Dell Computer Corp made a whole string of product announcements from its base in Austin, Texas yesterday, headlined by its entry into the notebook computer market and including new 80386 and 80486 desktops, and price cuts on existing models. The Dell Systems 212N and 320N use the 12MHz 80C286 and 20MHz 80386SX respectively and weigh 6.4 lbs including battery; they measure 8.5 by 11 by 2 thick. They include custom-designed, desktop-style keyboard with 101-key emulation; microprocessor -controlled power management system, and Continuous Power Battery System to prevent loss of power during systems operations – it keeps the thing going for two minutes while the battery is changed. The System 212N has 20Mb disk, the 320N a 30Mb disk, and both have 1Mb, 3.5 1.44Mb floppy and two slots for more memory and one for the Dell modem. A 40Mb disk is available for the 212N and a 60Mb for the 320N. The screen is 6.92 by 5.19 and supports 640 by 480 VGA resolution. Battery life is three to four hours between charges. The 212N is $2,400 and the 320N $3,400 and both arrive this quarter. The desktop machines are the 80386-based low-profile, small footprint 325P, 333P and 33MHz 80486-based 433P, each measuring 15.1 by 15.6 by 4. The 325P is $2,500 with 1Mb and 40Mb disk, the 325P is $2,900 in the same configuration; the 433P is $5,000 with 2Mb and 100Mb disk. All include floppy and VGA Color Plus monitor. The 80386 models can be field-upgraded to 33MHz 80486 at $2,400, and an optional 32Kb cache is $300. The company also announced three SCSI hard disk drives and Adaptec’s 1542-B host bus adapter for all its desktop systems except the 210 and 316SX. The 200Mb 3.5 disk is $900; a half-height 330Mb 5.25 drive is $1,500, a full-height 650Mb 5.25 disk is $2,500, and the 1542-B HBA is $300. And Dell cut prices across its full existing line by up to $900. The 316SX with 1Mb and 40Mb disk, floppy and mono monitor is off 5.4% at $1,750. The 33MHz 80486-based 433TE with 8Mb, 330MB disk, floppy and VGA Color Plus is off 8% at $10,300.
