ThinkPad 360
| Company type | Product line |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer hardware |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Successor | IBM ThinkPad 365 series |
| Products | Laptops |
| Owner | IBM |
The IBM ThinkPad 360 series, introduced by IBM in 1994, formed part of the ThinkPad laptop range and was later replaced by the IBM ThinkPad 365 series toward the end of 1995.
History
On October 17, 1994, IBM launched the ThinkPad 360 CE and CSE variants, both powered by an Intel 486DX-2 processor clocked at 50 MHz. These models came with 4 MB of RAM, a 1.44 MB floppy disk drive, and hard drive capacities ranging between 250 and 810 MB. Operating systems included PC DOS 6.0 alongside Windows 3.1, complemented by pre-installed software packages. Battery endurance varied from approximately 2.9 to 3.2 hours, supported by Nickel-Metal Hydride batteries capable of recharging in about 1.5 hours. The CE model was equipped with an 8.4-inch TFT display, whereas the CSE featured a larger 9.5-inch DSTN screen. Pricing depended on configuration, spanning from $2,649 up to $4,199.
By December 21, 1995, IBM had ceased production of several models within this lineup, including the CS, C, P, CSE, and CE versions.
Features
The majority of ThinkPad 360 units were shipped with IBM PC DOS version 6.3 and Windows 3.1x, although select models such as the 360P and PE offered DOS 6.21 paired with PenDOS 2.2.
All devices were built around Intel 80486SX or 80486DX2 CPUs operating at speeds between 33 and 50 MHz and utilized WD90C24 graphics controllers with dedicated 1 MB video RAM. The base memory was fixed at 4 MB soldered onto the motherboard but could be expanded up to 20 MB through an IC DRAM Card slot situated beneath the floppy drive bay.
Hard disk options initially started at either 170 or 340 MB and later included a larger capacity of up to 540 MB. Each model incorporated a standard UltraBay housing a 1.44 MB floppy disk drive.
Distinctively, the 360P and 360PE models offered pen-enabled touchscreens that could be folded back to function as tablets, catering to mobile professionals requiring flexible input methods.
Models
IBM ThinkPad 360 — This early version featured an Intel 486SX processor running at 33 MHz and came with 4 MB RAM (expandable to a maximum of 20 MB via IC DRAM Card). It included a monochrome display measuring 9.5 inches and boasted battery life up to approximately ten hours. Storage choices consisted of either a 170 or a 340 MB hard disk alongside a standard 3.5-inch floppy drive with a capacity of 1.44 MB. Additional features included TrackPoint II navigation and multiple PCMCIA expansion slots.
IBM ThinkPad 360C — Released concurrently with the base model, this variant replaced the monochrome screen with an 8.5-inch TFT color display which reduced battery endurance to around five hours and increased weight by half a pound. It was configured with 8 MB RAM and a single hard drive option of 170 MB, carrying a price tag exceeding $4,399.
IBM ThinkPad 360CS — Closely resembling the 360C but equipped with a larger DSTN screen measuring 9.5 inches, this model offered slightly improved battery life ranging from seven to eight hours and added approximately one-tenth of a pound in weight.
IBM ThinkPad 360P — Priced at $3,399, this distinctive model introduced a pen-sensitive touch panel featuring pressure detection on a DSTN display sized at 9.5 inches with a resolution of 640×480 pixels. It operated using DOS version 6.21 in conjunction with PenDOS version 2.2 and provided roughly five hours of battery life. Key components included an Ultrabay floppy drive, TrackPoint II device, and several PCMCIA slots for expansion.
IBM ThinkPad 360PE — An enhanced iteration of the 360P model equipped with an Intel 486 DX2 processor running at 50 MHz, offering larger hard disk options up to 540 MB and integrated audio support through the CS4248 controller chip. This upgrade carried an additional cost of $300, retailing at $3,699.
IBM ThinkPad 360CE — Among the final releases in the series, this model featured an Intel 486 DX2 CPU clocked at 50 MHz along with an 8.4-inch TFT display boasting a resolution of 640×480 pixels and hard drives available up to a capacity of 540 MB. It also included Ultrabay floppy drive support, TrackPoint II navigation hardware, and PCMCIA expansion slots.
IBM ThinkPad 360CSE — The concluding model in this lineup closely mirrored the specifications of the 360CE but substituted the TFT screen for a larger DSTN display measuring nine and a half inches.
Comparison
| Model | Launch
Date |
Discontinuation
Date |
Starting
Price |
Screen
Types |
Display
Resolution |
Processor | RAM | Graphics
Controller |
Sound
Controller |
Storage
Options |
Additional
Details | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DSTN | TFT | ||||||||||||||||
| 360 | May 1994 | May 1995 | $1,899 | 9.5"
Monochrome |
– | 640x480 | 80486SX - 33 MHz
8 KB cache |
4–20 MB
70 ns |
WD90C24A2
1 MB DRAM |
None | 170 MB | 340 MB | 1.44 MB FDD
NiMH Battery – 4.6 hr | ||||
| 360CS | Dec 21, 1995 | $2,349 | 9.5"
Color |
– | 1.44 MB FDD
NiMH Battery – 3 hr | ||||||||||||
| 360C | Jun 1994 | $2,229 | – | 8.4"
Color |
1.44 MB FDD
NiMH Battery - 3.5 hr | ||||||||||||
| 360P | $2,899 | 9.5"
Color |
– | 1.44 MB FDD
NiMH Battery - 3.3 hr Pen-enabled screen | |||||||||||||
| 360CSE | Oct 1994 | $2,399 | 9.5"
< small >Color </ small > |
< small >– </ small > | < small >80486DX2 </ small > < small >- 50 MHz </ small >
< small >25 MHz bus </ small > < small >8 KB cache </ small > |
WD90C24A/A2
< small >1 MB DRAM </ small > |
< small >170 MB </ small > | < small >340 MB </ small > | < small >540 MB </ small > | < small >1.44 MB FDD </ small >
NiMH Battery – 2.9 hr | |||||||
| 360CE | < small >$2,799 </ small > | < small >– </ small > | < small >8.4"</ small >
< small >Color </ small > |
< small >1.44 MB FDD </ small > NiMH Battery < small >- 3.2 hr </ small > |
- |
360PE |
< small >Apr 1995 </ small > |
< small >Jun 1996 </ small > |
< small >$3,699 </ small > |
< small >9.5 "</ small > < small >Color </ small > |
- |
< small >CS4248 </ small > |
< small >340 MB </ small > |
colspan = "2" |
< small >540 MB </ small > |
< small >1.44 MB FDD </ small > NiMH Battery – 2.5 hr Pen-enabled screen |
|