IBM PS/2 Model 56 SLC LS
| Company type | Product line |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer hardware |
| Predecessor | IBM PC |
| Founded | 1987 |
| Founder | International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) |
| Headquarters | Armonk , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Personal computers, servers, laptops, notebooks |
| Owner | IBM |
The Personal System/2 (PS/2) was a series of personal computers created by International Business Machines Corporation (IBM). Introduced in 1987, the PS/2 marked IBM's second generation of personal computing devices, succeeding the original IBM PC lineup, which was phased out following the PS/2 launch. The majority of PS/2 units incorporated IBM’s proprietary Micro Channel architecture (MCA) bus—a strategic move to reclaim dominance over the PC market. Nevertheless, certain entry-level variants retained the widely adopted Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) bus, an open standard inherited from earlier IBM PC models. The PS/2 range encompassed various configurations including desktop units, tower systems, all-in-one designs, portable computers, laptops, and notebooks.
Notes
- Legend
- Clarifications
- Submodels identified by IBM part numbers (P/N) intended for markets outside North America are not included.
- Unless otherwise noted, integrated or optional displays utilize CRT technology.
- The Space Saving Keyboard is a compact 87-key version of the Model M, omitting the numeric keypad.
- The Model 25 Collegiate was designed for university students, equipped with dual 720 KB floppy drives, up to 640 KB of RAM, bundled with the official PS/2 Mouse, Windows 2.0, and four blank floppy disks.
- Financial workstation models featured a specialized 50-key function keypad tailored for banking operations.
- LS ("LAN Station") models functioned as diskless workstations lacking floppy or hard drives, connecting through Ethernet or Token Ring network adapters.
- Ultimedia variants included built-in microphones, SCSI CD-ROM drives, M-Audio sound cards, volume control knobs, and front-panel headphone and microphone jacks.
- Array models served as PS/2 Servers equipped with RAID capabilities.
Primary series
... [Additional Model 25 variants omitted for brevity] ...| Model | IBM P/N | Processor | Clock speed (MHz) |
Bus | Slot count | Drive bays | FDD | HDD | Base RAM |
Max RAM |
Video adapter | Monitor | Form factor | 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 LS | 8525-L01 | 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 | 'Token Ring' network compatibility |
|
... [Additional detailed entries for Models70 through high-end Models76–77 and Ultimedia editions omitted for brevity] ... |
PS/2 Server
| Model | IBM P/N | CPU | Clock speed (MHz) |
Bus architecture | Number of slots |
Number of drive bays |
FDD | HDD | Standard 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 | |
| The PS/2 Server lineup featured tower configurations utilizing Micro Channel architecture, equipped with Intel processors ranging from i486SX to Pentium models. Operating frequencies spanned from 33 MHz up to 66 MHz, with RAM capacities extending to as much as 256 MB. Storage solutions incorporated SCSI technology, offering capacities in the multi-gigabyte range and advanced features such as RAID-5 support and hot-swappable drives in premium models like the Server 295. Graphics options primarily included SVGA adapters, while floppy drives varied between standard and high-capacity types. These systems were engineered for enterprise settings demanding flexible scalability in performance and storage. | |||||||||||||||
Portables
IBM PS/2 Model L40 SX \ 8543-A44 \ i386SX (Intel) \ 20 \ style="background:#CFC" ISA, 16-bit \ 0 (1 with AT bus expansion port) \ 0 \ one1.44MB floppy \ 60MB (IDE) \ 2MB \ 18MB \ Video Graphics Array (VGA) \ Monochrome LCD \ Laptop \ Template:Date table sorting 1991 03 \ IBM PS/2 N51SX \ 8551-033 \ i386SX \ 16 \ style="background:#FFC"| Proprietary bus system \ 2 (PC Card slots) \ — \ one1.44MB floppy \ 40MB (IDE) \ 2MB \ 10MB \ Video Graphics Array \ Monochrome LCD \ Notebook \ — \ IBM PS/2 N51SLC \ 8551-025 \ IBM386SLC \ 16 \ style="background:#FFC"| Proprietary bus \ 2 (PC Card slots) \ — \ — \ — \ — \ — \ — \ — \| Model | IBM P/N | Processor | Clock speed (MHz) |
Bus system | Number of slots |
Number of drive bays |
FDD | HDD | Default RAM |
Maximum RAM |
Video controller | Display type | Form factor | Release date | Additional info | Ref(s). |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P70 | 8573-031 | i386 (Intel) | 16 | Micro Channel architecture, 32-bit | 2 (one 16-bit, one 32-bit) |
0 |
one 1.44 MB floppy drive |
30 MB (ESDI) |
2 MB |
8 MB |
Video Graphics Array (VGA) |
Monochrome gas plasma display |
Portable |
Supports optional i387 math coprocessor slot |
||
| IBM PS/2 P70 | 8573-061 | i386 (Intel) | 20 | Micro Channel architecture, 32-bit | 2 (one 16-bit, one 32-bit) | 0 | one1.44 MB floppy | 60 MB (ESDI) | 2 MB | 8 MB | Video Graphics Array (VGA) | Monochrome gas plasma panel | Portable | Template:Date table sorting | Includes slot for optional i387 coprocessor | |
| IBM PS/2 P70 | 8573-121 | i386 (Intel) | 20 | Micro Channel architecture,32-bit | 2 (one16-bit, one32-bit) | 0 | one1.44MB floppy drive | 120MB (ESDI) | 2MB | 8MB | Video Graphics Array (VGA) | Monochrome gas plasma display | Portable | Template:Date table sorting | Includes optional math coprocessor slot (i387) | |
| IBM PS/2 P75 | 8573-161 | i486 (Intel) | 33 | Micro Channel architecture,32-bit | 4 (two16-bit, two32-bit) | 0 | one1.44MB floppy | 160MB (SCSI) | 4MB | 16MB | Video Graphics Array (VGA) | Monochrome gas plasma | Portable | Template:Date table sorting | ||
| IBM PS/2 P75 | 8573-401 | i486 (Intel) | 33 | Micro Channel architecture,32-bit | 4 (two16-bit, two32-bit) | 0 | one1.44MB floppy | 400MB (SCSI) | 4MB | 16MB | Video Graphics Array (VGA) | Monochrome gas plasma display | Portable | Template:Date table sorting 1990 11 | ||
| IBM PS/2 N33SX | 8533-A33 | i386SX | 16 | style="background:#FFC"| Proprietary | 2 PC Card slots | — | — | — | — | — | Monochrome LCD | Notebook | — | |||
| IBM PS/2 N33SX | 8533-A35 | i386SX | 16 | style="background:#FFC"| Proprietary | 2 PC Card slots | — | — | — | — | — | Monochrome LCD | Notebook | — | |||
| IBM PS/2 Model CL57 SX | 8554-045 | IBM386SLC | 16 | style="background:#FFC"| Proprietary | 2 PC Card slots | — | — | — | — | 16 MB | Video Graphics Array | Color TFT display | Laptop | — |
Related systems
... (additional Academic System entries excluded for brevity) ... ... (similar EduQuest models Thirty to Fifty-five omitted for brevity) ... Executive Workstation GE Fanuc Workmaster II Industrial Computer ... (additional Industrial Computer models excluded for brevity) ... Personal Typing System Personal Typing System/2| Model | IBM P/N | CPU | Clock speed (MHz) |
Bus type | Expansion slots count |
Drive bays count | FDD | HDD | Default RAM |
Max RAM |
Graphics adapter | Display | Chassis type | Release date | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic System | 6152-022 | Intel 80286 ROMP 032 |
10 (286) | MCA, 16-bit | 8 | 4 | one 1.44 MB | 20 MB (ST-506) | 2 MB | 8 MB | VGA | optional | Tower | Template:Date table sorting | Features ROMP processor on daughterboard; cannot run concurrently with 286 |
| Academic System | 6152-024 | Intel 80286 ROMP 032 |
10 (286) | MCA, 16-bit | 8 | 4 | one 1.44 MB | 20 MB (ST-506) | 4 MB | 8 MB | VGA | optional | Tower | Template:Date table sorting | Equipped with ROMP processor on daughter card; incompatible for simultaneous operation with 286 |
| Academic System | 6152-044 | Intel 80286 ROMP 032 |
10 (286) | MCA, 16-bit | 8 | 4 | one 1.44 MB | 44 MB (ST-506) | 4 MB | 8 MB | VGA | optional | Tower | Template:Date table sorting | |
| EduQuest Thirty | 9603 | IBM 386SLC | 25 | ISA, 16-bit | 4 | 2 | one 1.44 MB | 30 MB (IDE) | 1–4 MB | 20 MB | SVGA | 14-in. color display | All-in-one design | Template:Date table sorting | |
|
7496 |
8 (0 wait states) |
style="background:#FCC" | Industry Standard Architecture (ISA), 8-bit |
3 |
0 |
one 720 KB |
none |
640 KB |
640 KB |
Monochrome screen |
All-in-one configuration |
Tailored all-in-one unit for healthcare applications; designed to work alongside IBM 7690 Clinical Workstation. | ||||
|
7186 |
16 |
style="background:#CCF" | Micro Channel architecture (MCA), 32-bit |
0 |
0 |
one 1.44 MB |
30 MB ESDI |
2 MB |
8 MB |
Monochrome gas plasma display |
Portable form factor |
Industrial-grade ruggedized PS/2 model marketed by GE Fanuc. | ||||
|
7552-040 |
10 |
style="background:#CFE" | ISA,16-bit & MCA,16-bit (undocumented) |
8 (modular,7 expandable) |
3 (modular) |
none |
none |
512 KB |
3 MB |
optional |
Benchtop or rack-mountable |
Rugged rack-mount industrial PC; introduced MCA bus prior to PS/2 launch. | ||||
|
6901-001 to -006 |
8 (0 wait states) |
style="background:#FCC" | ISA,8-bit |
0 to 2 slots |
2 drive bays |
one or two 720 KB floppy drives |
none or optional HDD up to 20 MB ST-506 interface |
640 KB RAM standard and maximum |
640 KB RAM maximum |
MCGA video adapter |
12-in. monochrome or color monitor options |
Desktop chassis |
Based on Model 30 with added word processing software and networking; versions included Wheelwriter and Quietwriter options. | |||
|
6907 /6908 |
8 /10 MHz |
style="background:#FCC" / style="background:#CFC" | ISA,8-bit /16-bit |
2 slots |
2 drive bays |
one or two 1.44 MB floppy drives |
none or optional HDD up to 30 MB ST-506/ESDI interface |
640 KB /1 MB RAM standard |
640 KB /1 MB RAM maximum |
MCGA / VGA graphics adapter |
Optional monitor available |
Desktop form factor |
{
{date table sorting |1989 |07}} |
Slightly updated Model 30/30 286 featuring word processing software, networking expansion card, and optional Wheelwriter accessory. |}