Compaq Portable III

The Compaq Portable III (model 2660) is a PC/AT compatible luggable built around a 12MHz Intel 80286 CPU with an optional 80287 FPU, offering 640KB to 8MB RAM, a 1.2MB 5.25" floppy drive, and optional 20MB or 40MB hard disks. Its signature feature is a display that swivels upward for comfortable viewing and contains a 10" amber gas plasma display capable of 640×400 graphics. Despite being marketed as smaller and lighter than earlier portables, it still weighed about 20lb. It was originally priced at $3999 and shipped with MS-DOS 3.1.

The display is notorious for age-related failure as seen in my example, often presenting dim or flickering output, slow warm-up, vertical or horizontal banding, or complete loss of image as the plasma panel and its high-voltage driver chip and circuitry degrade.