• Please review our updated Terms and Rules here

Top 10 Most Beautiful Computers (some vintage, some not)

Hmm, could have sworn the Pro came out a year or 2 before the 40.

Don't think the Pro lasted very long. Know the 40 didn't. It got caught up in the Home Computer Wars and was axed along with the 99/4A, 99/2, and 99/8.

Then again, in a manner of speaking, the 40 was re-incarnated as the TI-74, so then you COULD say it lasted longer!
 
i agree with the Playstation 2 in the list, it is a sexy little machine. i use it more often for computing than gaming.

i would put my 'BMI' 8088 box in the list. i think it's darn sexy for it's time.

i dont have a pic of the box, and my camera battery is dead but it basically looks like an IBM XT. same tank-like case and everything. looks sleek and you could drop this thing off of a building and it would still work minus the hard drive.
 
Amazing how bad the accompanying photos in the article made the systems in question look. Anyway, I think it's a bit of a subjective and unnecessary feature. I think far more interesting would be the top 10 ugliest, and even that would be rather tough, since most systems have some appeal in my opinion.

And, yeah, including a PS2 is silly. Just make a separate console list...
 
Bill_Loguidice said:
Not officially and I can't even say I would call the original Xbox all that attractive. I do like how the 360 looks though and probably place it ahead of the PS3, but behind the Wii.
Click to expand...

The 360 is plagued by problems such as the Red Ring of Death (RRoD) though. I'm on my third 360 already.
 
Terry Yager said:
The only one I care for is #10 (the first one), but I'm afraid I wouldn't make it thru the first day, given the way I handle my 12" chef's knife. I'd end up impaling the poor thing, ending it's life along with my own. The work surface is just too small.

--T
Click to expand...

LMAO! ;)

I thought the H316 was different looking?! Maybe there were other models.

I believe the H316 functioned as the IMPs in the old Arpanet that used NCP. I could be wrong. My memory is going.

Honeywell was big on red. ;-) The Honeywell store in the basement of the Tyson's Corner Federal Systems Operations (FSO) even sold Honeywell lighters that were all red.

The Cray as furniture is the coolest in my personal opinion but the H316 certainly predates it!

Best Regards,

Denton
 
TroyW said:
Ok, how about we come up with our own list. Obviously it doesn't have to be limited to just 10.

So far we have (not in any particular order):

* Atari 1200XL: 1200xlmain.jpg
* Corvus Concept: Corvus_Concept_System_1.jpg
* Epson QX-10: corner.jpg
* Hewlett-Packard HP200: HP_200lx_System_s1.jpg
* NEC PC8000
* North Star Advantage: Advantage.jpg
* Panasonic JR-200: jr200.jpg
* Texas Instruments 99/4A: ti-994a.jpg
* Of course, the early Crays: CrayXnIOP.jpg
* IBM PS/2 Model 50: 1.jpg
* Apricot Xen: Apricot_XenXi_Sysstem_1.jpg
* Mac LC II p17s_amsterdam_mac_lc2.jpg
* IBM PC AT: ibm_pc_at.2_small.jpg
* Atari 800: Atari_800_Alone.jpg
* Amiga (retroactively renamed to the Amiga 1000 after the release of the Amiga 500 and 2000 models), I love how there is a space for the keyboard to slide into under the computer itself: a1000.jpg
* Amiga 3000, the pinnacle of the Amiga series in many ways (IMO) looked great too: a3000.jpg
* Original Apple Macintosh, I think they were quite neat personally: 9_843-apple-macintosh.jpg

Anyone got any more they want to add? :cool:
Click to expand...

I'd add the Atari 800XL. I've got both the 1200XL and 800XL. The 1200XL might look better in pictures, but in real life, the 800XL just feels so compact, solid and well-balanced. The top of the 1200XL is too long and feels a bit flimsy.

I would put the Amiga 500 in the list, but the case is a little too cheap and beige. Otherwise, it looks pretty sleek. (I'm using an Amiga 500 to type this.)

I wouldn't add the Amiga 3000 either. I've got the A3000 sitting beside my A500 and A1000 and the A1000 looks best.

The Apple IIc is sleek and compact, but has an ugly grey keyboard. If only it had a nice keyboard, it would make my list.

I might also add the Commodore PET 4032 and Burroughs Icon. The Timex Sinclair/ZX81 looks nice (even though it's a piece of crap)

For terminals, I like the look of the Digital VT100 and Lear Siegler ADM-3A.
 
Mr.Amiga500 said:
I'd add the Atari 800XL. I've got both the 1200XL and 800XL. The 1200XL might look better in pictures, but in real life, the 800XL just feels so compact, solid and well-balanced. The top of the 1200XL is too long and feels a bit flimsy..
Click to expand...

Yes, I was surprised at how much I liked this computer when I finally got my hands on one (just last year). It has a nice solid and robust feel to it. Pictures don't do it justice.

Mr.Amiga500 said:
The Timex Sinclair/ZX81 looks nice (even though it's a piece of crap)
Click to expand...

Agreed. lol. I loath those toys with a passion. But then, I even only played with one AFTER I had a 48k disk-based System-80 (Video Genie), so I was working backwards. For the time I guess it was value for money at the price.
I'm sure those little Sinclair/Times machines ignite nostalgia in many.

Tez
 
I know I'm wandering a little O/T but the ZXs did more than ignite a little nostalgia, they started the UK's games programming bubble, as unlike any other machine at the time, they were cheap enough for (only fairly well off) schoolboys to buy, and programmable enough for a complete novice to make headway.
 
irving said:
It would have been better and I would be very pleased if i could at least one of The top ten most beautiful computers. And to think that they are not expensive. In a lifetime i guess. Or hard work.
Click to expand...

Even further off topic: irving, what computers do you like? I'm also wondering about your sig - is that what you do? It just looks suspicious, that's all.
 
yeah, I'm chiming in late....so SUE ME! :)

I dunno what that dude at osnews had in his crackpipe...

SGI should have at least 3 machines on the list, pick your poison:

Tezro

tezro-2.jpg


Prism

8284f4.png


Indigo

cadcam03.jpg


indy

pcwindy.jpg


and the ubiquitous O2:


SGI_O2.jpg


Even their dang SERVERS are pretty as hell....check out Onyx2's and Origin 2000's!
Especially the full-rack setups!

onyx2_2200_corner.jpg


DSC04192_www.jpg


Oh - and have you seen the new Cray CX1?

cx1_photo.jpg



Trying to convince my bosses that we REALLY REALY need to have at least 1-2 of those

IBM "butterfly" thinkpad

4188-IBM701c2.jpeg


nice 4 "slice" Acorn Risc PC

riscpc4slice.jpeg


:mrgreen:

T
 
Last edited:
i had a 701c beautiful machine mines somewhere up there now all i have lkeft is a memory module, a brand new battery and a brand new port replicator
(if anyone needs them they are for sale)
 
IMHO the X-Box 360 looks a little too much like the slim-line Dell Optiplex systems, just in other colors. Not saying they look bad, just not really very original.
 
one thing i wonder about is why they included a Playstation? its a freekin' console, not a computer! sheesh.

switch the PS for a PET and it will be way better. :)
 
lol that threw me when I first read it also, course a few systems we had were glorified consoles with keyboards too ;o) Plus argumentatively (oh yeah.. I'll make up that word and use it) most consoles today are just computers without the OS features, and just run more streamlined code.

OT as well but remember when Iraq was restricted by the UN from buying any computers because we didn't want them having any supercomputer power during the war. They bought a few thousahd or so ps2's instead lol (cluster em together and you have quite a nice super computer). (http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=21118)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top