IBM PS/2 Note and PS/note

<h2 id="background">Background</h2>
<p>After the departure of Bob Lawten from IBM, the team at IBM had little development direction after the <a href="/facts/IBM_PS/2_L40_SX/dfcIDXA9">IBM PS/2 L40 SX</a>. James Cannavino pushed for the new <a href="/facts/Notebook_(laptop)/wnaDG46o">notebook</a> series, which fell behind schedule.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a> The N45 SL, N51 SX and N51 SLC were announced on the same day as the <a href="/facts/IBM_PS/2_CL57_SX/YERMM6Ru">IBM PS/2 (color laptop) CL57 SX</a>. During this time <a href="/facts/Laptop/3EFwTAb2">there was a distinction between notebooks and laptops</a>, where the former are A4 sized and the latter are larger. 
</p><p>The notebooks were modeled after the <a href="/facts/IBM_PS/55_Note/9E10E5rB">PS/55 Note</a> which was released by IBM in Japan in April 1991.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a>
</p>
<h2 id="models">Models</h2>
<table><tbody><tr><th colspan="6">PS/2 and PS/note laptop models</th></tr><tr><th></th><td></td><th>1991</th><th>1992</th><th>1993</th><th>1994</th></tr><tr><td>PS/2 note</td><td></td><td>N33 SX</td><td>N51 SX;N51 SLC</td><th colspan="2"></th></tr><tr><td colspan="6"></td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">PS/note</td><td rowspan="2"></td><th></th><td>182;E82;N82</td><td>425/425C</td><th></th></tr><tr><th></th><td>N45 SL</td><th colspan="2"></th></tr></tbody></table>
<h3>PS/2 note</h3>
<p>Mainstream line with 7-row layout only. 
</p>
<h4>N33 SX</h4>

<p>The  <i>PS/2 Model N33 SX</i> (also known as  <i>PS/2 note N33 SX</i>) was the first notebook-sized computer from IBM which was announced in 1991.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> This model was based on the AT-bus and had between 2 or 6MB RAM. It has a 9.5" 16-greyscale VGA LCD (640x480), a 1.44MB floppy, expansion ports and a 40MB or 80MB HDD, and weighs 5.5 lb (2.5 kg).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a>
</p>
<h4>N51 SX</h4>
<p>The <i>PS/2 Model N51 SX</i><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> (or <i>PS/2 Note N51 SX</i>) was a low-end mainstream notebook, which contained a slower version of the typical 386SX found in other notebooks. The N51 SX was delayed for months.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a>
</p>
<h4>N51 SLC</h4>
<p>The <i>PS/2 Model N51 SLC</i> (or <i>PS/2 Note N51 SLC</i>) was based on IBM their <a href="/facts/IBM_386SLC/3gPUhRmp">368SLC</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> This model has a <a href="/facts/IBM_PS/55_Note/9E10E5rB">PS/55 note</a> sibling.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a>
</p>
<h3>PS/note</h3>
<p>Entry-level line.
</p>
<h4>N45 SL</h4>
<p>The <i>PS/note N45 SL</i> was priced at $2,045 and contains a 25MHz <a href="/facts/80386SL/ag5eSgWv">386SL</a>. It had 2MB RAM and an 80<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> or 120MB HDD<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> and was equipped with only 6-row keyboard without dedicated navigation block, the similar layout as a low-end <a href="/facts/ThinkPad_300/dTzpFqpy">ThinkPad 300</a> laptop.
</p><p><a href="/facts/PCMag/uPNIj5y0"><i>PC Mag</i></a> considered the display a disappointment, but noted its good design and performance.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a>
</p><p>It was manufactured by <a href="/facts/Zenith_Data_Systems/06d2olCG">Zenith Data Systems</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a>
</p>
<h4>182/E82/N82</h4>
<p>The <i>PS/note 182</i> and <i>PS/note E82</i> was equipped with 80386SL CPU, <i>PS/note N82</i> was equipped with 80386SX and released in 1992. This line has a 7-row keyboard layout and similar to next-year PS/note 425 model case (but with gray case color and without <a href="/facts/Pointing_stick/UwSrCFcr">TrackPoint</a>).
</p>
<h4>Model 425/425C</h4>
<p>The <i>PS/note 425/425C</i> are identical to the <a href="/facts/IBM_ThinkPad_350/5uRYsQCD">ThinkPad 350/350C</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a>
</p>
<h2 id="accessories">Accessories</h2>
<ul><li>Communication cartridge</li>
<li>Communication cartridge II <a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a></li>
<li>External <a href="/facts/Floppy_disk_drive/rShxfuxa">floppy disk drive</a></li>
<li>External <a href="/facts/Numpad/S92eFIVP">numpad</a></li></ul>
<h2 id="discontinuation">Discontinuation</h2>
<p>In March 1994, it was reported that IBM would consolidate the PS/note series into the ThinkPad 300 series.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a> In 1994, the <a href="/facts/ThinkPad_360/TexpvXG0">ThinkPad 360</a> series was released.
</p>
<h2 id="timeline">Timeline</h2>
<table><tbody><tr><th>Timeline of the IBM Personal Computer <ul><li>v</li><li>t</li><li>e</li></ul></th></tr><tr><td></td></tr><tr><td>Asterisk (*) denotes a model released in Japan only</td></tr></tbody></table>

<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>
<ul><li><a href="https://thinkwiki.de/N33SX">Thinkwiki.de - N33SX</a></li>
<li><a href="https://thinkwiki.de/N45SL">Thinkwiki.de - N45SL</a></li>
<li><a href="https://thinkwiki.de/N51">Thinkwiki.de - N51</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.mars.dti.ne.jp/~ayase/tp/tp350c.htm">Comparison between PS/Note Model 425 and ThinkPad 350C</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>A., Dell, Deborah (2000). ThinkPad: a different shade of blue. Sams. p. 84. ISBN 0-672-31756-7. OCLC 781169669.{{cite book}}:  CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) <a href="0-672-31756-7" target="_blank">0-672-31756-7</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>Scannell, Ed (23 Dec 1991). "IBM readies 6 portables". InfoWorld. <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=FT0EAAAAMBAJ" target="_blank">https://books.google.com/books?id=FT0EAAAAMBAJ</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>"IBM PS/2 Note - Computer - Computing History". The Centre for Computing History. Retrieved 2021-04-20. <a href="http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/30500/IBM-PS-2-Note/" target="_blank">http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/30500/IBM-PS-2-Note/</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:4"><p>Name (1992-02-25). "IBM UK LAUNCHES COLOUR LAPTOP AS WELL AS NOTEBOOK". Tech Monitor. Retrieved 2021-04-18. <a href="https://techmonitor.ai/techonology/ibm_uk_launches_colour_laptop_as_well_as_notebook" target="_blank">https://techmonitor.ai/techonology/ibm_uk_launches_colour_laptop_as_well_as_notebook</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:5"><p>"Personal System/2 Models N51 SLC and N51 SX" (PDF). <a href="https://www.ardent-tool.com/docs/pdf/brochures/ibm-ps2-modeln51-slc&sx.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.ardent-tool.com/docs/pdf/brochures/ibm-ps2-modeln51-slc&sx.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:6"><p>Fitzgerald, Michael (1992-03-30). Going down in history. IDG Enterprise. p. 38. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help) <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=ioRslYZXVkAC" target="_blank">https://books.google.com/books?id=ioRslYZXVkAC</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:7"><p>Fitzgerald, Michael (1992-03-30). Going down in history. IDG Enterprise. p. 38. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help) <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=ioRslYZXVkAC" target="_blank">https://books.google.com/books?id=ioRslYZXVkAC</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:8"><p>"PS/55note N51SLC 8551-S08". www.mars.dti.ne.jp. Retrieved 2021-05-18. <a href="http://www.mars.dti.ne.jp/~ayase/tp/ps55n51slc.htm" target="_blank">http://www.mars.dti.ne.jp/~ayase/tp/ps55n51slc.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:9"><p>"IBM PS/note N45sl". PC Mag. Ziff Davis, Inc. 1992-12-22. <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=v9TVJ_G_sk8C" target="_blank">https://books.google.com/books?id=v9TVJ_G_sk8C</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:10"><p>"PS/note N45 SL" (PDF). <a href="https://www.ardent-tool.com/docs/pdf/brochures/ibm-ps-noten45sl.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.ardent-tool.com/docs/pdf/brochures/ibm-ps-noten45sl.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:11"><p>"IBM PS/note N45sl". PC Mag. Ziff Davis, Inc. 1992-12-22. <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=v9TVJ_G_sk8C" target="_blank">https://books.google.com/books?id=v9TVJ_G_sk8C</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:12"><p>"PS/2 Model N33 SX". Ardent Tool of Capitalism. Retrieved 2021-04-19. <a href="https://www.ardent-tool.com/8533/8533.html" target="_blank">https://www.ardent-tool.com/8533/8533.html</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:13"><p>Hardware Maintenance Manual Volume 1: Laptop, Notebook, Portable and ThinkPad Computers (PDF). p. 205. <a href="https://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc/pccbbs/bp_thinkpad/tpvol1.pdf" target="_blank">https://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc/pccbbs/bp_thinkpad/tpvol1.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:14"><p>"8551 - PS/Note N51". Archived from the original on 2020-08-14. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20200814105304/https://ardent-tool.com/8551/8551_Common_Devices.html#Communications_Cartridge_II" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20200814105304/https://ardent-tool.com/8551/8551_Common_Devices.html#Communications_Cartridge_II</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:15"><p>"IBM Personal System/2 Communications Cartridge II" (PDF). kev009.com. <a href="http://ps-2.kev009.com/basil.holloway/boo-to-pdf/S10G_4421_00.pdf" target="_blank">http://ps-2.kev009.com/basil.holloway/boo-to-pdf/S10G_4421_00.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:16"><p>Lee, Yvonne (21 March 1994). "IBM revamps line with four ThinkPads". InfoWorld. <a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=DTsEAAAAMBAJ" target="_blank">https://books.google.com/books?id=DTsEAAAAMBAJ</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
</ol>

IBM PS/2 Note and PS/note open-in-new

IBM PS/2 Note and PS/note