 A Compaq Portable II with an aftermarket 3.5" floppy drive replacing the 5.25" floppy drive and cover over the drive it came with. | |
| Manufacturer | Compaq Computer Corporation, United States |
|---|---|
| Type | Portable computer |
| Release date | February 20, 1986[1] |
| Introductory price | US$3,499 (equivalent to $9,730 in 2023)[2] |
| Operating system | MS-DOS 3.1[2] |
| CPU | Intel 80286 @ 6 or 8MHz (dual-speed)[2] |
| Memory | 256 KB – 640 KB[2] |
| Storage | 360 KB 5.25" floppy drive optional 10MB hard drive |
| Display | 9" Monochrome monitor |
| Graphics | 720×350 (text mode), 640×200 (graphics mode) |
| Sound | PC speaker |
| Input | Serial mouse, 84-key keyboard, light pen[3] |
| Connectivity | CGA, composite, serial, parallel |
| Dimensions | 7.5" × 13.9" × 17.7" (19.1cm × 35.3cm × 45cm)[4] |
| Mass | 23.6 lbs (10.7 kg)[2] |
| Predecessor | Compaq Portable 286 |
| Successor | Compaq Portable III |
The Compaq Portable II is the fourth product in the Compaq Portable series to be brought out by Compaq Computer Corporation. Released in 1986 at a price of US$3499, the Portable II much improved upon its predecessor, the Compaq 286, which had been Compaq's version of the PC AT in the original Compaq Portable chassis;[5] Portable 286 came equipped with 6/8-MHz Intel 286 and a high-speed 20 MB hard drive, while the Portable II included an 8 MHz processor, and was lighter and smaller than the previous Compaq Portables. There were four models of the Compaq Portable II. The basic Model 1 shipped one 5.25" floppy drive and 256 KB of RAM.[3] The Model 2 added a second 5.25" floppy drive and sold for $3599.[3] The Model 3 shipped with a 10 MB hard disk in addition to one 5.25" floppy drive and 640 KB of RAM for $4799 at launch.[2][3] The Model 4 would upgrade the Model 3 with a 20 MB hard drive and sold for $4999.[3] There also may have been a 4.1 MB hard drive included at one point.[6] The Compaq Portable II was significantly lighter than its predecessors, the Model 1 weighed just 23.6 pounds compared to the 30.5 pounds the Compaq Portable 286 weighed.[3] Compaq only shipped the system with a small demo disk, MS-DOS 3.1 had to be purchased separately.[3]
There are at least two reported cases of improperly serviced computers exploding when the non-rechargeable lithium battery on the motherboard was connected to the power supply.[7] There were no recorded injuries. The Compaq Portable II was succeeded by the Compaq Portable III in 1987.
- ^ Longeway, Barbara (21 Feb 1986). "Compaq makes Fortune 500, offers new line". Houston Chronicle. pp. Business 1.
- ^ a b c d e f Lombardi, John (21 April 1986). InfoWorld. InfoWorld Media Group, Inc. pp. 58–59. ISSN 0199-6649. Retrieved 6 November 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g Miastkowski, Stan (October 1986). "The Compaq Portable II". Byte Magazine. pp. 239–241. Retrieved November 29, 2012.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
servwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Lombardi, John (1986-04-21). InfoWorld. InfoWorld Media Group, Inc.
- ^ CompaqVet (2006-10-18), "Portable 2 Compared to This Fish" - JOHN CLEESE Compaq Ad, archived from the original on 2021-12-21, retrieved 2018-10-22
- ^ Mercury News Wire Services (21 Dec 1986). "Exploding portables spur compaq to set up toll-free line". San Jose Mercury News. pp. 2F.