Zenith SupersPort
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer hardware |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Headquarters | St. Joseph , United States |
Key people | Andy Czernek (project lead), John Frank (company president), Howard Fullmer (designer), Russ Niedzielski (designer) |
| Products | SupersPort series laptops |
The SupersPort series consists of PC-compatible laptop computers developed by Zenith Data Systems, available from 1988 through 1993. Early editions were equipped with either an Intel 80286 processor running at 12 MHz or an Intel 8088 processor operating at switchable speeds of 8 or 4.77 MHz. Subsequent releases incorporated processors such as the Intel 80386SX, Intel 80486SX, and Intel 80486. During the late 1980s, the SupersPort 286 stood out as one of the best-selling portable computers, although Zenith's share in the laptop market diminished by the early 1990s.
Development and release
On April 19, 1988, Zenith Data Systems introduced the SupersPort lineup alongside the TurbosPort 386 luggable, both marketed under the Road Warrior brand targeting battery-operated portable devices. The initiative was spearheaded by Andy Czernek and John Frank, who served as vice president of marketing and company president respectively, with design contributions from Howard Fullmer and Russ Niedzielski. Manufacturing occurred at Zenith’s St. Joseph facility in Michigan, notable for being a unionized plant represented by the United Steelworkers.
Replacing the Z-180 laptop series, the initial SupersPort models featured enhanced electroluminescent backlit super-twisted nematic LCD screens offering double the vertical resolution (640×400 pixels) along with brighter backlighting. Both the 8088-based SupersPort and the SupersPort 286 incorporated more energy-efficient electronics within a compact and lightweight chassis. While the SupersPort equipped with an 8088 CPU was primarily aimed at university students, the higher-end SupersPort 286—powered by a no-wait-state Intel 80286 running at 12 MHz—targeted business users. Zenith promoted it as the fastest battery-operated 286 laptop available upon release.
Each model was offered in two configurations: Model 2 included dual 720 KB floppy disk drives and 640 KB of RAM; Model 20 replaced one floppy drive with a 20 MB hard disk. The SupersPort 286 Model 20 featured a high-density 1.44 MB floppy drive alongside a 20 MB hard drive, whereas Model 40 upgraded to a larger 40 MB hard drive, both standardizing on 1 MB RAM. The Model 20 version of the 80C88 SupersPort weighed around , while the SupersPort 286 Model 20 tipped the scales slightly above .
The TurbosPort and original SupersPort units were released in April 1988, followed by the SupersPort 286 in May after receiving FCC certification. Early in 1989, Zenith’s Heath division offered a kit form of the SupersPort 286 priced at $3,678, compared to $4,999 for fully assembled models.
Sales
Although Zenith did not publicly disclose precise sales data, reports indicate approximately 173,910 SupersPorts were sold by the close of 1988, accounting for roughly 25.5 percent of the total 682,000 laptops sold that year.
In May of that year, Zenith secured a lucrative contract to supply laptops for Harvard Business School’s Master’s program, endorsing the SupersPort 286 for incoming students. With an enrollment of about 800 students, Zenith anticipated sales near 640 units through this agreement—a victory over IBM and four other competitors. Later that month, Zenith entered an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partnership with Hewlett-Packard to rebrand the SupersPort 286 under HP’s Vectra product line. HP acknowledged their own laptops had limited market success and regarded Zenith’s model as superior in features and performance. The HP-branded Vectra LS/12 debuted in January 1989, by which time the SupersPort 286 ranked among the top-selling laptops available.
Reception
Sherwin Levinson from InfoWorld recognized the SupersPort 286 as a promising contender for setting a new benchmark in portable computing, emphasizing its performance, compactness, weight, and battery endurance. While he encountered some early software compatibility challenges, he considered them resolvable. Levinson also suggested opting for the numeric keypad accessory due to the somewhat tight keyboard layout.
Jerry Pournelle of Byte valued the laptop’s processing capabilities but regarded its weight as excessive for frequent business meetings. In a comprehensive review, Byte praised the SupersPort 286 for delivering desktop-class computing power in a mobile package, featuring a clear display and reliable keyboard. However, the combined weight of the battery and power supply was notable, and its length rendered it impractical for use on airplane tray tables, though it remained convenient for travel.
Allan S. Papkin from United Press International described the SupersPort 286 as "one of the top laptops," acknowledging that while it was neither the most lightweight nor the most affordable option, its benefits made it worthy of serious consideration. Bill Howard of PC Magazine referred to the model as "still capable" a year post-launch, commending its screen quality and keyboard comfort but criticizing the bulky design of its battery compartment.
Nora Georgas, also writing for PC Magazine, reviewed the 8088 SupersPort as an effective entry-level laptop with a superior screen and keyboard compared to Toshiba’s T1000, albeit at a higher price point. By October 1989, Alfred Poor observed that this model was becoming outdated in terms of speed and overall usability; he lauded its backlit display and decent battery life but pointed out that the battery mounting design impeded access to peripherals without removing the battery.
Later models
- SupersPort 286e (October 1989) – Maintained the zero wait state 12 MHz 80286 CPU from the original SupersPort 286 while upgrading to a backlit supertwist LCD with 640×480 resolution supporting VGA modes; available with either 20 or 40 MB hard drives.
- SupersPort SX (October 1989) – Incorporated a 16 MHz 80386SX processor; featured a supertwist backlit VGA LCD; came standard with 1 MB RAM expandable up to 8 MB; offered hard drive options of 40 or 100 MB. Notably, it was the first laptop powered by battery to include a 386SX CPU.
- SupersPort 486 (fall 1991) – Equipped with a 25 MHz 80486 processor; included a supertwist backlit VGA LCD; standard memory was 4 MB, upgradeable to 16 MB; came with a standard 120 MB hard drive. It ranked among the earliest battery-operated laptops utilizing a 486 processor.
- SupersPort 486SX (fall 1991) – Featured a 20 MHz 80486SX CPU; housed a supertwist backlit VGA LCD; shipped with 4 MB RAM expandable to 16 MB; included a standard 120 MB hard drive. Like the SupersPort 486, it was one of the first portable computers powered by battery to use a CPU based on the 486 architecture.