IBM Aptiva 2144

The Aptiva 2144 launched IBM’s consumer multimedia PC family with contemporary 486 and early Pentium configurations. Systems commonly combined CD-ROM, sound and modem hardware for home productivity, education and entertainment.

Aptiva replaced PS/1 branding and reflected the mid-1990s shift toward multimedia and online consumer PCs.

Notable Features

• Model numbers covered several processors and multimedia configurations.
• Bundled software and matching speakers were central parts of the original home-computer package.

Historical Significance

• Aptiva replaced PS/1 branding and reflected the mid-1990s shift toward multimedia and online consumer PCs.

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 Aptiva 2144
Manufacturer	IBM
Launched	Thursday, September 1, 1994
Discontinued	Mid-1990s
Country	United States
CPU	Intel 80486 or early Pentium depending on model
Units Sold
Form Factor	Consumer desktop or mini-tower
Power	Internal mains supply
Networking	Modem and optional network adapters
Operating System	PC DOS and Windows
Expansion / I/O	ISA expansion, serial, parallel, joystick and multimedia ports
Keyboard	101-key keyboard and mouse
Storage	IDE hard disk, 3.5-inch floppy and CD-ROM on multimedia models
Sound	Sound Blaster-compatible audio on multimedia configurations
Colours	256 or more colours
Graphics	Integrated or expansion SVGA graphics
Display	External SVGA colour monitor
ROM	IBM-compatible BIOS
RAM	4MB or more
CPU Speed	Model-dependent, commonly 66–100 MHz