IBM ThinkPad 700/700C

IBM ThinkPad 700/700C

The ThinkPad 700/700C are 486-based laptops that were released in October 1992.

The ThinkPad 700 and 700C were really the first "true" ThinkPads. The 700T came first, but it was not actually a laptop.

These ThinkPads, along with the 720, are weird beasts. They are based on IBM's Microchannel architecture, not ISA, and they use proprietary ESDI hard drives. This means that getting one working can be really difficult if the drive has gone bad. I currently don't know of a single modern replacement for them, so your only option is to get another ThinkPad and hope it has a working drive in it.

The systems shipped with 25MHz 486SLC processors, with a 50MHz 486SLC2 upgrade being made available later on. They were also available in a beige color, I believe only in Europe/Germany?

These models were badged under the PS/2 brand name. Labels on the inside read "700 PS/2" and "700C PS/2".


Specifications

SpecThinkPad 700 PS/2ThinkPad 700C PS/2
Release DateOctober 1992
CPUCPU Type: Unknown
IBM 486SLC @25MHz
ChipsetUnknown
RAMType: IC DRAM
Standard: 4MB Soldered
Maximum: 16MB
Storage2.5" ESDI
Requires Adapter: Yes
Standard: 82, 120, or 122MB
Display Options9.5" Passive Matrix Grayscale @640x48010.4" Active Matrix Color @640x480
Graphics ChipsetWestern Digital WD90C26
VRAM: 512KB
Unknown
VRAM: Unknown
AudioPC Speaker
Main BatteryNiMH
CMOS Battery- Lithium CMOS Battery
- NiCad Reserve Battery
Power SupplyProprietary 4-pin
Media Drives3.5" 1.44MB Floppy Drive
PC CardsNone
NetworkingModem
Other I/O- 1x Parallel
- 1x Serial
- 1x VGA Out
- 1x PS/2
- 1x Dock Connector
BIOSIBM BIOS
Pointing DeviceTrackPoint II


Page last updated (MM/DD/YYYY): 02/21/2025
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