Dell Computer Announces Three New Personal Computer Systems

Dell System 100, Dell System 220, Dell System 310

Austin, Texas -- April 18, 1988 -- PRNewswire -- Combining innovation with technology, Dell Computer Corporation today announced the addition of three new personal computer systems to its Dell product line: Dell System 100, Dell System 220 and Dell System 310. The System 220, running at a processor speed of 20 MHz, is the most powerful 80286-based personal computer in the marketplace. The system 310 is the fastest 20MHz 80386-based personal computer available. The System 310 will begin shipping immediately; the System 100 and System 220 will begin shipping in May.

Innovation Leader

According to Michael S. Dell, the company's chairman and chief executive officer, the tradition of technology leadership continues with today's announcement.

"Today's product announcement reaffirms our commitment to be at the forefront of innovation and price/performance with the introduction of the fastest 80286-based personal computer and the fastest 20 MHz 80386-based personal computer, the System 310."

System 310 Offers Better Performance Than IBM and Compaq

The Dell System 310 is the most advanced and best price/performing 20 MHz 80386-based personal computer in the marketplace. It combines a high-speed microprocessor with 32-bit architecture and the advanced Intel 82385 cache memory controller to deliver a personal computer system that provides performance up to 40 percent faster than a 16 MHz 80386-based personal computer. Support for a 20 MHz 80387 coprocessor for faster processing of numeric applications is provided.

The System 310 has been tested on accepted standard benchmark programs and consistently delivered a higher system performance rating when compared to performance ratings of the 20 MHz IBM Personal System/2 Model 80 and the COMPAQ DESKPRO 386/20(TM).

The System 310 can be configured with high performance 40, 90, 150 or 322 megabyte hard disk drives; monochrome, EGA, VGA Monochrome, VGA Color or VGA Color Plus monitors; and 3.5-inch or 5.25-inch diskette drives.

Other standard features include eight expansion slots; two serial ports and one parallel port; an enhanced 101-key keyboard; and a 200-watt power supply.

As an introductory offer, Microsoft's Windows/386, a software program for the multitasking environment, will be included in the purchase price of the System 310.

The range of prices for the System 310 begins at $3,599 for a monochrome monitor/40 MB hard disk drive configuration to $7,399 for a VGA color plus monitor/322 MB hard disk drive system.

"Our office, engineering, scientific and software development customers demand a system that provides the highest performance possible while maintaining compatibility with the industry standard," said Kent Roberts, vice president of product marketing.

"If you take the standard features and supported options we offer on the System 310 and compare them to our competitors' products, you will find that our prices are up to 50 percent less. That's why our customers consider us the price/performance leader in the PC industry."

Fastest 286 Now Available

The AT(R)-compatible System 220, with an attractive new low profile design, has a processor speed of 20 MHz, establishing it as the highest performance 80286-based PC available.

The benchmark tests performed on the System 220 indicate that it runs twice as fast as the IBM Personal System/2(R) Model 60 at 40 percent of the cost. The tests also demonstrated that the 80286-based System 220 runs MS OS/2(R) as fast as the 80386-based IBM Personal System/2 Model 80 and the COMPAQ DESKPRO 386/20.

The Dell System 220 shatters the myth that the bigger the box, the better the system. "We've packed the performance of the 20 MHz 386-based IBM Personal System/2 Model 80 into a system that is smaller and priced lower than the 8086-based IBM Personal System/2 Model 30," said Roberts.

The technological advances include the integration of a VGA adapter, diskette drive controller, one parallel and two serial ports, and a high-performance hard disk interface, and up to 8 MB of memory on the system board.

Additional standard features on the 20 MHz System 220 include 1 MB RAM expandable to 8 MB RAM on the system board; an enhanced 101-key keyboard; 3.5-inch 1.44 MB floppy drive; one parallel port and two serial ports; and three full size expansion slots (16-bit). Integration of these adapters and controllers leaves all three slots open for user expansion. In a comparably configured 80286-based system, typically fewer than three slots would be available for expansion.

The System 220 allows for up to 8 MB RAM on the system board, eliminating the need to use an expansion slot for more memory when running MS OS/2. Memory can be expanded to 16 MB.

The System 220 is available with 40 MB or 100 MB hard drive; VGA monochrome, VGA color or VGA color plus monitors; and one or two 3. 5-inch diskette drives. Prices begin at $1,799 for a VGA monochrome monitor with one diskette drive to $3,699 for a VGA color plus monitor/100 MB hard drive configuration. A 40 MB system with a VGA Color Plus monitor sells for $2,799, less than the list price of the 8086-based IBM PS/2 Model 30 with a 20 MB hard drive. A 12-month, optional on-site service contract is included in the purchase price of the System 220.

Sleek New Design on System 100

The System 100 is an 8088-based personal computer that is designed with a built-in, 84-key keyboard for home, school and business use.

The System 100, with a processing speed of 9.54 MHz, is available with monochrome, CGA color, VGA monochrome or VGA color monitors.

Standard features on the System 100 are 640 KB RAM; one 3.5-inch 720 KB diskette drive; 8087 math coprocessor support; one serial port and one parallel port; an integrated keyboard; two full-size expansion slots; one half-size expansion slot (used for a video controller); an internal speaker with earphone jack and volume control; and a security bracket for use in the education market.

The System 100 is available with a second 3.5-inch diskette drive and/or a 20 MB hard disk; and monochrome, CGA color, VGA monochrome or VGA color monitors. Three Software Packages Bundled With System 100

The System 100 includes Dell Enhanced MS-DOS(R) 3.3 and GW-BASIC; Microsoft(R) DOS Manager; and Microsoft Works, an integrated productivity program that includes word processing, database, spreadsheet and communications functions.

Prices for System 100 begins at $799 for a monochrome monitor/3. 5-inch 720 KB diskette drive configuration to $1,699 for a VGA color monitor/20 MS hard disk drive system. Dell Markets 3Com(TM) Products

In addition to today's hardware announcement, the company announced that it has signed an agreement with 3Com Corporation to market its 3+(TM) family of products. Dell and 3Com will provide a highly efficient, cost-effective solution for local area networking.

Dell will offer diskless System 100 and System 220 computers for networking environments. Both systems will also include an EtherLink II(TM) adapter that enables the systems to boot from a 3+ network without a disk drive.

"We will focus on selling 3Com's Ethernet (TM) and Token Ring products to corporate customers and value-added resellers," said Roberts. "As a matter of convenience to our customers, we will install the network adapter and software during the manufacturing process so the PC is ready for networking applications when it is received by the customer.

Prices for the network-ready diskless System 100 with a monitor and an EtherLink II network adapter begin at $1,199; prices for the diskless System 220 with a VGA monitor and the EtherLink II network adapter begin at $1,999.

"The array of products and configurations that we've introduced today emphasizes our undertaking to provide customers with the best personal computers available at a price that is significantly lower than our competitors," said Dell.

"We are in the business of selling complete solutions to different size and type businesses. Today's announcement underscores that commitment."

The companies of Dell Computer Corporation design, develop, manufacture, market, service and support Dell personal computers. The companies also sell a complete line of personal computer products, including software, printers, monitors, peripherals and accessories.

NOTE:

Microsoft, MS-DOS and MS OS/2 are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

IBM, AT and Personal System/2 are registered trademarks of IBM Corporation.

COMPAQ DESKPRO 386/20 is a trademark of Compaq Computer Corporation.

3Com and 3+ are registered trademarks and EtherLink II is a trademark of 3Com Corporation.

Ethernet is a trademark of Xerox Corporation.

/CONTACT: Brian K. Fawkes of Dell Computer Corporation, 512-338-4400/