IBM Corp yesterday duly demonstrated that it can be quick on its feet by, as long expected, introducing PS/2 models built around the new slimline version of Intel’s 80486 a day after the chip, the maths-disabled 80486SX, was announced. The company also demonstrated the PS/2 90 XP 486 running at 50MHz in anticipation of the forthcoming 50MHz version of the full 80486. The new machines are the 90 XP 486 SX and 95 XP 486 SX, either of which can be upgraded with the 20MHz 80487 to achieve full 80486 functionality. They come standard with 4Mb expandable to 32Mb on the system board and include the Micro Channel SCSI Adaptor. The 90s have 80Mb disk for $8,345, 160Mb disk for $8,945; 320Mb and 400Mb disks are also available. The 95s have 160Mb disk for $10,000, 400Mb disk for $12,700. An external SCSI Storage Enclosure for one 3.5 or 5.25 storage device costs $580 before you put a disk in it. Upgrading the machines to 25MHz 80486 is $2,745 from July, the 80487 upgrade chip is $1,345, a bit of a rip-off since Intel’s retail price is $800. All 25MHz and 33MHz 90s and 95s now have 8Mb of memory standard, up from 4Mb, at no extra charge, and there are new 400Mb disk models at $15,200 and $17,200 respectively. Memory on 20MHz Model 80s doubles to 4Mb at no extra charge. The only move in the AT bus arena was a new model of the PS/2 Model 30 286 with 45Mb disk. The PS/2 Model 50Z, the 65SX, the 70-E61, and P70 386-031 and -061 portables are withdrawn from marketing.
