Who invented the first laptop and when: chronology from a 5-kilogram monster to ultrabooks

Today, laptops are an integral part of the lives of billions of people: we work on them in cafes, study at universities, and watch movies while traveling. But few people think that 50 years ago the idea laptop computer seemed fantastic. The first prototype of what we call a laptop today appeared in 1975 - and it weighed like a small suitcase, but cost like a car. How did this technology develop? Who was behind the revolutionary inventions? And why did the first “laptops” look more like portable typewritersthan modern ultrabooks?

In this article we will look at exact dates and names of the creators of the first portable PCs, let us trace the evolution from IBM 5100 to MacBook Air, and also reveal little-known facts - for example, why the first commercially successful laptop was not released by IBM or Apple, and the Japanese company Toshiba. If you've ever wondered how a 20-kilogram “suitcase” turned into a 1-kilogram notebook-thin device, welcome to a fascinating journey through the history of laptops.

1975: IBM 5100 - the first “portable computer” weighing 25 kg

Officially the first laptop in history considered IBM 5100 Portable Computer, presented in September 1975. However, calling it a “laptop” in the modern sense is hard to come by: the device weighed 25 kg, had the size of a small suitcase (45×45×20 cm) and it was worth it $20 000 (about $100 000 in terms of 2026). For comparison: today for this money you can buy 10 top MacBook Pro.

Despite the cumbersome IBM 5100 was revolutionary: it worked from the mains or battery (though the latter was only enough for 2 hours), had a built-in 5" monochrome screen, keyboard and even magnetic tape for data storage. Processor PALM (Put All Logic in Microcode) was developed specifically for this device and allowed you to run programs on BASIC And APL. I wonder what IBM positioned it as a tool for engineers and scientists - for ordinary users such a computer was simply inaccessible.

• 📦 Weight: 25 kg (like two modern system units)
• 💰 Price: $20,000 ($100,000 in 2026)
• 🔋 Autonomy: 2 hours from battery
• 🖥️ Screen: 5" monochrome (16 lines x 64 characters)

⚠️ Attention: IBM 5100 was not a “laptop” in the usual sense - it could not be held on your lap (laptop). The device was intended to be carried by hand, like a briefcase, so it is more correct to call it laptop computer.

1981–1983: Era Osborne 1 And Compaq Portable - first commercially successful models

The real breakthrough occurred in April 1981when the company Osborne Computer Corporation released Osborne 1 - first serial laptop computer, which could at least somehow be called “portable”. His weight dropped to 10.7 kg, and the price is up to $1 795 (about $6 000 today). The device had a built-in 5" screen, two floppy drives and even a port for connecting an external monitor.

Main innovation Osborne 1 — software included: came with the computer WordStar (text editor), SuperCalc (spreadsheets) and BASIC. This made it attractive to business users. However, a year later, in 1982, appeared Compaq Portable - first IBM compatible laptop PC, which repeated the success Osborne, but with a more powerful architecture x86.

Model	Year of manufacture	Weight	Price (then/today)	Features
Osborne 1	1981	10.7 kg	$1 795 / ~$6 000	The first mass-produced “portable” PC with software included
Compaq Portable	1982	12.5 kg	$3 590 / ~$11 000	First IBM-compatible laptop computer
Kaypro II	1982	13 kg	$1 595 / ~$5 000	Improved keyboard and metal body

These models laid the foundation for future laptops, but were still far from ideal: they needed carry in two hands, and the batteries (if there were any) were discharged in a couple of hours. However, they proved that there was a demand for portable computers - and this prompted other companies to develop.

1984–1989: The Race to Miniaturize—from TRS-80 Model 100 to Macintosh Portable

By the mid-1980s, manufacturers began to compete to reduce size and weight. One of the most successful experiments was TRS-80 Model 100 from Tandy Corporation (1983) - a device weighing only 1.4 kg, which you could actually hold on your lap! It ran on batteries AA, had 8-line LCD screen and a keyboard, and the price was $1 100. This computer was the first to come close to modern understanding laptop.

However, the real revolution was made Apple in 1989, releasing Macintosh Portable. Despite the name, it weighed 7.2 kg (almost like a modern desktop PC), but it had active matrix screen with permission 640×400 And 16 MB RAM - an unprecedented luxury for that time. The main disadvantage is the price: $6 500 (about $15 000 today). I wonder what Macintosh Portable failed in the market due to high cost and weight, but laid the foundation for future PowerBook.

Why did the Macintosh Portable fail?

Despite the innovative screen and powerful characteristics, the device weighed 7.2 kg and cost $6,500 - 2 times more expensive than competitors. In addition, the battery only held a charge for 2-3 hours, and the lack of a hard drive in the basic configuration made it impractical for most users.

1990s: Triumph Toshiba and the birth of modern laptops

The real revolution took place in 1990–1995when Japanese manufacturers come first Toshiba - started releasing laptops in our usual format. B 1990 came out Toshiba T1100 - the first mass-produced laptop with 3.5-inch drive and weight 4 kg. And in 1992 the company presented Toshiba Satellite, which became one of the most popular laptops of the decade.

Key innovations of the 1990s:

• 🖥️ Color screens: in 1993 Apple released PowerBook 165c with the first color STN screen.
• 🔋 Lithium-ion batteries: in 1994 Sony presented a laptop with a battery that held a charge 2 times longer than nickel-cadmium ones.
• 💾 CD-ROM: in 1995 the first models with drive appeared CD-ROM, for example, IBM ThinkPad 760CD.

By the end of the 1990s, laptops finally became a complete alternative to desktop PCs: their weight was reduced to 2–3 kg, appeared Pentium processors, and prices fell to $1 500–2 000. This decade cemented the status of laptops essential tool for business and education.

2000s: The era of ultrabooks and Netbook - struggle for mobility

The new millennium brought two key trends: ultra-portable And availability. B 2000 Sony released VAIO C1 - the first laptop with 10.4-inch screen and weight 1 kg, which could be carried in a bag like a book. And in 2007 Apple presented MacBook Air - a revolutionary ultrabook as thin as 1.94 cm in the thinnest part. It was advertised as the "world's thinnest laptop" and it was true.

In parallel in 2007–2010 appeared on the market netbook - ultra-compact and cheap laptops with a screen diagonal 7-10 inches. The leaders became Asus Eee PC (2007) and Acer Aspire One (2008). They were worth $200–400, weighed about 1 kg and were intended for web surfing and office tasks. However, to 2012 The era of netbooks is over: they were replaced by tablets and inexpensive ultrabooks.

Check battery health (most old batteries are already “dead”)

Make sure you have the original power supply (it's almost impossible to replace it today)

Assess the condition of the screen (in the 1990s, fragile STN matrices)

Look for ports (eg SCSI or Parallel may be needed to connect older printers)-->

2010s - present: The era of transformers and gaming laptops

The last decade has been marked three key trends:

1. 2-in-1 (transformers): laptop/tablet hybrids, e.g. Microsoft Surface Pro (2012) or Lenovo Yoga (2013).
2. Gaming Laptops: powerful machines with video cards RTX 3080, for example, ASUS ROG Zephyrus or Alienware m17.
3. Ultrabooks with touch screens: Dell XPS 13 (2015) set a new standard for thin bezels (InfinityEdge).

Today laptops are divided into categories according to their purpose:

• 💼 Business: Lenovo ThinkPad, HP EliteBook (strength, safety).
• 🎮 Gaming: MSI Raider, Acer Predator (powerful cooling, high FPS).
• 🎨 For creativity: MacBook Pro, Microsoft Surface Book (color screens 4K, styluses).
• 💰 Budget: Acer Swift, HP Pavilion (price from $300).

⚠️ Attention: Modern gaming laptops often suffer from overheating due to powerful components in a compact package. If you are planning a purchase, pay attention to models with liquid metal thermal paste (For example, ASUS ROG Strix Scar) - they maintain performance longer.

Little-known facts about the history of laptops

There are many myths surrounding the first portable computers. Here are a few amazing factsthat few people know about:

• 📟 First laptop with modem: GRiD Compass 1101 (1982) had a built-in 1200 baud modem — it was used by the military and NASA to transmit data.
• 🚀 Laptop in space: IBM ThinkPad 750C became the first laptop in orbit - astronauts took it with them on the shuttle Endeavour in 1993.
• 💿 First laptop with DVD: Toshiba Satellite 250CDS (1996) had a built-in drive DVD-ROM one year before the standard is released DVD-Video!
• 🔒 Secret KGB laptop: In the USSR, a portable computer was developed in the 1980s Electronics MS 1504 for the military - it weighed 12 kg and worked on Soviet microcircuits.

Another interesting fact: the term "laptop" (laptop) officially appeared only in 1983when the company Gavilan Computer released Gavilan SC - the first computer that you could actually hold on your lap. Before this, all portable PCs were simply called portable computers.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about the history of laptops

🔍 Who is considered the “father” of the laptop?

Officially inventor of the first laptop computer admits William Moggridge (William Moggridge) - designer who developed GRiD Compass 1101 (1982) for company GRiD Systems. It was this computer that became the prototype of modern laptops: it had a folding design, an LCD screen and weighed “only” 5 kg. Mogridge later founded the studio IDEO, which designed the first ThinkPad for IBM.

💻 Why were the first laptops so heavy?

Main reasons:

• 🔋 Batteries: Nickel-cadmium batteries weighed several kilograms.
• 🖥️ Screens: first CRT monitors (as in IBM 5100) required massive electronics.
• 💾 Drives: Heavy floppy drives were used instead of SSDs.
• 🛡️ Housing: metal cases added weight for impact protection.

Only to 1990 engineers have learned to miniaturize components thanks to advances in microelectronics.

📉 Why did netbooks disappear from the market?

Netbooks (Asus Eee PC, Acer Aspire One) were popular in 2007–2010, but three factors killed them:

1. Tablets: iPad (2010) proposed similar touch-controlled mobility.
2. Ultrabooks: prices for thin laptops have dropped to $500–$700, making netbooks obsolete.
3. Performance: weak processors (Atom) could not cope with modern tasks.

The last mass-produced netbook - HP Mini 210 — came off the assembly line in 2012.

🔧 Is it possible today to assemble a working system based on a laptop from the 1990s?

Technically yes, but with reservations:

• ✅ For retro games: DOOM or Wolfenstein 3D will launch on IBM ThinkPad 760 (1996).
• ✅ For text: Word 97 works for Toshiba Satellite with Windows 95.
• ❌ For the Internet: modern sites will not open due to lack of support TLS 1.2+.
• ⚠️ Problems: find working batteries or hard drives IDE almost impossible.

For experiments it is easier to use emulators, for example, 86Box.

🚀 What laptops of the future are being developed today?

Manufacturers are working on:

• 🧠 Laptops with AI: Microsoft And Qualcomm testing models with neural processors for local processing of AI tasks (for example, Copilot+).
• 🔄 Self-healing screens: Lenovo patented the technology of self-regeneration of microcracks on OLED matrices.
• ☀️ Solar batteries: Samsung experiments with laptops that charge from light (prototype Samsung Notebook 9 Solar).
• 🔌 Portless Design: Apple may release MacBook without connectors - only with wireless charging and MagSafe.

It is expected that by 2030 laptops will become thinner 5 mm and will run on flexible processors.