IBM 5110

The IBM 5110 refined the 5100 concept for business and technical work. It retained the integrated display and PALM processor while offering improved storage and commercial application support.

The 5110 broadened IBM’s compact-computer family and directly preceded the more desk-bound 5120.

Notable Features

• External floppy storage made larger business applications practical.
• Language and keyboard variants targeted APL or BASIC users.

Historical Significance

• The 5110 broadened IBM’s compact-computer family and directly preceded the more desk-bound 5120.

Collector’s Notes

• Original IBM documentation, matching display and keyboard, and an unmodified configuration add historical context.
• Memory, storage, displays and expansion hardware should be documented because configurations often changed during a system’s working life.

Specifications

Technical Information
Name	IBM 5110
Manufacturer	IBM
Launched	Sunday, January 1, 1978
Discontinued	1982
Country	United States
CPU	IBM PALM processor
Units Sold
Form Factor	Portable all-in-one desktop computer
Power	Internal mains supply
Networking	No integrated networking
Operating System	BASIC and/or APL
Expansion / I/O	Printer, tape and external disk interfaces
Keyboard	Integrated keyboard with numeric keypad
Storage	Quarter-inch cartridge tape; optional external floppy drives
Sound	No general-purpose sound
Colours	Monochrome
Graphics	Text and character graphics
Display	Built-in 5-inch monochrome CRT
ROM	BASIC and/or APL firmware
RAM	16KB–64KB
CPU Speed	Approximately 1.9 MHz