AST Research

Introduction

AST started out making add-in boards for the IBM PC in the very early days. The started to build their own PCs in 1986, with their key message against their competitors being exceptional value for money. By 1989 they were the 3rd largest PC manufacturer in the world, behind IBM and Compaq.

In 1997 AST were bought by Samsung, but their new owner failed to make AST a profitable brand so it was shut down in 1999.

Bravo

 

 

 

 

 

Bravo/286

Bravo/286 came with 4 MB RAM, MS-DOS 6.22, Kyocera KC-40GA hard disk, both 1.2 and 1.44 MB floppy drives, and video was Lava Computers Moko L39.1.

 

 

 

Premium/286

The Premium/286 desktop computer had these specifications:

Intel 80286 CPU running at 10 MHz
512 KB or 1 MB RAM (expandable up to 13 MB RAM)
EGA card (backward compatible with CGA)
20, 40 or 70 MB hard disk
1.2 MB floppy drive
1 x RS232C serial port, 1 Centronics parallel port
MS-DOS 3.1

The Premium/286 models available were:
Model 80: 512 KB RAM, 1.2 MB floppy drive.
Model 90: 1 MB RAM, 1.2 MB floppy drive.
Model 120: 1 MB RAM, 1.2 MB floppy drive, 20 MB 55ms hard disk (£1,995 in 1987)
Model 140: 1 MB RAM, 1.2 MB floppy drive, 40 MB 36ms hard disk (£2,195 in 1987).
Model 170: 1 MB RAM, 1.2 MB floppy drive, 70 MB hard disk.
Model 180: 1 MB RAM, 1.2 MB floppy drive, 80 MB hard disk (£2,595 in 1987)

A special model "5250" of the Premium/286 was also sold which included a twinax or SNA/SDLC 1200/9600 bps modem. These were used as terminals connected with IBM 34/36/38.

The EGA card shipped with these with the Video7 Vega Deluxe, which supported EGA, CGA and Hercules monochrome modes.

Click here for the brochure.

 

 

Advantage

 

 

 

 

Premium/386 and Premium/386C

Specifications of the Premium 386/33:
Intel 80386 @ 20 MHz and 33 MHz
1 or 2 MB RAM (expandable to 36 MB)
110 MB or 320 MB hard disk
VGA graphics card offering 720 x 480 resolution
1.2 MB floppy drive.
2 x RS232C serial port, 1 Centronics parallel port
MS-DOS

The Premium/386 models available were:
Model 5: 2 MB RAM, 1.2 MB floppy drive.
Model 105: 1 MB RAM, 1.2 MB floppy drive, 110 MB hard disk.
Model 325: 1 MB RAM, 1.2 MB floppy drive, 320 MB hard disk.

Click here for the brochure.

 

Bravo/386SX (Model 45W)

4 MB RAM, IDE Quantum 43 Mb hard disk, 1.2 and 1.44 MB floppy drives, API-9043 power supply, and Diamond Speedstar 24X ISA graphics card.

 

Bravo 486

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Bravo EL5166M

The Bravo EL 5166M (Model 1200W/95) came with a 166 MHz Pentium/MMX with 256 KB level 2 cache onboard, 16 MB RAM, 1.2 GB hard disk, 1.44 MB floppy drive and a mouse. Windows 95 was bundled along with a Windows 95 keyboard.

 

 

Bravo 4/25s and 4/33s

Launched in 1992, the 4/33s came with a 486SX-33 CPU, from 1 MB up to 32 MB of RAM, 120 MB hard disk, and 1.44 MB floppy drive.

Bravo II

The Bravo II was introduced in the late 1980s and came with an Intel 80386SX microprocessor. The motherboard had integrated video and floppy & hard disk controllers.

Bravo MS-series and MS-T series

The MS series was a range of desktop computers launched in...

Example models: Bravo MS P100

Intel Pentium 75 MHz up to 133 MHz CPU (MS-series)

8 to 16 MB RAM
850 MB, 1.2 GB or 1.6 GB hard drive
CD-ROM drive
1.44 MB floppy drive
3 ISA slots, 1 PCI slot
2 RS232C serial ports, 1 Centronics parallel port, 1 PS/2 mouse port
1280 x 1024 x 64K colour graphics card
MS-DOS 6.22, Windows 3.11 or Windows 95

Click here for the brochure.

The MS-T series was similar, but CPU options were Intel Pentium 100 MHz up to 133 MHz CPU

 

 

 

 

Bravo LC-series

The LC series was a range of desktop computers launched in...

Example models: Bravo LC ####

Cyrix P100 CPU
8 to 16 MB RAM
420 MB to 850 MB hard drive
1.44 MB floppy drive
3 ISA slots, 2 PCI slots
2 RS232C serial ports, 1 Centronics parallel port, 1 PS/2 mouse port
1280 x 1024 256 colour graphics card
MS-DOS 6.22, Windows 3.11 or Windows 95

Click here for the brochure.

 

Manhattan G

The Manhattan G-series came with the following specs:

Intel Pentium 60 - 90 MHz
16 - 128 MB RAM
1024 x 768 graphics
1.44 MB 3.5" floppy drive
4 ISA slots, 3 PCI slots
2 RS232C serial ports, 1 Centronics parallel port, 1 PS/2 mouse port
SCSI controller

Click here for the brochure.

 

Premmia GX

The Premmia GX-series came with the following specs:

Intel Pentium 100 - 133 MHz
up to 192 MB RAM
1600 x 1200 graphics (24-bit colour)
1.6 GB or 2.0 GB hard disk
1.44 MB 3.5" floppy drive
5 EISA slots, 2 PCI slots
2 RS232C serial ports, 1 Centronics parallel port, 1 PS/2 mouse port
Windows NT 3.51 or Windows 95

Click here for the brochure.