IBM PS/2 portable
A transportable PS/2 system, recorded as P70 class.
The display and keyboard fold into a carrying configuration. The existing identification is at model-class level and is retained as such.
All photographs of this object
IBM PS/2 portable (P70 class)
| Maker | IBM |
|---|---|
| Line | Personal System/2, portable series |
| Form factor | Luggable, with hinge up display, detachable keyboard, mains powered |
A portable in the sense that it has a handle. The P70 class carried a gas-plasma display, which is bright, orange, and drew far too much power for a battery, so it ran from a wall socket. It marks the point where portable meant transportable, before the laptop settled what the word would mean.
Record & provenance
The display and keyboard fold into a carrying configuration. The existing identification is at model-class level and is retained as such.
Reference: ATX-OBJ-IBM-PS2-PORTABLE
Source: collection inventory, photographs, and notes accompanying Serious Machines (Amir Husain, 2024).