HP 9000 Series 400

HP’s 9000 Series 400 was the final Motorola 68000-based development of the Series 300 workstation architecture. Models ranged from 68030 desktops to faster 68040 systems with advanced graphics.

The family closed HP’s 68k workstation era before PA-RISC systems became dominant.

Notable Features

• Several models shared cases while differing substantially in processor and graphics hardware.
• Compatibility with DIO-II peripherals protected existing technical installations.

Historical Significance

• The family closed HP’s 68k workstation era before PA-RISC systems became dominant.

Collector’s Notes

• Original HP manuals, peripherals and software media are particularly useful because many interfaces and formats were proprietary.
• Memory, storage, displays and expansion hardware should be documented because configurations often changed during a system’s working life.

Specifications

Technical Information
Name	HP 9000 Series 400
Manufacturer	Hewlett-Packard
Launched	Monday, January 1, 1990
Discontinued	Mid-1990s
Country	United States
CPU	Motorola 68030 or 68040 depending on model
Units Sold
Form Factor	Desktop or deskside workstation
Power	Internal mains supply
Networking	Ethernet
Operating System	HP-UX
Expansion / I/O	DIO-II, SCSI, serial and Ethernet
Keyboard	Detached keyboard and mouse
Storage	SCSI hard disks, floppy, CD-ROM and tape
Sound	Optional audio
Colours	Adapter-dependent
Graphics	TurboVRX and other mono or colour graphics options
Display	External high-resolution monitor
ROM	Boot ROM
RAM	Model-dependent, commonly 8MB or more
CPU Speed	Model-dependent, approximately 25–50 MHz