Compaq Portable (1983)

Compaq Portable I

🥇First 100% IBM-Compatible PC Clone 

The Compaq Portable, released in March 1983 for $2,995 (roughly $10,000 in 2026 dollars), was the first 100% IBM-compatible PC clone and the machine that effectively ended IBM’s monopoly on the personal computer market. While other "clones" struggled with software compatibility, Compaq famously spent $1 million on "clean-room reverse engineering" to rewrite the IBM BIOS from scratch without violating any copyrights. This 28-pound "luggable" was an engineering marvel, squeezing an Intel 8088 processor, 128KB of RAM, and a high-resolution 9-inch green phosphor monitor into a suitcase-sized chassis that could fit under an airplane seat. Its unique video card was a first, capable of displaying both high-quality MDA text and CGA graphics on the same internal screen. In 2026, the Compaq Portable is a legendary icon of early Silicon Valley, though collectors face a universal challenge: the "foam and foil" keyboard pads inside almost every unit have since disintegrated into a sticky residue, requiring a painstaking "pad replacement" surgery to make the keys functional once more.

Donated by: Carmine C., Connecticut