Laptop Evolution

AddThis Social Bookmark Button

In the Beginning.....


It all started with the portable PC, in the 70s to early 80's, as long as it was 'luggable' or the size of a sewing machine, that was as good as it got, the alternative being fridge size mainframes. Although technically, some of these earlier 'luggable's' weren't Laptops, that's where it all began, the evolution of mobile computing. This is not a fully comprehensive list of EVERY laptop ever made, instead, it charts the evolution of laptops with respect to Design, Shapes, Weight and Specifications of typical components such as CPU, RAM, HD, Screen Size and Price at the time of launch.

This is not a laptop or old computer museum, but more of a hall of fame for laptop firsts and laptops with notable features and design variations, some of which have remained the same until today while others never even made it to market. It's an attempt to chart trends, what works, and what doesn't, in the world of laptops. It's not complete, some data maybe missing or inaccurate, if you spot anything that you think needs adding or amending please email mail@zigear.com.

1975 - IBM 5100, World's Heaviest

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Price:
Weight
1.9Mhz
16-64Kb
32-64Kb
200Kb Tape
5"
$8975-$19,975
24Kg/55Lbs

1979 - HP 85

CPU:
RAM:
HD/ROM:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
0.6Mhz
8-64Kb
200Kb Tape
200Kb Tape
5"
$3250
8kg/20 lbs

1981 - Osbourne 1, world's first detachable keyboard?

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
4Mhz
64Kb
2 x 5.25" FDD,
91Kb each
5"
$1,795, e3201
11kg or 24lbs

1982 - Epson HX-20

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
0.614MHz
16-32Kb
Tape
Tape
3" x 2" approx.
$795
1.7Kg or 3.5lbs

1982 - Compaq Portable 1

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
4.77MHz
128-640Kb
2 x 5.25" FDD,
320Kb each
9"
$3590
28 lbs

1983 - RadioShack Tandy TRS 80

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
2.45MHz
64-128Kbk
micro tape
micro tape
3" x 9" approx.
$995
2Kg or 4lbs

1983 - Epson PX8, world's first folding screen?

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:

Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
2-4 MHz
64kb
8-32Kb
Micro Cassette
Micro Cassette
2" x 6" approx.
$995.00
2.3kg

1983 - Gavilan SC, world's first PC sold as a Laptop with a touchpad like device just above the keyboard

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
5MHz
32-48Kb
38Kb
3" Micro FDD
2" x 7" approx.
$4000
4kg

1984 - IBM Portable 5155

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
4.77 MHz
256-640Kb
2 x 5.25" FDD,
320Kb each
9" amber
$4225
30 lbs

1984 - Tandy 200

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
2.4 MHz
24-72Kb
Audio Cassette
Audio Cassette
4" x 7" LCD
$999
1.36kg or 4lbs

1985 - Toshiba T-1100

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
4.77MHz
512Kb
1 x 3.5" FDD,
720Kb
9.1" x 4.7" LCD
$4,000
9 lbs

1986 - IBM Convertible 5140

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
4.77MHz
256-512Kb
2 x 3.5 FDD,
720Kb each
5" X 7" approx.
$1,995
5.5kg or 12lbs

1986 - Toshiba T3100

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
4.77MHz
640Kb - 2.4Mb
10Mb
3.5" FDD, 720Kb
9.6" plasma
$999
1.36 kg

1987 - Linus WriteTop, world's first stylus tablet PC

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
7.16MHz
640Kb
3.5" FDD 720Kb
3.5" FDD 720Kb
5" x 7" approx.
$2,795
4Kg or 9lbs

1987 - Compaq Portable 3

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
6-8Mhz MHz
256-640Kbkb
10-20Mb
1 x 5.25 FDD
9"
$3499-$4999
26lbs

1988 - Compaq SLT 286

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
12MHz
640Kb
20-40Kb
3.5" FDD
10" LCD
$5820
? kg

1989 - Macintosh Portable M5120, world's first laptop with a trackball?

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
16MHz
640kb
1-9Mb
3.5" FDD 1.4Mb
10" LCD
$7300
16lbs

1989 - DynaBook J3100SS, world's first A4 Laptop

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
10MHz
1.5Mb
20Mb
Ext. FDD
16 x 40 LCD
$?
2.7Kg

1989 - Atari Stacy

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
8MHz
1-4Mb
opt. int HD
1 x 3.5" FDD
9" LCD
$1995
7kg or 15lbs

1989 - NEC PC-9801LX5C, world's first color screen for laptops?

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
20MHz
1.6-14.6Mbb
40Mb
2 x 3.5" FDD
8" LCD
548-758,000 Yen
? kg

1989 - Epson PC-286NOTE

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
10MHz
10-20Mb
?
Ext. floppy
8" approx. LCD
$?
2.2kg

1989 - Zenith Minisport

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive: Screensize
Cost:
Weight:
4.77MHz
1Mb
384Kb
2 x 3.5" FDD
8"
$?
?

1989 - Atari ST book

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive: Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
8MHz
256Kb
1-4Mb
ext. FDD
8" approx.
$?
4lbs

1991 - Elektronika, First Russian Laptop

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive: Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
4.77MHz
1mb
?
?
7" x 4"
$6,000
10 lbs

1992 - First IBM ThinkPad, world's first Laptop with track point?

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
25MHz
120Mb
4Mb
ext. FDD
10.4"
$4,350
3Kg or 6.5lb

1993 - Canon NoteJet (built in bubble jet printer)

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive: Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
25MHz
85-180Mb
4-12Mb
3.5" FDD
9.5"
$2,499-$2,999
7.7 lbs

1994 - Apple Powerbook 500, world's first touchpad laptop

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive: Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
25MHz
4-36Mb
160 or 240Gb
3.5" FDD
9.5"
$1215
6.3 lbs

1995 - IBM Thinkpad 701 Trackwrite with Butterfly Folding Keyboard

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive: Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
75Mhz
720Mb
16-40Mb
ext. 3.5" FDD
8"
$3,799 - $5,649
2.2Kg or 4.5lbs

1999 - Apple iBook G3

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
300MHz
32-64Mb
3.2-6Gb
CDROM
12.1" TFT
$1599
6.7lbs or 3Kg

2001 - IBM Transnote with handwriting input

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
600MHz PIII
64-320Mb
10GB
-
10.4"
$3,099
2.5Kg or 5.5lbs

2002 - HP COMPAQ TC1000

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
1.2GHz
256Mb-2Gb
40-60GB
ext. drives
10.4"
$1150
1.4Kg or 3.1Lbs

2004 - Sony Vaio X505, world's thinnest Laptop, less than 1cm, 9.7mm thick?

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
1GHz
512Mb
20Mb
Combo
12.1"
£1701
835gms

2004 - Apple Power Book G4

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
1GHz
256Mb-1.25Gb
30Mb
Combo
12.1"
$?
?

2005 - Data Evolution Clio NXT, did not make it to production

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
400MHz
?
?
?
9.4"
$999?
3lbs

2005 - One Laptop Per Child, world's cheapest

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
433MHz
256Mb
1Gb
-
7.5
$100-188
1.45Kg

2005 - Orca FX2, world's most powerful laptop (4.8+Ghz, 512Gb DDR3 video card)

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
2.6Ghz (4.8+)
512Mb-1Gb DDR2
120Gb
combo
7.5
$2499
11.3lbs

2005 - Samsung M70, detachable keyboards still back in fashion?

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
2.0GHz
512Mb-1Gb
60-100Gb
Combo
19"
£2073
4.4kg

2006 - Acer C300

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
1.5GHz
512Mb-1Gb
60Gb
combo
14.1"
$2000
6.5lbs

2006 - Vaio UX - world's Smallest Laptop?

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
1.2GHz
512Mb
32Gb
-
4.5"
$1800-$2000
1.2Kg

2006 - Acer 9800, world's first 20.1" laptop screen?

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
2.0GHz
1Gb DDR2
240Gb
Combo
20.1"
£1420
7.8kg

2007 - Toshiba R500, world's lightest laptop?

CPU:
RAM:
HD:
Drive:
Screensize:
Cost:
Weight:
1.3GHz
1Gb DDR2
120Gb
Combo
12.1"
$2189
779gms or 1.72lbs
Home