IBM PS/2 Model 65 SX
| Company type | Product model |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer hardware |
| Predecessor | IBM Personal System/2 Model 50 |
| Founded | April 2, 1987 |
| Successor | IBM Personal System/2 Model 65 SX |
| Headquarters | Boca Raton, Florida; later Raleigh, North Carolina , United States |
| Products | Desktop computer (tower form factor) |
The Personal System/2 Model 60 represents a premium desktop computer within IBM's Personal System/2 (PS/2) series, introduced in April 1987. It is powered by a 10 MHz Intel 80286 CPU, aligning it with the mid-tier Model 50. Distinct from the Model 50, the Model 60 adopts a tower chassis and provides four additional 16-bit MCA expansion slots along with an extra drive bay. This model marked IBM's initial foray into Intel-based PCs featuring a tower design, which contributed to popularizing this form factor.
Following the Model 60, IBM launched the more advanced 32-bit Model 80 in late 1987, equipped with an i386 processor and eight 32-bit MCA slots. In early 1990, the Model 60 was succeeded by the Personal System/2 Model 65 SX, which incorporated an i386SX processor and maintained eight 16-bit MCA slots similar to its predecessor. Both successors utilized the same tower-style case. The Model 60 was phased out in October 1990.
Model 60
Debuting on April 2, 1987 alongside the entry-level Model 30 and midrange Model 50, the Model 60 shared its Intel 80286 processor running at 10 MHz with the Model 50. Both models introduced IBM's Video Graphics Array (VGA) technology and Micro Channel architecture (MCA), IBM’s proprietary bus system that replaced Industry Standard Architecture (ISA). VGA enhanced graphical resolution and color capabilities. The tower configuration of the Model 60 provided four extra 16-bit MCA expansion slots and an additional drive bay, boosting expandability and multitasking capacity.
Initially, two configurations were available: one with a 44-MB ST-506 hard drive priced at US$5,295, and another featuring a faster 70-MB ESDI hard drive costing $6,295. This positioned the Model 60 above the $3,595 midrange Model 50. However, its slower DRAM memory (125-nanosecond access time) caused wait states on every memory operation, which diminished performance compared to other similarly clocked machines using faster RAM. This limitation also affected the original Model 50 but was resolved in the subsequent Model 50 Z; in contrast, the Model 60 continued utilizing slower RAM throughout its production.
Model 65 SX
On March 20, 1990, IBM unveiled the PS/2 Model 65 SX featuring Intel's budget-friendly i386SX processor running at 16 MHz. Although internally capable of 32-bit processing, its external data bus was limited to 16 bits, restricting RAM access accordingly. As a result, the Model 65 SX included only sixteen-bit MCA slots, consistent with the Model 60’s design. Improvements encompassed an upgraded onboard disk controller transitioning from ESDI to SCSI, faster memory modules, and support for an additional megabyte of RAM. The Model 65 SX replaced the Model 60 directly following its discontinuation at IBM’s Boca Raton manufacturing facility in October 1990.
Sales and reception
Initially produced at IBM’s Boca Raton plant in Florida, the Model 60 experienced slower sales relative to other PS/2 variants. By July of 1987, daily output reached only about 800 units compared to approximately 1,000 units for the Model 50. Throughout its three-year lifespan, sales remained sluggish; by January of 1990 it ranked as the poorest-selling PS/2 model, with monthly shipments falling below even those of the higher-priced Model 80. In early 1989, IBM relocated production of the Model 60 to Raleigh, North Carolina after ceasing computer manufacturing operations in Boca Raton.
In an extensive review published by PC Magazine, Winn L. Rosch criticized the Model 60 for being overpriced for single-user scenarios and noted that its additional expansion slots offered limited benefit given the features present on its system board. Nonetheless, he recommended it for multiuser setups and demanding file server applications. Steve Satchell of InfoWorld lauded the video capabilities of the Model 60 as "astounding," highlighting significant improvements in windowing system responsiveness. Despite concerns about cost and maintainability, Satchell concluded that its robust performance justified its value proposition.
Legacy
Although sales were disappointing, both the PS/2 Model 60 and Model 80 helped initiate a trend toward offering PC compatibles in optional tower configurations. By May of 1988, over a dozen manufacturers displayed tower desktop systems at Comdex, as reported by The New York Times. By the mid-1990s, tower-style computers had overtaken traditional horizontal desktops in market share.
Model 80
In July 1987, IBM introduced the IBM PS/2 Model 80, marking its initial personal computer equipped with a 32-bit i386 processor. This model shared the same tower chassis as the Model 60. Differing from the Model 60, the Model 80 incorporated multiple 32-bit MCA slots, allowing comprehensive compatibility with advanced Micro Channel expansion cards. IBM continued to offer the Model 80 alongside the Model 60 for several years.
Academic System
Released in February 1988, the 6152 Academic System was designed specifically for the higher education sector and distributed through IBM's Academic Information Systems division. It was derived from the PS/2 Model 60 but featured an added RISC Adapter Card installed in the Micro Channel bus. This co-processor enabled execution of ROMP software compiled for IBM's proprietary Academic Operating System (AOS), a BSD UNIX derivative limited to select academic institutions.
The RISC Adapter Card housed the ROMP-C microprocessor, an enhanced variant originating from the IBM RT PC, along with a memory management unit that facilitated virtual memory, a floating-point coprocessor, and up to 8MB of dedicated RAM. The 6152 was notable as the first system to employ the ROMP-C processor, which was subsequently integrated into later RT PC models.
Submodels
| Model | IBM P/N | Processor | Clock Speed (MHz) |
Bus | Number of slots |
Number of Drive Bays |
FDD | HDD | Base RAM |
Maximum RAM |
Video Adapter | Monitor | 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) | 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) | 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) | 2 MB | 8 MB | VGA | optional | Tower | Template:Date table sorting | |
| 65 SX | 8565-121 | Intel 386SX | 16 | MCA, 16-bit | 8 | 4 | one 1.44 MB | 120 MB (SCSI) | 2 MB | 8 MB | VGA | optional | Tower | Template:Date table sorting | |
| 65 SX | 8565-321 | Intel 386SX | 16 | MCA, 16-bit | 8 | 4 | one 1.44 MB | 320 MB (SCSI) | 2 MB | 8 MB | VGA | optional | Tower | Template:Date table sorting |