Tandy 3000

Tandy’s 80286-based personal computer, designed for multiuser XENIX 5.0 operation and marketed with a focus on expandability, shared peripherals, and IBM PC/AT compatibility.

The Tandy 3000 was positioned as a multiuser-capable business machine, explicitly engineered to run XENIX 5.0, a variant of AT&T Unix, enabling two to six users to access the system simultaneously through terminals¹². This architectural intent distinguished it from typical single-user PCs of the era, though surviving documentation is silent on whether this capability was widely adopted in practice. The system shipped with MS-DOS 3.10 or 3.20, GW-BASIC 3.11 or 3.20 (both modified to support record locking for networking), and DeskMate or DeskMate II, Tandy’s integrated productivity suite covering word processing, spreadsheets, databases, communications, calendar, and mail functions¹².

The Tandy 3000 was built around the high-performance 80286 microprocessor, with a 12MHz variant explicitly referenced in period literature³⁶. It came standard with 512K or 640K of RAM¹⁰¹¹¹⁴, and under XENIX System V, memory could be expanded to 12 megabytes⁴. The base model offered seven expansion slots, while the enhanced Tandy 3000 HD provided ten⁴, accommodating a variety of I/O and peripheral cards. An optional parallel/serial adapter was available for $79.95⁴.

Storage configurations varied significantly across models and time. The Tandy 3000 HD included a 1.2-megabyte floppy drive and a 40-megabyte hard disk⁴. Hard drives were optional on other models, with 20MB and 40MB units available at $799 and $1799 respectively, each requiring a $399 controller⁴. Iomega’s Beta 20 internal drive, using 20-megabyte removable cartridges, was also offered as an option for both the 3000 HL and 3000 HD⁴.

Three primary models are documented: the Tandy 3000, the Tandy 3000 HL, and the Tandy 3000 HD, identified by part numbers 25-4101 (HD) and 25-4103 (HL)¹². The HL model, based on an 80286 but described as XT-compatible, initially ran at 8MHz³⁴. A later revision of the 3000 HL featured an enhanced keyboard with 12 function keys and separate cursor and numeric keypads, a keylock chassis, and a retail price of $1,499, though earlier listings show the HL priced as low as $899^3691516. The redesigned Tandy 3000 operated at 12MHz with one wait state and featured a sleeker case capable of housing three half-height peripherals⁶. The 3000 HD, described as an enhanced AT-compatible version, carried a price of $4,299⁴.

Pricing fluctuated widely across configurations and publications. The base Tandy 3000 was listed at $1,475 in multiple sources⁵⁷¹⁰¹¹, while the HL appeared at $1,090⁵⁷¹⁰¹¹, $1,229¹⁵, and $899⁹¹⁶. One source cites a list price of $1,999⁶, while another mentions $1,995 for a 12MHz 640K system³. The documentation contains no definitive release or discontinuation dates, and the lineage of the “predecessor” referenced in the redesign announcement remains unspecified⁶.

References

1. 1987.04 Your Computer (1987)
2. 1987.04 Your Computer (1987)
3. Compute PC Issue 02 1987 Oct (1987)
4. BYTE Vol 11-10 1986-10 Apple II GS (1986)
5. The Rainbow Vol. 08 No. 03 - October 1988 (1988)
6. The Rainbow Vol. 07 No. 04 - November 1987 (1987)
7. The Rainbow Vol. 08 No. 04 - November 1988 (1988)
8. 030-31645 Microsoft Windows 3.1 Resource Kit 1992 (1992)
9. The Rainbow Vol. 07 No. 08 - March 1988 (1988)
10. The Rainbow Vol. 08 No. 02 - September 1988 (1988)
11. The Rainbow Vol. 08 No. 01 - August 1988 (1988)
12. The Rainbow Vol. 10 No. 10 - May 1991 (1991)
13. The Rainbow Vol. 09 No. 03 - October 1989 (1989)
14. The Rainbow Vol. 06 No. 02 - September 1986 (1986)
15. The Rainbow Vol. 07 No. 02 - September 1987 (1987)
16. The Rainbow Vol. 07 No. 10 - May 1988 (1988)