1988 Amstrad PC 8086 Windows 3.0 Test

Testing a 1988 Amstrad PC model PC2086 8mhz, CPU intel 8086, 640kb, 20mb HDD, 720k floppy, VGA color monitor. (Paradise VGA 640x480x256 )
I test two Dos games running under windows (lemmings and Prince of Persia) and some Windows tools (solitaire and paintbrush)
Games work better directly with DOS, but system was forced to run Windows 3.0, Originally it comes with MS-Dos 3.22 and Windows 2.

[lolwut]

with great processing power comes great responsability

[thegenxgamerguy]

Squeezing every last bit out of that poor 8086 CPU... interesting to watch! :-)

Knowing the architecture and flaws of this very first installment of the x86 line, I can imagine what must be going on in the ALU and on the bus while that poor thing was drawing the Solitaire cards. :-)

[ruhnet]

Man, the sound of that thing running! I just realized it had been years since I've heard a system that sounded like that---the combination of sound from the old HDD and fans (primarily the HDD). Thanks.

[Chungalin]

This was my first computer, back in 1989. Date and time were kept with 4 regular AA batteries under the monitor stand. I think that HDD was 30MB, not 20. The volume pot for PC-speaker was great. When I switched to a clonic 80486 I missed this a lot and I built a potentiometer to attenuate sounds. This "beast" had a Paradise graphics chip with an amazing 640×400 256 color mode but it was sooo slow at this mode that it was just a promotional catch (anyone can remember Tutankamon mask in promo flyers). I still have this computer in the garage.

[Multifacted_Brotha]

Wow this computer was made in 1988?? This computer looks very impressive for it's time! Looks more like a computer from 1991 or 1992

[pedjulca]

En su tiempo era increíble todo lo que podía hacer. Al verlo ahora me da otra impresión empezando por el lag

[MrPitatom]

Ah those sounds of this machine bring me back.

[Wormetti]

Liking just for the hard drive sound.  My first PC was an Amstrad PC1512.

[TechRyze]

I can't believe such a slow CPU was being sold in 1988.

I guess it was all about low cost and high volume for Amstrad at the time.

[orlandomalpartidalozano]

Una maravilla, que nostalgia. El sistema está en español.

[karimk]

I used the same one with double floppy drives in our community center, it was the first machine when I did learn programming and enjoy gaming. Such awesome times

[FrezzyYT]

Love hearing that chirps notification sound on my right headphone

[hiromi]

¡Esto sí es un ordenador funcional de verdad!

[VectraQS]

An 8086 with a VGA card. Now there's something you don't see every day.

[d_rrr_vince]

Nice design, I remember it.
btw I didn't knew that lemmings could run on 8086!!! Looks great.

[FubarMike]

That thing sounds like a forklift going in reverse

[ElfinaAshfield]

4:13 start lemmings
5:24 level 1
-5 sec for choosing machine type
~70 sec of loading time. it really reminds me of how slow those old computer was. it's an 8086 after all!

edit: the solitaire "loading" screen lol

[ericw]

Great computer! My family had a Compaq Deskpro with the 8086 processor and an amber monochrome monitor. From what I understand the 8086 came out first and is actually superior to the 8088. The 8088 was basically a reduced price 8086. Has something to do with the 8086 being 16 bit and the 8088 being 8 bit. I remember ours would run at either 4.7 mhz or approximately 7 mhz in turbo mode. The sound of your Amstrad running brings back memories!

[shig]

I had this exact machine. Good times. Best game was a french arkanoid clone called Popcorn

[brasilmaster]

incrível como ainda exite essas máquinas e ainda funcionando.