Amstrad PC2386

Released in January 1989, the Amstrad PC2386 was the flagship of the PC2000 range. It used a full 32-bit Intel 80386 running at 20 MHz, supported by 4MB of parity RAM, a 64KB cache and integrated VGA graphics.

The standard PC2386-65 combined a 1.44MB 3.5-inch floppy drive with a 65MB hard disk and five 16-bit expansion slots. It shipped with MS-DOS 4.0 and Windows/386, but failures involving the supplied Seagate hard disks and controllers caused recalls and serious damage to Amstrad’s PC reputation.

Notable Features

• 20 MHz full 32-bit Intel 80386DX processor
• 4MB parity RAM with 64KB high-speed cache
• 65MB hard disk and 1.44MB 3.5-inch floppy drive
• Integrated Paradise VGA compatible with earlier PC graphics standards
• Five 16-bit ISA expansion slots and 80387 coprocessor socket

Historical Significance

• Flagship of Amstrad’s ambitious PC2000 business range
• Offered strong 386 performance at a competitive system price
• Seagate hard-disk and controller failures led to recalls, litigation and damaging publicity
• Amstrad later won its legal case, but the market damage had already occurred

Collectors Notes

• Original Seagate ST277R drives and their controllers require careful inspection
• Check battery-backed configuration circuitry for leakage
• Hard-disk replacements may alter originality but improve reliability
• Matching monitor, keyboard, mouse and system disks are desirable

Specifications

Technical Information
Name	Amstrad PC2386
Manufacturer	Amstrad
Launched	Sunday, January 1, 1989
Discontinued	Early 1990s
Launch Price	Approximately £1,559 with colour monitor (configuration dependent)
Country	United Kingdom
CPU	Intel 80386DX
Units Sold
Power	Internal switch-mode power supply with cooling fan
Ports	RS-232 serial, bidirectional parallel, mouse, VGA, external floppy and tape-streamer connections
Expansion	Five 16-bit ISA slots and Intel 80387 coprocessor socket
Storage	1.44MB 3.5-inch floppy drive and 65MB hard disk
Sound	Internal speaker with volume control
Operating System	MS-DOS 4.0 with Windows/386
RAM	4MB 32-bit parity RAM, expandable to 16MB; 64KB cache
Graphics	Integrated Paradise VGA with Hercules, CGA and EGA compatibility
Display	VGA-compatible output for monochrome or colour monitors
CPU Speed	20 MHz, zero wait states