Compaq SLT/286 Vintage Laptop Computer 2MB RAM Gas Plasma Display w/ AC Adapter

Compaq SLT/286 Vintage Laptop Computer 2MB RAM Gas Plasma Display w/ AC Adapter

The Compaq SLT/286 is a late-1980s portable computer built around the Intel 80286 processor, representing Compaq's push to bring near-desktop performance to a luggable/laptop form factor. This unit powers on and displays a boot screen. No operating system is installed, and the CMOS battery is bad and will need to be replaced — both common conditions on machines of this vintage. The sale includes the original Compaq AC adapter (model 2681) and a serial PS/2-compatible mouse.

Specifications & What's Included

• Make / Model: Compaq SLT/286
• Processor: Intel 80286
• RAM: 2MB
• Display: Gas plasma display (characteristic orange-amber backlit panel of the era)
• Storage: Internal hard drive + 3.5" Compaq-branded floppy drive
• Rear ports: PS/2 mini-DIN keyboard port, 25-pin parallel port (×2), DB-9 serial port, large proprietary expansion connector
• Side: Modem/phone port (dual-slot RJ-style)
• Power: Rocker-style I/O power switch on left side panel; AC power input connector
• Battery: Compaq NiCd rechargeable pack (P/N 130538, Model 2682, ref. 1989) — included but CMOS battery is bad
• Operating system: None installed
• Country of manufacture: Japan (per battery label)
• Included accessories: Compaq AC adapter (model 2681), serial PS/2-compatible mouse

Applications

The Compaq SLT/286 was released in 1988 as part of Compaq's SLT line — among the first true laptop-form-factor machines from a major PC manufacturer, running the 80286 processor at a time when most portables were either luggables or severely underpowered. It was designed for business users who needed MS-DOS compatibility in the field, running the same software stack as an IBM PC/AT-class desktop. The gas plasma display was Compaq's premium display choice of the era, prized for its sharpness and wide viewing angle compared to contemporary LCD panels. The SLT/286 is compatible with the broader ecosystem of late-1980s DOS software and Compaq peripherals. Today these machines are collected as significant milestones in portable PC history — examples of when Compaq was engineering laptops that genuinely competed with desktops. A working or restorable SLT/286 is sought after by vintage computing enthusiasts, museum collections, and retro-DOS hobbyists who run period-correct software on period-correct hardware.