Laptop Evolution
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
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Price: Weight |
1.9Mhz 16-64Kb 32-64Kb 200Kb Tape 5" $8975-$19,975 24Kg/55Lbs |
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1979 - HP 85
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CPU: RAM: HD/ROM: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
0.6Mhz 8-64Kb 200Kb Tape 200Kb Tape 5" $3250 8kg/20 lbs |
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1981 - Osbourne 1, world's first detachable keyboard?
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
4Mhz 64Kb 2 x 5.25" FDD, 91Kb each 5" $1,795, e3201 11kg or 24lbs |
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1982 - Epson HX-20
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
0.614MHz 16-32Kb Tape Tape 3" x 2" approx. $795 1.7Kg or 3.5lbs |
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1982 - Compaq Portable 1
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
4.77MHz 128-640Kb 2 x 5.25" FDD, 320Kb each 9" $3590 28 lbs |
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1983 - RadioShack Tandy TRS 80
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
2.45MHz 64-128Kbk micro tape micro tape 3" x 9" approx. $995 2Kg or 4lbs |
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1983 - Epson PX8, world's first folding screen?
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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 |
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1983 - Gavilan SC, world's first PC sold as a Laptop with a touchpad like device just above the keyboard
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
5MHz 32-48Kb 38Kb 3" Micro FDD 2" x 7" approx. $4000 4kg |
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1984 - IBM Portable 5155
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
4.77 MHz 256-640Kb 2 x 5.25" FDD, 320Kb each 9" amber $4225 30 lbs |
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1984 - Tandy 200
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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 |
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1985 - Toshiba T-1100
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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 |
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1986 - IBM Convertible 5140
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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 |
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1986 - Toshiba T3100
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
4.77MHz 640Kb - 2.4Mb 10Mb 3.5" FDD, 720Kb 9.6" plasma $999 1.36 kg |
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1987 - Linus WriteTop, world's first stylus tablet PC
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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 |
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1987 - Compaq Portable 3
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
6-8Mhz MHz 256-640Kbkb 10-20Mb 1 x 5.25 FDD 9" $3499-$4999 26lbs |
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1988 - Compaq SLT 286
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
12MHz 640Kb 20-40Kb 3.5" FDD 10" LCD $5820 ? kg |
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1989 - Macintosh Portable M5120, world's first laptop with a trackball?
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
16MHz 640kb 1-9Mb 3.5" FDD 1.4Mb 10" LCD $7300 16lbs |
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1989 - DynaBook J3100SS, world's first A4 Laptop
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
10MHz 1.5Mb 20Mb Ext. FDD 16 x 40 LCD $? 2.7Kg |
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1989 - Atari Stacy
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
8MHz 1-4Mb opt. int HD 1 x 3.5" FDD 9" LCD $1995 7kg or 15lbs |
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1989 - NEC PC-9801LX5C, world's first color screen for laptops?
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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 |
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1989 - Epson PC-286NOTE
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
10MHz 10-20Mb ? Ext. floppy 8" approx. LCD $? 2.2kg |
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1989 - Zenith Minisport
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize Cost: Weight: |
4.77MHz 1Mb 384Kb 2 x 3.5" FDD 8" $? ? |
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1989 - Atari ST book
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
8MHz 256Kb 1-4Mb ext. FDD 8" approx. $? 4lbs |
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1991 - Elektronika, First Russian Laptop
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
4.77MHz 1mb ? ? 7" x 4" $6,000 10 lbs |
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1992 - First IBM ThinkPad, world's first Laptop with track point?
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
25MHz 120Mb 4Mb ext. FDD 10.4" $4,350 3Kg or 6.5lb |
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1993 - Canon NoteJet (built in bubble jet printer)
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
25MHz 85-180Mb 4-12Mb 3.5" FDD 9.5" $2,499-$2,999 7.7 lbs |
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1994 - Apple Powerbook 500, world's first touchpad laptop
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
25MHz 4-36Mb 160 or 240Gb 3.5" FDD 9.5" $1215 6.3 lbs |
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1995 - IBM Thinkpad 701 Trackwrite with Butterfly Folding Keyboard
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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 |
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1999 - Apple iBook G3
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
300MHz 32-64Mb 3.2-6Gb CDROM 12.1" TFT $1599 6.7lbs or 3Kg |
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2001 - IBM Transnote with handwriting input
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
600MHz PIII 64-320Mb 10GB - 10.4" $3,099 2.5Kg or 5.5lbs |
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2002 - HP COMPAQ TC1000
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
1.2GHz 256Mb-2Gb 40-60GB ext. drives 10.4" $1150 1.4Kg or 3.1Lbs |
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2004 - Sony Vaio X505, world's thinnest Laptop, less than 1cm, 9.7mm thick?
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
1GHz 512Mb 20Mb Combo 12.1" £1701 835gms |
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2004 - Apple Power Book G4
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
1GHz 256Mb-1.25Gb 30Mb Combo 12.1" $? ? |
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2005 - Data Evolution Clio NXT, did not make it to production
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
400MHz ? ? ? 9.4" $999? 3lbs |
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2005 - One Laptop Per Child, world's cheapest
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
433MHz 256Mb 1Gb - 7.5 $100-188 1.45Kg |
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2005 - Orca FX2, world's most powerful laptop (4.8+Ghz, 512Gb DDR3 video card)
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
2.6Ghz (4.8+) 512Mb-1Gb DDR2 120Gb combo 7.5 $2499 11.3lbs |
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2005 - Samsung M70, detachable keyboards still back in fashion?
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
2.0GHz 512Mb-1Gb 60-100Gb Combo 19" £2073 4.4kg |
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2006 - Acer C300
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
1.5GHz 512Mb-1Gb 60Gb combo 14.1" $2000 6.5lbs |
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2006 - Vaio UX - world's Smallest Laptop?
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
1.2GHz 512Mb 32Gb - 4.5" $1800-$2000 1.2Kg |
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2006 - Acer 9800, world's first 20.1" laptop screen?
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
2.0GHz 1Gb DDR2 240Gb Combo 20.1" £1420 7.8kg |
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2007 - Toshiba R500, world's lightest laptop?
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CPU: RAM: HD: Drive: Screensize: Cost: Weight: |
1.3GHz 1Gb DDR2 120Gb Combo 12.1" $2189 779gms or 1.72lbs |
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