Acorn Business Computer ABC 300

The Acorn Business Computer ABC 300 was the dual-floppy member of a planned 80286-based office range. A BBC-derived host handled input and output while the Intel co-processor was intended to run Concurrent DOS applications.

The 80286 board was unique to the ABC project and did not become a retail BBC Micro second processor.

Notable Features

• The main processing arrangement was Rockwell 6512 at 2 MHz with Intel 80286 second processor.
• Its standard memory provision was 64KB host plus dedicated 80286 memory.
• The model’s storage arrangement was Two 5.25-inch floppy drives.

Historical Significance

• The 80286 board was unique to the ABC project and did not become a retail BBC Micro second processor.
• This entry represents a distinct processor, storage or enclosure design rather than a software bundle.

Collector’s Notes

• Surviving examples are scarce, and fitted boards, firmware and storage may differ from announced specifications.
• Original documentation, peripherals and prototype provenance are particularly important for specialist Acorn systems.

Specifications

Technical Information
Name	Acorn Business Computer ABC 300
Manufacturer	Acorn Computers
Launched	Sunday, January 1, 1984
Country	United Kingdom
CPU	Rockwell 6512 at 2 MHz with Intel 80286 second processor
Units Sold
Operating System	Digital Research Concurrent DOS
I/O	BBC interfaces, printer, serial, Econet option and Tube co-processor link
Keyboard	Separate business keyboard
Storage	Two 5.25-inch floppy drives
Sound	BBC-compatible programmable sound
Graphics	BBC Micro display hardware
Display	Integrated monochrome monitor
ROM	BBC B+ class MOS and co-processor firmware
RAM	64KB host plus dedicated 80286 memory
CPU Speed	2 MHz host; 80286 speed not confirmed