Sharp PC-5000

<p>The Sharp PC-5000 was an early clamshell portable built around an Intel 8088 and MS-DOS 2.0. Announced in November 1983, it offered a closing LCD, a full keyboard and battery operation at a time when most IBM-compatible machines were deskbound.</p><p>Its unusually wide display showed 80 columns across eight lines, while optional bubble-memory cartridges, dual floppy drives, thermal printing and communications accessories formed a sophisticated portable office system.</p>

<h6>Notable Features</h6><ul><li>Early clamshell form factor with a display that folded over the keyboard.</li><li>MS-DOS 2.0 in ROM and optional non-volatile bubble-memory cartridges.</li><li>Optional dual floppy drives, thermal printer and communications hardware created a complete portable office.</li></ul><h6>Historical Significance</h6><ul><li>Among the earliest battery-powered MS-DOS clamshell computers.</li><li>Preceded Sharp’s later PC-7000 luggable and PC-4500 laptop families.</li></ul><h6>Collector's Notes</h6><ul><li>Bubble-memory cartridges and the integrated thermal-printer module are scarce accessories.</li><li>Battery condition, LCD contrast and proprietary external drives require careful inspection.</li></ul>

Specifications

Technical Information
Name	Sharp PC-5000
Manufacturer	Sharp
Launched	Friday, November 11, 1983
Launch Price	¥350,000
Country	Japan
CPU	Intel 8088 at 4.77 MHz
Units Sold
Power	Rechargeable battery or AC adapter
Options	Thermal printer and 300-baud modem
I/O	RS-232C, serial I/O and expansion bus
Keyboard	Full-size clamshell keyboard
Storage	Optional 128KB bubble-memory cartridge and dual 360KB floppy drives
Operating System	MS-DOS 2.0 in ROM
Display	640×80-pixel monochrome LCD; 80 columns by 8 lines
ROM	192KB including MS-DOS 2.0
RAM	128KB standard; expandable to 256KB
CPU Speed	4.77 MHz