IBM 5120

The IBM 5120 repackaged the 5110 architecture as a business desktop with a larger display and two integrated 8-inch floppy drives. It was intended for accounting, inventory and office applications.

It was the final member of IBM’s PALM-based compact-computer family before newer microprocessors reshaped the small-system market.

Notable Features

• Twin 8-inch drives dominated the wide desktop enclosure.
• The system was sold as an integrated business solution rather than a hobby computer.

Historical Significance

• It was the final member of IBM’s PALM-based compact-computer family before newer microprocessors reshaped the small-system market.

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 5120
Manufacturer	IBM
Launched	Friday, February 1, 1980
Discontinued	1981
Country	United States
CPU	IBM PALM processor
Units Sold
Form Factor	Large all-in-one desktop computer
Power	Internal mains supply
Networking	No integrated networking
Operating System	IBM BASIC and business applications
Expansion / I/O	Printer and external peripheral interfaces
Keyboard	Integrated business keyboard with numeric keypad
Storage	Two built-in 8-inch floppy drives
Sound	No general-purpose sound
Colours	Monochrome
Graphics	Text display
Display	Built-in 9-inch monochrome CRT
ROM	BASIC firmware
RAM	16KB–64KB
CPU Speed	Approximately 1.9 MHz