IBM PS/2 Model 60
| Company type | Product model |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer hardware |
| Predecessor | IBM Personal System/2 Model 50 |
| Founded | April 2, 1987 |
| Founder | IBM |
| Defunct | October 1990 |
| Fate | Discontinued |
| Successor | IBM Personal System/2 Model 65 SX |
| Headquarters | Boca Raton (initial), later Raleigh , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Products | Desktop computer |
| Owner | IBM |
| Parent | IBM Personal System/2 line |
The Personal System/2 Model 60 represents a premium desktop computer within IBM's Personal System/2 (PS/2) lineup. Debuting in April 1987, it was powered by an Intel 80286 processor running at 10 MHz, the same speed as its mid-tier sibling, the Model 50. Distinct from the Model 50, the Model 60 was housed in a tower chassis, featuring four additional 16-bit MCA expansion slots and one more drive bay. This marked IBM’s initial adoption of an Intel-based PC in a tower format, contributing to the wider acceptance of tower designs in the market.
IBM followed up the Model 60 with the more advanced 32-bit Model 80 later in 1987, which included an i386 processor and eight 32-bit MCA expansion slots. Subsequently, IBM introduced the Personal System/2 Model 65 SX in early 1990, equipped with an i386SX processor and eight 16-bit MCA slots similar to those on the Model 60. Both of these successors maintained comparable tower-style enclosures. The Model 60 was officially discontinued by IBM in October 1990.
Model 60
Launched on April 2, 1987, alongside the entry-level Model 30 and the midrange Model 50, both the PS/2 Model 60 and Model 50 were outfitted with Intel 80286 CPUs running at 10 MHz. These models introduced IBM’s Video Graphics Array (VGA) and Micro Channel architecture (MCA) technologies. MCA replaced the Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) as IBM’s proprietary bus system, while VGA enhanced graphical capabilities significantly. The Model 60’s tower design offered four extra 16-bit MCA expansion slots plus an additional drive bay when compared to the Model 50, positioning it as a system capable of supporting multiple users.
Two configurations were available at launch for the Model 60: one priced at US$5,295 with a 44-MB ST-506 hard disk, and a higher-end option costing US$6,295 featuring a faster ESDI interface paired with a 70-MB hard drive. This contrasted with the midrange Model 50’s price of $3,595. However, performance was hindered by relatively slow DRAM memory (125-nanosecond access), which introduced wait states on every memory operation and reduced efficiency compared to other systems running at similar clock speeds. While IBM resolved this issue in an updated version of the Model 50 (the Z series), the Model 60 continued using slower RAM throughout its production lifespan.
Model 65 SX
On March 20, 1990, IBM unveiled the PS/2 Model 65 SX featuring Intel’s budget-friendly i386SX processor operating at 16 MHz. Although internally capable of processing data in 32-bit chunks, its external data bus was limited to 16 bits, restricting memory access speed accordingly. Consequently, like its predecessor the Model 60, it employed only sixteen-bit MCA expansion slots. The Model 65 SX also upgraded its onboard disk controller from ESDI to SCSI, incorporated faster memory modules, and supported an additional megabyte of RAM. This model directly replaced the Model 60 after IBM ceased production at their Boca Raton plant in October of that year.
Sales and reception
Initially manufactured at IBM’s Boca Raton facility in Florida, the Model 60 experienced slower sales compared to other PS/2 models; by July of 1987, daily production reached approximately 800 units versus about 1,000 units for the Model 50. Over its three-year market presence, it remained the least popular PS/2 model with monthly shipments by January 1990 trailing even those of the more expensive Model 80. In early 1989, following closure of Boca Raton’s computer system operations, IBM transferred manufacturing of the Model 60 to Raleigh, North Carolina.
In a review for PC Magazine, Winn L. Rosch criticized the Model 60 for being overpriced relative to single-user needs despite its additional expansion slots—slots he considered "not very useful" given its built-in features. Nonetheless, he acknowledged that it was well-suited for multiuser scenarios and demanding file server workloads. InfoWorld's Steve Satchell lauded the machine’s video capabilities as "astounding," noting unprecedented instantaneous windowing system rendering during their evaluations. Despite concerns regarding cost and ease of maintenance, Satchell concluded that its robust performance justified its price point.
Legacy
Though it did not achieve strong sales figures, both the PS/2 Model 60 and Model 80 helped pioneer offering PC compatibles with optional tower form factors among computer manufacturers. By May of 1988, over a dozen companies displayed tower desktop models at Comdex, as reported by The New York Times. By the mid-1990s, tower-style desktops had overtaken traditional horizontal systems in market share.
Model 80
In July 1987, IBM introduced the IBM PS/2 Model 80, marking its initial personal computer equipped with the 32-bit i386 processor. This model featured a tower chassis similar in design to the Model 60. Distinct from the Model 60, the Model 80 incorporated multiple 32-bit MCA slots, allowing compatibility with advanced Micro Channel expansion cards. Both the Model 60 and Model 80 were available simultaneously on the market for several years.
Academic System
Launched in February 1988, the 6152 Academic System was designed specifically for higher education institutions and developed by IBM's Academic Information Systems division. It was based on the PS/2 Model 60 architecture and included a RISC Adapter Card installed on the Micro Channel bus. This co-processor enabled execution of applications compiled for IBM’s Academic Operating System (AOS), a customized BSD UNIX variant restricted to certain academic organizations.
The RISC Adapter Card contained the ROMP-C microprocessor—a refined version of the ROMP chip from IBM RT PC systems—along with a memory management unit supporting virtual memory, a floating-point coprocessor, and up to 8MB of dedicated RAM. The 6152 was notable as the first system utilizing the ROMP-C processor, which was subsequently integrated into newer RT PC models.
Submodels
| Model | IBM P/N | Processor | Clock Speed (MHz) |
Bus Type | Expansion Slots |
Drive Bays |
FDD | HDD | Standard RAM |
Maximum RAM |
Video Adapter | Monitor Availability | Form Factor | Release Date | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | 8560-041 | Intel 80286 | 10 (1 w) | MCA, 16-bit | 8 | 4 | one 1.44 MB | 44 MB (ST-506 interface) | 1 MB | 7 MB | VGA | optional | Tower | Template:Date table sorting | ||
| 60 | 8560-071 | Intel 80286 | 10 (1 w) | MCA, 16-bit | 8 | 4 | one 1.44 MB | 70 MB (ESDI interface) | 1 MB | 7 MB | VGA | optional | Tower | Template:Date table sorting | ||
| 65 SX | 8565-061 | Intel 386SX | 16 | MCA, 16-bit | 8 | 4 | one 1.44 MB | 60 MB (SCSI interface) | 2 MB | 8 MB | VGA | optional | Tower | Template:Date table sorting | ||
| 65 SX | 8565-121 | Intel 386SX | 16 | MCA,16-bit | 8 | 4 | one1.44MB | 120MB (SCSI interface) | 2MB | 8MB | VGA | optional | Tower | Template:Date table sorting | ||
| 65 SX | 8565-321 | Intel386SX | 16 | MCA,16-bit | 8 | 4 | one1.44MB | 320MB (SCSI interface) | 2MB | 8MB | VGA | optional | Tower | Template:Date table sorting |