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 today), was the first 100% IBM-compatible computer clone, and the machine that effectively broke IBM’s monopoly on the tech market. While other early computer clones struggled to run popular software, Compaq famously spent $1 million on "clean-room reverse engineering" to copy IBM's core system code from scratch without violating any copyrights. This 28-pound "luggable" powerhouse squeezed a fast processor, a healthy amount of memory, and a sharp 9-inch green monitor into a suitcase-sized frame that could fit right under an airplane seat. Its unique video card was an industry first, capable of displaying both high-quality business text and gaming graphics on the exact same internal screen, proving to the corporate world that IBM was no longer the only game in town.

Donated by: Carmine C., Connecticut