \8533-A35\ | \[[i386SX\]\] | \16\ | \Proprietary\ | \(\[\[PC Card\]\]\)\}\}\ | \{\{unknown\}\}\ | \one\ \1.44\ | \(\[\[Integrated Drive Electronics\|\mathrm{IDE}\]\]\)\}\}\ | \{\{unknown\}\}\ | \{\{unknown\}\}\ | \{\{unknown\}\}\ | \Monochrome LCD\ | \Notebook\ | \{\{unknown\}\}\ | \ \ | ||
| \[[IBM PS/2 Model CL57 SX\]\] | \8554-045\ | \[[IBM386SLC\]\] | \16\ | \Proprietary\ | \(\[\[PC Card\]\]\)\}\}\ | \{\{unknown\}\}\ | \one\ \1.44\ | \(\[\[Integrated Drive Electronics\|\mathrm{IDE}\]\]\)\}\}\ | \2\ \mathrm{MB}\ | \16\ \mathrm{MB}\ | \[[Video Graphics Array\|\mathrm{VGA}\]\] | \Color TFT display\ | \Laptop\ | \{\{unknown\}\}\ |
Related systems
| Model | IBM P/N | CPU | Clock speed (MHz) |
Bus type | Number of slots |
Number of drive bays |
FDD | HDD | Installed RAM |
Maximum RAM |
Graphics adapter | Display | Chassis type | Release date | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic System | 6152-022 | Intel 80286 ROMP 032 |
10 (286) | MCA, 16-bit | 8 | 4 | single 1.44 MB | 20 MB (ST-506) | 2 MB | 8 MB | VGA | optional | Tower | Template:Date table sorting | Includes ROMP processor on a daughterboard; cannot operate concurrently with 286 |
| Academic System | 6152-024 | Intel 80286 ROMP 032 |
10 (286) | MCA, 16-bit | 8 | 4 | single 1.44 MB | 20 MB (ST-506) | 4 MB | 8 MB | VGA | optional | Tower | Template:Date table sorting | Features ROMP processor on daughter card; not capable of parallel operation with 286 |
| Academic System | 6152-044 | Intel 80286 ROMP 032 |
10 (286) | MCA, 16-bit | 8 | 4 | single 1.44 MB | 44 MB (ST-506) | 4 MB | 8 MB | VGA | optional | Tower | Template:Date table sorting | ROMP processor included on daughter board; unable to run simultaneously with the 286 CPU |
| Academic System | 6152-048 | Intel 80286 ROMP 032 |
10 (286) | MCA, 16-bit | 8 | 4 | single 1.44 MB | 44 MB (ST-506) | 8 MB | 8 MB | VGA | optional | Tower | Template:Date table sorting | Contains ROMP processor on daughter card; cannot be used in parallel with the Intel 286 CPU |
| Model | IBM P/N | Processor | Clock speed (MHz) | Bus type | Expansion slots | Drive bays | Floppy drives | Hard disk drives | RAM (initial) | RAM (maximum) | Video adapter | Display type | Case design | Launch date | Additional information |
|---|
| Model | IBM P/N | Processor | Speed (MHz) | Bus type | Slots available | Drive bays | }
See alsoReferences
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