DOS Palmtop: Sharp PC-3100 Details and specs
Sharp PC-3100 (Sharp PC3100)
About this machine:
The Sharp PC-3100 is actually the "big brother" of the PC-3000. Besides the model name the only difference is that the PC-3100 has 2 MB RAM instead of
just 1 MB like the PC-3000. Otherwise they are identical. So instead of repeating my lengthy introduction to the PC-3000 is ask you to read that
article if you haven't already done so. Both were released in April 1992 in Canada, supposedly late 1991 (December?) in Hong Kong. I could not find any original retail price, but several sources claimed the PC-3000 was originally sold for about 1000 USD so i assume it was around 20% more for the PC-3100 (RAM was expensive back in the days). A late Austrian Sharp user Club Magazine lists a "discounted Group order" with a Price of 8000 Austrian Schilling for the PC-3000, 10,000 Schilling for the PC-3100 (Around 20% more) and - interestingly - about 4700 Schilling for the floppy. Yes the Floppy costed more than half of the PC-3000, making it one of the most expensive floppy drives ever sold at that time... And it explains why the floppy is so rare these days. The Floppy disk drive mentioned in the PC-3000 article obviously also fits for the PC-3100.
Specs:
CPU: 80C88A @ 10 MHz
Graphics: Monochrome CGA, 80 x 25 character text mode
Display: 640 x 200 monochrome Supertwist LCD , 4 grey scales, 7.2 inch
Memory (RAM): 2 MB
ROM (Software): 1 MB
I/O ports: RS232 Serial (proprietary 10 pin cable was included accessory), Parallel port (proprietary 20 pin cable included), 2 x PCMCIA 1.0 Type I Slot, "Accessory port" (For the floppy disk drive)
Sound: PC Speaker - Piezo
Operating System: MS-DOS 3.3
Software: Good setup utility but weak PIM software with only rudimentary database, spreadsheet and word processing
Size: Length 11.2 cm, Width 22.2 cm, Height 2.5 cm (4.4 inches x 8.7 inches x 1 inch)
Powered by: 3 AA batteries - rechargable or non-rechargable or AC adaptor (optional accessory), CR2032 Lithium button cell as memory backup
Weight: 480 gram (17 ounces) without and about 600 gram (21 ounces) including 2 standard AA and CR2032 batteries
Special features: BIOS Option to invert display. Indicators for drive activity.
Released: Late 1991 (Hong Kong) April 1992 (Canada)
Originally retailed for:: Unknown (But probably around 1200 USD estimated)
Clone of: Not a clone. Same as PC-3000 with just more RAM
Similar models: Sharp PC-3000
Pros:
- PCMCIA 1.0 Type 1 slot but can use "some" flash/CF cards
- Fully CGA compliant, so most CGA based DOS appz and games work
- Excellent keyboard
- One of the "faster" palmtops
- Invertible screen
Cons:
- DOS 3.3 does not allow flash cards larger than 32 MB
- Can only access flash cards using a driver
- Rather large
Collector Value:
6 of 10
Usage Value:
9 of 10
Verdict:
Give it a usability value of 10/10 if you don't care about large CF cards. This is probably the "most wanted" palmtop after the HP series ones.
Although rather bulky compared to the HP series the nice large screen, good keyboard and "reasonable" battery life (less than poqet and HP)
make this a quite "usable" palmtop. If it just came with MS-DOS 5 and PCMCIA 2.0 slots... But if you can cope with these flaws it is definitely
among the best palmtops ever. Not really rare but might be "surprisingly expensive" on ebay as there are usually many people looking for these.
I gave the PC-3100 a collector value of 6 instead of 5 as naturally the model with more RAM is obviously "more wanted" by the general public so
although not technically "more rare" it might be more expensive and harder to get one.
Sharp PC-3000/PC-3100 Gallery
Sharp PC-3000/PC-3100 Extras
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