PC-9801 RA

PC-9801 RA
Manufacturer: NEC
Release Date RRP Code JP (2) 1988-07 ¥498,000498,000 JP (5) 1988-07 ¥736,000736,000 JP (21) 1989-11 ¥498,000498,000 JP (51) 1989-11 ¥668,000668,000

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The PC-9801 RA is a computer released as part of the PC-9800 series.

Hardware

The PC-9801 RA line was the first PC-9800 set of machines to incorporate a 80386(DX) processor, becoming the new standard for high-end PC-9800 machines at the time of release. With the RA and subsequent machines, the PC-9800 range began to converge significantly with its main competitor, IBM PC compatibles, now running a version of DOS tailored for Japanese consumers, DOS/V.

Unlike the PC-9801 VM and PC-9801 VX, the PC-9801 RA marks a period where NEC's computers were no longer as proudly distinct as they once were. While software made specifically for the RA was produced, the market became much like that of the West, with software detailing specific processor, RAM and floppy disk combinations, as opposed to which letters were printed on the front computer's casing.

In the past, NEC had released slightly different models of its 9800 series computers, but this primarily involved floppy and hard disk drives - hardware which could be purchased and linked up separately, and not strictly affecting the performance of the system. By late 1988 and 1989, the company was offering this PC-9801 RA, the lower-cost 80386SX-powered PC-9801 RS and 80286 machines in the form of the PC-9801 RX. Similarly the PC-9801 ES and PC-9801 EX were offering similar technology to those who favoured 3½-inch floppy drives.

Given that this was a period where the PC-8800 series was being retired, and that Epson were distributing their own brands of PC-9800 clones, software was often just marked as "9800 series compatible", making it much more difficult to categorise.

Technical specifications

PC-9801 RA 2

• Main processor: 80386DX clocked at 16MHz
• Secondary processor: V30 clocked at 8MHz
• Graphics processor: 2x µPD7220 clocked at 2.5MHz
• Graphics: Enhanced Graphic Charger (EGC)
• RAM: 1664KB
• Text VRAM: 12KB
• Graphics VRAM: 256KB
• ROM: 96KB
• Floppy Disk drive(s): 2× 5¼-inch 2HD (1MB formatted)
• Sound: Internal "beeper"
• General Expansion Slot(s): 4 slots

PC-9801 RA 5

• Main processor: 80386DX clocked at 16MHz
• Secondary processor: V30 clocked at 8MHz
• Graphics processor: 2x µPD7220 clocked at 2.5MHz
• Graphics: Enhanced Graphic Charger (EGC)
• RAM: 1664KB
• Text VRAM: 12KB
• Graphics VRAM: 256KB
• ROM: 96KB
• Hard Disk drive(s): 40MB (SASI)
• Floppy Disk drive(s): 2× 5¼-inch 2HD (1MB formatted)
• Sound: Internal "beeper"
• General Expansion Slot(s): 4 slots

PC-9801 RA 21

• Main processor: 80386DX clocked at 16-20MHz
• Secondary processor: V30 clocked at 8MHz
• Graphics processor: 2x µPD7220 clocked at 2.5MHz
• Graphics: Enhanced Graphic Charger (EGC)
• RAM: 1664KB
• Text VRAM: 12KB
• Graphics VRAM: 256KB
• ROM: 96KB
• Hard Disk drive(s): 40MB (SASI)
• Floppy Disk drive(s): 2× 5¼-inch 2HD (1MB formatted)
• Sound: Internal "beeper"
• General Expansion Slot(s): 4 slots

PC-9801 RA 51

• Main processor: 80386DX clocked at 16-20MHz
• Secondary processor: V30 clocked at 8MHz
• Graphics processor: 2x µPD7220 clocked at 2.5MHz
• Graphics: Enhanced Graphic Charger (EGC)
• RAM: 1664KB
• Text VRAM: 12KB
• Graphics VRAM: 256KB
• ROM: 96KB
• Floppy Disk drive(s): 2× 5¼-inch 2HD (1MB formatted)
• Sound: Internal "beeper"
• General Expansion Slot(s): 4 slots

List of games

• Disc Station Vol.10
• Disc Station Vol.11
• Disc Station Vol.9
• Duel Succession
• Gagaga Sprint
• Lands of Lore: The Throne of Chaos
• Madou Sugoroku
• Only You: Seikimatsu no Juliet-tachi
• Populous II: Trials of the Olympian Gods
• Rouge no Densetsu
• Rude Breaker
• Tanu Kids
• Wolfenstein 3D

Gallery

• 

  PC-9801 RA2

• PC9801RA5.jpg

  PC-9801 RA5

• 

  PC-9801 RA21

• PC9801RA51.jpg

  PC-9801 RA51

PC-9800 series hardware
PC-9800 series Desktop hardware
PC-9801 (1982) | PC-9801 F (E) (1983) | M (1984) V30 Computers: U | VF | VM (21) | UV (21) | CV (1985-1988) 286 Computers: VX | UX | RX | EX | DX | UR | UF (1986-1991) 386 Computers: RA | RS | ES | DA | DS | CS | FS | FX | US (1988-1992) 486+ Computers: FA | BX | BA | BX2 | BS2 | BA2 | BA3 | BX3 | BX4 | BX4-P (1993-1995) Other: DO | DO+ | GS (1989-1990)
PC-9800 series Laptop hardware
V30 Computers: PC-9801 LV (1988) 286 Computers: PC-9801 LX (1989) 386 Computers: PC-9801 LS (1988) | PC-9801 T (1990-1991) V50 Computers(9801 Incompatible): PC-98LT (1986) | PC-98HA (1993) Other: PC-9801 P (1993)
PC-9800 series Notebook hardware
V30 Computers: PC-9801 N (1989) V30HL(286) Computers: PC-9801 NV (1990-1991) | PC-9801 NL/(R)(A) (1992-1994) 386 Computers: PC-9801 NC (1991) | PC-9801 NS/(E)(T)(L)(R)(A) (1990-1994) 486 Computers: PC-9801 NA/(C) (1992) | PC-9801 NX/C (1993)
PC-9800 series Workstation hardware
286 Computers: PC-98XA (1985) | PC-98XL (1986) 386 Computers: PC-98XL² (1987) | PC-98RL (1990)
PC-9800 series Peripherals
Not sure how to organize this one
stuff
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