Circuit Board By Microsoft

The New York Times

San Francisco -- Aug. 31, 1987 -- The Microsoft Corporation, based in Redmond, Wash., has introduced an integrated circuit board product, the Mach 20. The board allows older personal computers made by the International Business Machines Corporation or compatible machines to be upgraded to the performance level of the PC/AT.

At $495, the Mach 20 board replaces a computer's 8088 microprocessor with an Intel 80286 microprocessor, making the machine two to six times faster. For $395, the Memory Plus option increases memory, which allows the use of new graphics-oriented software, or a special version of the upcoming OS/2 operating system written for the Mach 20.

The Disk Plus option gives older computers compatibility with 3.5-inch flexible disks and will sell for $99. All Mach 20 products will be available by Sept. 21.

Copyright 1987 The New York Times Company