NEC Corp’s UK subsidiary, London-based NEC (UK) Ltd, has launched the PowerMate Image and PowerMate Express ranges of personal computers, and the Silentwriter S62P laser printer. The two new personal computer lines, which were unveiled by the parent company at Comdex back in October, are shipping now. The PowerMate Image series is a range of upgradable systems based on Intel’s 80386SX and 80386 processors. The entry-level PowerMate SX/16i uses the 16MHz 80386SX, and is intended for use both as a stand-alone system and as part of a network. The SX20/vi is the 20MHz version, which is targeted at graphics-intensive Windows or entry-level computer-aided design applications. The range is completed by the PowerMate 33MHz 80386-based 386/33i system. The Express series, based on Intel’s 80486SX and 80486 CPUs, are again intended for use in graphics and design applications, or as upgradeable network file servers. The 20MHz 486SX/20e and 25MHz 486/25e include 8Kb cache memory, while the 33MHz i486/33e has 128Kb cache. All Express systems have a 128-bit dedicated memory bus with components for video control, IDE disk interface and memory expansion included on the motherboard. In addition, both ranges offer ImageVideo, a video bus that accelerates transmission between processor and video screen. The PowerMate Image series starts at UKP1,605, rising to UKP2,680 for the 386/33i, while the PowerMate Express series goes from UKP2,500 to UKP5,730. The new Silentwriter S62P laser printer offers Adobe PostScript Level 2, is Hewlett-Packard Co PCL5-compatible and features NEC’s Sharp Edge Technology, claimed to enhance resolution. It uses a six-page-per-minute Minolta engine, has two slots taking Hewlett-Packard font cartridges and the option of a second cassette. The machine’s three interfaces – parallel, RS-232 serial and AppleTalk, are personal computer and Macintosh-compatible. Also, the Automatic Interface Monitor enables the printer to accept, buffer and queue print jobs from the three interfaces simultaneously. It costs UKP1,800. All shipping now.
