Zenith Data Systems, which is to add Bull SA’s Micro Channel-based personal computers to its product line under the agreement with its new parent which sees it taking on all of Bull’s Intel-based micro products and marketing, yesterday introduced its first personal computer based on the Extended Industry Standard Architecture bus: the 80386-based desktop computer has an advanced new disk subsystem so fast that it can outperform more expensive 80486-based file servers with ships next week; the company also announced 80486 and EISA upgrade paths for its Z-1000 multiprocessing architecture which will make it the fastest and most expandable microcomputer-based platform on the market, Zenith claims; it has filed patent applications for the design of its EISA Mass-Storage Controller, which allows for most hard disk operations to occur in under 1mS by virtue of the controller’s two on-board processors and 1Mb of cache memory, expandable to 4Mb; the Z-386-33E 150 with 150Mb hard disk is $12,000; a 320Mb version is $13,800; the 80486 and EISA for the Z-1000 is set for mid-year.
