IBM MIPS WorkPad z50

IBM WorkPad z50
IBM WorkPad z50 © HPC 2000

It looks like a Thinkpad, but it’s not. The IBM WorkPad z50 is mobile companion released in 1999 with MIPS processor for Windows CE. z50 were aimed at the fledging handheld PC or PDA market of that era, even though not real RISC laptops they were included since they really are MIPS ThinkPads, motivated by Old VCR.

IBM WorkPads were a range of hand-held computers and smaller PDAs with which IBM competed in that market of the turn of the century. Operating system and applications were in ROM modules with a focus on personal productivity. IBM built a range of real RISC laptops in the 90s with PowerPC-based Thinkpads for Unix (AIX).

IBM WorkPad z50
Model 2608-1AU
Introduced 1999
CPU NEC VR4121 MIPS 131 MHz
Cache 16/8 KB L1 on-chip
Design 64-bit RISC MIPS III
RAM 16-48 MB
Video ITE8181 4 MB
Screen 8.2″ DSTN
Drives One compact flash
Expansion PCMCIA, CF
I/O audio, VGA, serial
OS Windows CE
Price $999
IBM WorkPad z50 IBM WorkPad z50 IBM WorkPad z50 NEC VR4121
WorkPad z50 © IBM 1999, NEC

IBM WorkPads were not Unix laptops but companions or PDAs, but there were other RISC Laptops in the 1990s: RDI PowerLite (SPARC) and others.

Technical details

Chipset and devices used in MIPS WorkPads were based on a NEC VR4121 MIPS design, which integrated many functionalities and devices onto the CPU.

Usage Device Type External Bus
Processor NEC VR4121 64-bit MIPS RISC 131 MHz VR4121
Chipset NEC Integrated VR4121 ISA
Storage NEC VrC4171A Compact flash CF slot ISA
Video ITE8181 Video Adapter 4 MB VGA DB15 VR4121
Video VRC4171A LCD Controller LCD VR4121
Cards NEC VrC4171A PCMCIA controller one slot ISA
I/O Serial I/O special cable ISA
Audio in CPU 10-bit audio microphone, headphone
Network RP336Lx Modem V.34 RJ11

Expansion and I/O

There were few possibilities to expand the WorkPad z50:

Device Type Details
Memory RAM 16 MB onboard
one 3.3V 60ns EDO DRAM SO-DIMM, up to 32 MB extra
ROM OS one SO-DIMM, localized
Storage Flash one compact flash (CF) module
optional IBM 340 MB microdrive
Cards PCMCIA one type-I/II/III
Input PS/2 77-key IBM keyboard with Trackpoint
Output Screen 8.2″ DSTN 640×480, 16-bit

IBM options for the WorkPad z50 were extended-life battery ($199); UltraPort Replicator ($99); 32 MB memory upgrade ($89); cable for printing to standard parallel printers ($45) and PC Cards.

Battery was one Li-Ion for 8 hours, with two AAA backup batteries.

Operating systems

IBM WorkPads were portable companions, i.e. personal digital assistants (PDAs), and shipped with embedded Windows CE 2.11 in the ROM module (20-32 MB).

Not sure if any other operating systems run on it.

Benchmarks

SPEC benchmarks and Dhrystone MIPS compared to contemporary laptops:

Based on old Dhrystone archives
System CPU SPEC92int SPEC92fp SPEC95int SPEC95fp MIPS
IBM WorkPad z50 NEC VR4121 131 MHz ~72
Comparisons
SPARCbook 3 microSPARC 50 MHz 26 21 ~59
SAIC Galaxy 1100 HP PA-7100LC 80 MHz 99 122 ~70
Siemens PCE-5S Pentium 100MHz 96 81 4.04 2.35 ~79
SPARCbook 3GX microSPARC-II 110 MHz 78 65 ~134

Documentation

Specifications

Articles and reviews

Announcements

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