Amstrad PC7286

The Amstrad PC7286 was the entry model in the PC7000 desktop range, promoted in 1992 as an advanced PC for beginners. Its 16 MHz Intel 80286 processor, 1MB of RAM, 40MB hard disk and VGA graphics provided a complete home or small-office DOS system.

Family Pack versions added a colour monitor, joystick, AdLib-compatible sound, stereo speakers and six games, alongside Lotus Works and Amstrad’s graphical Desktop interface.

Notable Features

• 1MB RAM, 40MB hard disk, high-density floppy drive and VGA graphics.
• Family Pack included colour VGA monitor, joystick, sound card and stereo speakers.
• Lotus Works 3.0 and the Amstrad Desktop were pre-installed.

Historical Significance

• Marketed as an approachable first PC for home users.
• The entertainment-oriented Family Pack continued the strategy established with the PC5286.

Collectors Notes

• Family Pack accessories and original bundled games make a system more complete.
• Inspect the internal backup battery and IDE hard disk for age-related failure.

Specifications

Technical Information
Name	Amstrad PC7286
Manufacturer	Amstrad
Launched	Wednesday, January 1, 1992
Discontinued	Mid-1990s
Launch Price	£799.99 including VAT for the 1992 Family Pack
Country	United Kingdom
CPU	Intel 80286 at 16 MHz
Units Sold
Keyboard	102-key PS/2-style keyboard
Software	Lotus Works 3.0; games included with Family Pack
Operating System	MS-DOS 5.0 with Amstrad Desktop
Ports	Parallel, two serial, PS/2 keyboard, PS/2 mouse and VGA
Expansion	Two 16-bit ISA slots
Sound	PC speaker; AdLib-compatible sound card in Family Pack
Storage	1.44MB 3.5-inch floppy drive and 40MB IDE hard disk
Graphics	VGA, up to 640 × 480 and 256 on-screen colours
RAM	1MB, upgradeable with SIMMs
CPU Speed	16 MHz