IBM RT Personal Computer

The IBM RT PC was a Unix workstation built around IBM’s ROMP RISC processor. It combined advanced academic architecture with AIX and high-resolution graphics for engineering and scientific applications.

Although performance was disappointing, it gave IBM valuable RISC and Unix experience that fed into the later RS/6000 family.

Notable Features

• The ROMP processor was an early commercial implementation of IBM RISC research.
• AIX established IBM’s long-running Unix product line.

Historical Significance

• Although performance was disappointing, it gave IBM valuable RISC and Unix experience that fed into the later RS/6000 family.

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 RT Personal Computer
Manufacturer	IBM
Launched	Wednesday, January 1, 1986
Discontinued	1991
Country	United States
CPU	IBM ROMP 32-bit RISC processor
Units Sold
Form Factor	Desktop or tower workstation
Power	Internal mains supply
Networking	Ethernet and token-ring options
Operating System	AIX or Academic Operating System
Expansion / I/O	RT PC expansion bus, serial, parallel and storage interfaces
Keyboard	Detached workstation keyboard and mouse
Storage	Hard disk and 5.25-inch floppy configurations
Sound	Optional audio hardware
Colours	Adapter-dependent colour
Graphics	Monochrome or colour graphics adapters
Display	External workstation display
ROM	Boot firmware
RAM	1MB–16MB depending on model
CPU Speed	5.88 MHz or later 10 MHz