Dual PentiMedia (PMD-5000)
The Dual PentiMedia (aka the PMD-5000) is a generic/ODM laptop that was released in around July 1994. It was the originator of the case design Dual would use for the next few years in their notebooks. You can identify that a laptop with this overall case design is a PMD-5000 by the trackball - later models used TrackPoints or trackpads. The PentiMedia was available in two versions - one that used 486 processors and another which used Pentium processors. These were known as the PentiMedia 486 and 586 respectively. Both should share nearly identical specs otherwise. They were also available with a Pen Touch display option.
This laptop was referred to by half a dozen different names by Dual. The following are all referring to this machine:
- PentiMedia 486/PentiMedia 586
- PentiMedia 1
- PMD-5000 (this should be the model number that's actually printed on the laptops)
- PMD1 486/PMD1 586
Dual did sell these under their own brand name, but as they were an ODM, they were also sold under the names of different resellers/vendors. I don't have a concrete list of brands now, but they should include AMS Tech, BIT Computer, "CD", "IDS", "Note-It", MPC Technologies, CHEM USA/Chembook, "SIRE", "PCP", "LapTop", "Corex", "NJK", "Sherry", and "CCC". These names were all taken from a technical bulletin list on an old Dual webpage, which would include the names of the vendor that had each technical issue. Some of the names I recognize, others (the ones in quotes) I do not.
Specifications
| Spec | PentiMedia 486 | PentiMedia 586 |
|---|---|---|
| Release Date | ~July 1994 | ~November 1994 |
| CPU | CPU Type: Socket 3 - Intel 486SX @25MHz - Intel 486DX @40MHz - Intel 486DX2 @66MHz - Intel 486DX4 @75 or 100MHz | CPU Type: Socket 5 Intel Pentium @90, 100, or 120MHz |
| Chipset | ACC Micro 2066 | Unknown |
| RAM | Type: Unknown Standard: 4MB Maximum: 32MB | |
| Storage | 2.5" IDE Requires Adapter: Unknown Standard: N/A | |
| Display Options | - 9.5" Passive Matrix Grayscale LCD @640x480 - 9.5" Passive Matrix Color LCD @640x480 - 9.5" Active Matrix Color LCD @640x480 - Pen-Touch model available | |
| Graphics Chipset | Unknown VRAM: 1MB | |
| Audio | Crystal CS4231 + OPL (Sound Blaster Compatible) - Stereo Speakers - Microphone | |
| Main Battery | NiMH | |
| CMOS Battery | Unknown | |
| Power Supply | Unknown | |
| Media Drives | Modular bay holds 3.5" 1.44MB Floppy Drive or 2nd Battery | |
| PC Cards | 2x PCMCIA Slots (2x Type II/1x Type III) | |
| Networking | Modem (Optional?) | |
| Other I/O | Unknown, includes external CD-ROM connector, MIDI/Game Port, Dock Connector | |
| BIOS | Unknown | |
| Pointing Device | Trackball | |
Resources
CPU Switch Settings (486 Version)
CPU Switch Settings (Pentium Version)
Page last updated (MM/DD/YYYY): 03/03/2025
Update Reason: added specs
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