Atari PC3
| Atari PC3 | |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Atari Corporation |
| Type | IBM PC Compatible |
| Released | 1988 |
| Discontinued | 1990 |
| CPU | Intel 8088-2 @ 8 MHz (switchable to 4.77 MHz) |
| Memory | 640 KB RAM |
| Storage | 2× 5.25" 360 KB floppy drives or 1× floppy + 30 MB Seagate ST-238R HDD; optional 3.5" 720 KB floppy |
| Display | Onboard EGA graphics (NSI Logic EVC315-S or STMicroelectronics EGA, depending on board revision) |
| Sound | PC Speaker |
| OS / Firmware | MS-DOS 3.21, GW-BASIC 3.2 |
| Predecessor | Atari PC2 |
| Successor | Atari PC4 |
The Atari PC3 was an IBM PC-compatible computer manufactured by Atari Corporation, released in 1988. It was essentially an enhanced version of the Atari PC2, shipping with a full 640 KB of RAM and typically bundled with a 30 MB hard drive, making it a more complete out-of-the-box solution.
Overview
[edit | edit source]The PC3 continued the XT-class architecture of the PC1 and PC2, using the same Intel 8088-2 processor and the familiar Atari PC desktop case with five 8-bit ISA expansion slots. It represented the most fully-featured XT-class system in the Atari PC line, coming standard with 640 KB of RAM (the maximum for XT-class DOS systems) and a Seagate ST-238R 30 MB RLL hard drive.
Like its predecessors, the PC3 retained Atari-specific features including the Atari ST-compatible mouse port and external floppy drive port. Some later production runs featured updated components, including an STMicroelectronics EGA chipset in place of the earlier NSI Logic EVC315-S, and an optional 3.5" 720 KB floppy drive (Epson SMD-380) alongside or in place of the standard 5.25" drives.
Specifications
[edit | edit source]| Component | Details |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel 8088-2 or AMD equivalent (depending on board revision), switchable between 8 MHz and 4.77 MHz |
| Co-processor socket | Intel 8087 |
| RAM | 640 KB |
| Graphics | Onboard EGA controller — NSI Logic EVC315-S on early boards, STMicroelectronics EGA on later revisions. Supports EGA, CGA, and Hercules modes |
| Storage | 2× Chinon FZ-502 5.25" 360 KB floppy drives or 1× floppy + Seagate ST-238R 30 MB RLL hard drive; optional Epson SMD-380 3.5" 720 KB floppy drive |
| Hard drive controller | Adaptec ACB-2072 RLL controller |
| Expansion | 5× 8-bit ISA expansion slots |
| Ports | Mouse port (Atari ST compatible), external floppy drive port (Atari ST compatible), monitor port, RS-232 serial port, Centronics parallel port |
| Keyboard | Atari 83-key XT keyboard |
| Mouse | Atari PCM1 (relabelled Atari STM1) |
| Sound | PC Speaker |
Bundled Software
[edit | edit source]- Microsoft MS-DOS 3.21 (MS-DOS 3.3A on some later units)
- GW-BASIC 3.2
- Digital Research GEM Desktop EGA v2.2
- GEM Write v1.01D
- GEM Paint v2.0
Bundled Monitors
[edit | edit source]The PC3 was typically sold with the Atari PCM-124 12" EGA monochrome monitor, though later units were bundled with the Atari PCC 1415 14" colour EGA monitor.
Upgrades
[edit | edit source]Being an XT-era machine, upgrades were limited:
- Intel 8087 co-processor (socket provided on motherboard)
- NEC V20 CPU upgrade (requires desoldering the original 8088 processor, provides a modest performance improvement)
- ISA expansion cards via five available 8-bit slots
- Additional internal drives
See Also
[edit | edit source]External Links
[edit | edit source]