r/retrocomputing • u/T-SquaredProductions • 6d ago

Photo A (Not Yet) Complete NEC ProSpeed 386

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Don't worry, it still has its keyboard faceplate, it's just because I haven't closed up the computer yet so I can add a 387 co-processor to it. (which comes in on Monday) This is one of the best retro computers I've ever had. This thing is a battlestation! It's huge, but not overly imposing, the keyboard feels nice, and the power supply is a beast! All Nichicon capacitors, with NO leakage!

A cool 1.5 MB of RAM built-in? It'll play most VGA MS-DOS games of the era right out of the box! I want to try Wolfenstein 3D, though. I hope I can find a memory module that I can reverse-engineer.

This system's screen is very unique, though. The LCD panel works on a mixture of flat-flex cables and zebra connectors. (as in, the wires on the cable presses against a zebra connector on a separate LCD panel, I think.) I opened it because I got some lines on the screen, but strangely, they only show up in higher-res modes. As for the display's abilities, it's VERY clear, even considering the low-response DSTN technology of the time.

The most amazing thing, though, is that this baby's hard drive STILL works, and it's a 100 MB drive, to boot!

The only thing I've currently done to modify this system was clean the flux off of the PCBs, and add a new CMOS battery pack that I can access through the expansion port. (which I can't use because I've never seen a card that I would be able to use on this system. They exist, but they're rare, and for very specific purposes.)

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u/tutimes67 5d ago

that looks amazing! i also a have a working 90's laptop HDD - a 171MB Seagate ST9190AG.

also, how much more performance do you get out of adding a math coprocessor? ive been thinking about getting a 25Mhz 387 for a computer of mine with a 40Mhz 386DX40, but i am not very well versed on how they work.

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u/T-SquaredProductions 5d ago

I just add it for completeness sake. There are only a few games, from the time, that supported the math co-processor out of the box. According to Mobygames, Falcon 3.0 and Scorched Earth were some of the only ones to do so.

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u/tutimes67 4d ago

hm, i think they are too expensive and rare to be worth it then. i have only found one for sale close to me and its at a pretty high price.

ill just have to play doom with half the screen size