If you are a lover of retro computers, this laptop made in China may appeal to you. We are talking about Book 8088a computer that combines old and new hardware to offer a computing experience similar to what you could find more than three decades ago, but today.
The protagonist of this article is based on the IBM PC 5150, a computer that we remember here in Xataka in 2021 for its 40th anniversary and whose relevance does not go unnoticed, since it was the first PC in history. That machine was equipped with the mythical Intel 8088 processor that worked at about 4.77 MHz.
Book 8088, the ultimate retro laptop
IBM’s move was a real success, but because the PC 5150 had a open architecture and the hardware giant had no patent rights, many other manufacturers began to release their own, usually cheaper versions, resulting in the rise of the so-called “IBM PC compatible.”
Xinrui Technology has wanted to recover that essence with the Book 8088. The laptop has a 7-inch 16-color LCD screen capable of offering a maximum resolution of 640 × 200 pixels thanks to its Motorola 6845 CGA display controller. At the sound level, if desired, it can be purchased with a Yamaha OPL3 chip.
As for the processor, the manufacturer has found a way to match the performance of the Intel 8088. For this, it has chosen to include NEC V20 chip from the 1980s that have pins compatible with the aforementioned Intel chip and, as expected, run at 4.77 MHz just like the old days.
At the memory level, users can enjoy 640 KB (kilobytes). If we talk about storage, the creators of this device have managed to incorporate a 512 MB CompactFlash card that serves as the system hard drive and interacts with the old hardware.
The device is the product of a combination of old components and modern components. On this last case, programmable logic devices which can simulate the functionality of other chips. We also find compatibility with 8-bit ISA expansion cards and USB storage devices.
The product description notes that the laptop is compatible with MS-DOS 6.22, Windows 3.0 and other older software. And, as we say, it is for sale on AliExpress. The price for this retro device is 200 dollars and the seller indicates at the time of writing this article that he has 16 units available.
Images: Xinrui Technology
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