Amstrad ANB386SX

The Amstrad ANB386SX was a compact 20 MHz 386SX notebook introduced in 1991. It used a backlit 640 × 480 monochrome VGA display, weighed about 3.2kg and provided roughly three hours of battery operation.

The original 40MB model included 1MB of RAM expandable to 5MB, while a lower-cost 20MB version was also offered. Its full-size keyboard and external monitor, keyboard and mouse support made it suitable for mobile business use.

Notable Features

• 20 MHz 80386SX processor and backlit 640 × 480 monochrome VGA display.
• 1MB RAM expandable to 5MB; some 40MB models were supplied with 2MB.
• Approximately three hours of battery operation.

Historical Significance

• Amstrad’s first notebook-format PC and a substantially smaller companion to the ALT laptops.
• Combined desktop connectivity with a portable 3.2kg enclosure.

Collectors Notes

• Battery rebuilding and hard-disk replacement are common restoration needs.
• The proprietary memory cards and original power supply are desirable accessories.

Specifications

Technical Information
Name	Amstrad ANB386SX
Manufacturer	Amstrad
Launched	Wednesday, January 9, 1991
Discontinued	Early 1990s
Launch Price	Approximately £1,999 at announcement; later listed around £1,699
Country	United Kingdom
CPU	Intel 80386SX at 20 MHz
Units Sold
Form Factor	Notebook computer
Input	Built-in keyboard; external mouse supported
Operating System	MS-DOS
Battery Life	Approximately three hours
Ports	External VGA, PS/2-type keyboard and mouse interfaces
Keyboard	82-key keyboard with embedded numeric keypad
Storage	1.44MB 3.5-inch floppy drive; 20MB or 40MB hard disk
Display	Backlit 640 × 480 monochrome VGA LCD with 64 grey levels
RAM	1MB standard, expandable to 5MB; some 40MB models had 2MB
CPU Speed	20 MHz