Acorn Business Computer ABC 310

The Acorn Business Computer ABC 310 added a colour monitor and hard disc to the planned 80286 ABC 300 design. It was promoted as the flagship IBM-compatible member of Acorn’s modular office range.

Although reviewed in contemporary magazines, the ABC 310 did not progress into sustained commercial production.

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 One 5.25-inch floppy drive and 10MB hard disc.

Historical Significance

• Although reviewed in contemporary magazines, the ABC 310 did not progress into sustained commercial production.
• 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 310
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, hard-disc controller and Tube link
Keyboard	Separate business keyboard
Storage	One 5.25-inch floppy drive and 10MB hard disc
Sound	BBC-compatible programmable sound
Graphics	BBC Micro colour display hardware
Display	Integrated colour 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