Atari PC3

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

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

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

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

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

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

External Links