IBM ThinkPad 365 Series

IBM Type 2625

The ThinkPad 365 Series are a group of 486 and Pentium-based consumer laptops that were released starting in late 1995. The non-Pentium models in the series were manufactured for IBM by ASE Technologies, a Taiwanese ODM/OEM. The 365X and 365XD share an identical design but were made in-house by IBM. The ASE-built 365s don't feel much like ThinkPads beyond their external design - they use an off-the-shelf Phoenix BIOS, and the motherboard looks very non-IBM, using components that IBM didn't usually use. By contrast, the 365X and XD motherboard looks like other IBM board designs, along with using the typical IBM Easy BIOS.

All of the ASE-made models are a bit more uncommon than other ThinkPads. Ther 365X and XD are both very common.

The 365 Series were the final ThinkPads to use the fantastic Lexmark "buckling-sleeve" keyboard.

Specifications

Spec	ThinkPad 365CS	ThinkPad 365C	ThinkPad 365CSD	ThinkPad 365CD	ThinkPad 365E	ThinkPad 365ED	ThinkPad 365X	ThinkPad 365XD
Release Date	November 1995				May 1996
CPU	CPU Type: Socket 3 Cyrix Cx486DX4 @75MHz				CPU Type: Socket 3 IBM 5x86c @100MHz		CPU Type: Soldered TCP (on daughtercard) Intel Pentium @100, 120, or 133MHz
Chipset	ACC Micro 2066						Intel 430MX
RAM	Type: FPM, 1x 72-pin slot Standard: 8MB Maximum: 24MB						Type: EDO, 1x 144-pin slot Standard: 8MB Maximum: 40MB
Storage	2.5" IDE Requires Adapter: Yes Standard: 340 or 540MB	2.5" IDE Requires Adapter: Yes Standard: 540MB					2.5" IDE Requires Adapter: Yes Standard: 810MB or 1.08GB	2.5" IDE Requires Adapter: Yes Standard: 810MB, 1.08GB, or 1.35GB
Display Options	10.4" Passive Matrix Color @640x480	10.4" Active Matrix Color @640x480	10.4" Passive Matrix Color @640x480	10.4" Active Matrix Color @640x480	10.4" Passive Matrix Color @640x480		- 10.4" Passive Matrix Color @800x600 - 11.3" Passive Matrix Color @800x600 - 10.4" Active Matrix Color @800x600	- 10.4" Passive Matrix Color @800x600 - 11.3" Passive Matrix Color @800x600 - 10.4" Active Matrix Color @800x600 - 11.3" Active Matrix Color @800x600
Graphics Chipset	Chips & Technologies 65545 VRAM: 512KB	Chips & Technologies 65545 VRAM: 1MB					Trident Cyber9320 VRAM: 1MB
Audio	PC Speaker		ESS AudioDrive 1688		None	ESS AudioDrive 1688
Main Battery	NiMH (non-intelligent)
CMOS Battery	Soldered 1220 Lithium						Socketed Lithium
Power Supply	Barrel Jack
Media Drives	3.5" 1.44MB Floppy Drive		2x CD-ROM Drive		3.5" 1.44MB Floppy Drive	4x CD-ROM Drive	3.5" 1.44MB Floppy Drive	4x CD-ROM Drive
PC Cards	2x PCMCIA Slots (2x Type II/1x Type III)
Networking	None
Other I/O	- 1x Parallel - 1x Serial - 1x VGA Out - 1x PS/2 - 1x Dock Connector - Infrared		- 1x Parallel - 1x Serial - 1x VGA Out - 1x PS/2 - 1x Dock Connector - 1x Mic In - 1x Line In - 1x Line Out - 1x External Floppy - 1x Proprietary MIDI/Game Port - Infrared		- 1x Parallel - 1x Serial - 1x VGA Out - 1x PS/2 - 1x Dock Connector - Infrared	- 1x Parallel - 1x Serial - 1x VGA Out - 1x PS/2 - 1x Dock Connector - 1x Mic In - 1x Line In - 1x Line Out - 1x External Floppy - 1x Proprietary MIDI/Game Port - Infrared	- 1x Parallel - 1x Serial - 1x VGA Out - 1x PS/2 - 1x Dock Connector - 1x Mic In - 1x Line In - 1x Line Out - 1x External Floppy - Infrared
BIOS	Phoenix						IBM BIOS with Easy Setup
Pointing Device	TrackPoint

Resources

Link	Details
	IBM ThinkPad 365 Series Hardware Maintenance Manual
	IBM ThinkPad 365E and 365X Series Product Brochure (English)
	IBM ThinkPad 365ED Product Brochure (Japanese)
	IBM ThinkPad 365X/XD Product Brochure (Japanese) - Missing page 1
	IBM ThinkPad 1992-2001 Personal Systems Reference (PSREF)

Common Faults & Maintenance

Brittle Plastic

The plastic used on these models is significantly more brittle than other ThinkPads - either that, or the hinge mounting design is worse, because these suffer from rampant hinge failure. This isn't just because many of the 365 models were made by ASE - the earlier ones are actually somewhat uncommon and I have little data on the condition of their plastics. It's the super common X and XD models that I see with bad hinges all the time.