Pronto Series 16 Personal Computer
- Description
- Pronto Systems, Inc. introduced its Pronto Series 16 computer in 1983. It represented the high end of business computing of its era. The Pronto pioneered innovative design features, including a tilting and swiveling monitor, small foot print, a streamlined and adjustable keyboard, and an expandable cord that allowed the processor to be stored as much as six feet away from the monitor. These features won a 1983 design award from Industrial Design Magazine. The computer offered the first tower system—a design that later became common in the industry.
- Inside, the Pronto 16 was a powerful machine designed for the full range of business applications. It had a 16-bit Intel 80186 microprocessor. It was shipped with MS-DOS 2.0. It had 128 KB of RAM, which could be expanded to 1 MB. The standard hard drive was 5.6 MB, and it was removable. The computer had dual 800 KB floppy drives (5 ¼"), dual serial ports, one parallel port, and a high-resolution monochrome monitor. Users could buy a color monitor as an option. Base price was $3,000.
- Over 1,000 systems were sold from 1983 to 1987. The company had to file for bankruptcy when the stock market crashed while the company was in the process of going public through an Initial Public Offering.
- Location
- Currently not on view
- Object Name
- microcomputer
- Date made
- 1983-1987
- maker
- PRONTO Computers, Inc.
- Physical Description
- metal (overall material)
- plastic (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 39.5 cm x 17.8 cm x 34.5 cm; 15 9/16 in x 7 in x 13 9/16 in
- Place Made
- United States: California, Torrance
- ID Number
- 2001.0255.01
- catalog number
- 2001.0255.01
- accession number
- 2001.0255
- subject
- Work
- Computers & Business Machines
- See more items in
- Medicine and Science: Computers
- Data Source
- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center
- Credit Line
- Henry Gasbarro and Skip Hansen
- Additional Media
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