Amstrad PC7286
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| PC7000-series system pictured in PC Review with its news of the PC7286 Family Pack, November 1992 | |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Amstrad plc |
| Type | Desktop personal computer |
| Released | 1992 |
| Intro price | £799.99 including VAT (Family Pack, 1992) |
| CPU | Intel 80286 at 16 MHz |
| Memory | 1 MB |
| Storage | 40 MB hard disc; 3.5-inch 1.44 MB floppy drive |
| Display | — |
| Sound | Internal speaker; AdLib-compatible sound card in the Family Pack |
| Graphics | VGA |
| OS / Firmware | MS-DOS 5.0 with Amstrad Desktop |
The Amstrad PC7286 is the 286 model of Amstrad's PC7000 desktop range, sold from 1992 alongside the Amstrad PC7386SX. Amstrad's advert gives it a 16 MHz 80286, 1 MB of RAM, a fast-access 40 MB hard disc, VGA graphics and a 3.5-inch 1.44 MB floppy drive, with a keyboard, a mouse, MS-DOS 5.0, the Amstrad Desktop front end and Lotus Works 3.0 pre-loaded.[1]
History
[edit | edit source]Amstrad advertised the PC7000 series in the autumn of 1992 as "the advanced PC for beginners", with a free 12-month home or office call-out warranty and a telephone hotline; the advert states that its prices were correct at 1 September 1992.[1]
In November 1992 Amstrad launched the PC7286 Family Pack at £799.99 including VAT, following its PC5286 and PC4386SX games bundles. PC Review listed the pack as a 16 MHz 286 with 1 MB of RAM, a high-density 3.5-inch floppy drive, a 40 MB fast-access hard disc, a 14-inch colour VGA monitor, a mouse, a joystick, an AdLib-compatible sound card and stereo speakers. The Amstrad Desktop, Lotus Works, DOS 5 and six games (Elite Plus, Steel Empire, Jimmy White's Whirlwind Snooker, Links, F-15 Strike Eagle II and Prince of Persia) came pre-installed, with a one-year on-site warranty.[2] Dealers were still selling the Family Pack in mid-1993, and an Italian price list of 1993 gives the PC 7286 with a 16 MHz 80286, 1 MB of RAM, a 1.44 MB floppy drive, a 40 MB hard disc and a 14-inch VGA colour monitor.[3][4] Wikipedia lists the PC7286, PC7386SX and PC7486SLC as the PC7000 series.[5]
Hardware and servicing
[edit | edit source]The Amstrad PC7386SX Service Manual covers the 386SX model only. Its main board (VSC386SXD) carries an 80386SX, so its schematics and capacitor values do not apply to the PC7286.[6]
- Memory: in 1993 a dealer sold the same 2 MB and 4 MB upgrade kits for the PC7286 and the PC7386SX.[3] Check what is fitted before buying.
- Drives: the floppy drive is a 3.5-inch 1.44 MB unit and the hard disc a 40 MB IDE drive.[1] See Hard Drive Maintenance and Repair and Floppy Drive Repair.
Related pages
[edit | edit source]- Amstrad PC7386SX · Amstrad PC9486 · Amstrad Mega PC
- Capacitor Failure Symptoms · Battery Explosion, Capacitor or Corrosion Damage
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Amstrad plc, advertisement "The advanced PC for beginners", PC Review issue 13, November 1992, p. 22. Scan at archive.org/details/pc-review-13. Retrieved 2026-10-02. PC 7286 and PC 7386SX specifications, pre-loaded software, 12-month warranty; RRPs correct at 1/9/92.
- ↑ "Amstrad makes it seven", news, PC Review issue 13, November 1992, p. 24. Scan at archive.org/details/pc-review-13. Retrieved 2026-10-02. PC7286 Family Pack contents, £799.99 including VAT, warranty.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Practical PC vol. 2 issue 6, June 1993, dealer advertisements: "PC7286 Family Pack", 16 MHz 286, 1 MB RAM, 40 MB hard disc; memory upgrade kits for the "PC7286, 7386" in 2 MB and 4 MB sizes. Scan at archive.org. Retrieved 2026-10-02.
- ↑ MC microcomputer no. 126, 1993, price list: "PC 7286 - 80286 16MHz RAM 1M FD 1.44 HD 40M VGA 14" color". Scan at archive.org/details/MC_microcomputer-126. Retrieved 2026-10-02.
- ↑ Wikipedia, "Amstrad", section "PC compatibles". Retrieved 2026-10-02.
- ↑ Amstrad plc, PC7386SX Personal Colour Computer Service Manual, first published October 1992. Hosted as File:Amstrad PC7386SX Service Manual.pdf. Technical specification p. 2; electrical parts list p. 19 (U13 80386SX-25).