IBM 5155 Portable Personal Computer review (capacitive buckling springs)

Skip to 11:46 for a typing demonstration.

I'm Thomas and I do keyboard videos and reviews. Except, today, we look at a whole vintage computer! An IMB portable PC, one of which I got from my father in 1990. I've been part of the PC gaming master race ever since I was three years old :p .

The practice sentence was: well basically you can just read it off the screen :p .

[willbrooks]

"10/10 would bankrupt again" -Thomas 2017

[wobbled]

'specs of dust with more RAM than this'

I love the complete bollocks you come out with, awesome video man.

[vwestlife]

FYI: typing MODE BW80 at the DOS prompt will improve the legibility of color programs when viewed on the internal monochrome display.

[WrenFJ]

'Carrying handle the size of a micronation' Holy hell that was funny XD

[JosephsStuff]

I know this is a keyboard centric channel, but I must say: DAT AMBER CRT THO

[XoxJasonReynoldsxoX]

Memories! This takes me back to 1987. Still have it too(still working).

[BartWillems]

While the Compaq came out earlier, the more likely source for inspiration for both was the Osborne computer. And portable literally means "moveable." We now associate it with nimble and small, but the big selling point was really that is was... well, portable. You could move it around without too much difficulty.

[MaxBeaulieu]

retro comps are so deliciously visceral, they feel so heavy. love it.

[pinkstargalexy]

Thanks for making a video about this! I am a lover of crt screens. I grew up with them in the 2000s when LCD screens were used for laptops so they could close easily and be portable. Not long did. flat screen take the market. I wish I could have a laptop with crt screen, DVD player, and a cassette player. Two bad none of that existed all at once or together. Crazy how CRT screens were retired so early with laptops. I mean in all fairness crt’s are so heavy and I still can’t lift my playroom tv from 2002.

[Big_Tex]

Y'know even in 1992 - 1993 my workplace (a US Navy squadron) installed new versions of this style of computer -- another brand, modernized with widows 3.1, color screen, etc, but the same layout and about the same size. Actually very convenient for portable aircraft maintenance sort of gear.

[essamal-mansouri]

I love how the resolution is not measured in pixels, but characters.

[JanKamilRembisch]

Fantstic video as always! Recently bought a G810 due to its looks and well...key feel. Thought it felt nicer than the cherry keyboards. But now I'm somewhat tempted on getting my hands on a really old keyboard, model m or something with Alps...It's become an addiction.

[IIIJFRIII]

Dude that was one of your best reviews ever. What a find man. Holy shit. Vintage computers are worth they're weight in gold to some people. The typing demo reminds me of the ending of the movie outland.

[alphabetaxenonzzzcat]

I actually remember using one of these "luggables" back in the 1980s. My dad used one for work, and I used it a bit for word processing. I suppose I didn't appreciate the quality of the keyboard at the time.

There was an aeroplane plane game that myself and my brother played on.

[grproteus]

truly, this pc is in immaculate condition. Not a hint of yellowing! Awesome!

[mr.nobody]

More in-depth review of the computer plz; it's a right way to go expanding the reviews to anything vintage since the keyboard resources have almost been depleted.

[kuvisit]

Man, I'm using a Model M as my daily driver and I *still* have the chills whenever I hear a Model F being typed on... \o/

[Commiefornia]

My friend's brother had an IBM portable computer and we played an Olympic Decathlon type game where the N key rollover did come into play. There was the Javelin event where you had to hold down one key to start the stick figure portrait of the javelin thrower to start moving his arm back, then another key to start moving his arm forward and then another to release. The forward key and the release key needed to be pressed at the same time at some point. You had to time it just right to get the maximum distance. There was also a track event where you needed to hold down keys to maneuver your runner around the oval track (bird's
eye view). These are the only two events I remember from the game.

[jeremygunkel]

We used to have a Texas Instrument version of this at work that we used to program an old school Texas Instrument plc. I had the pleasure of replacing it with a modern Allen Bradley plc. Was super fun to work

[PaiSAMSEN]

They're something so satisfying about seeing these old computer running.