Mindset (computer)
| Developer | Mindset Corporation |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Mindset Corporation |
| Type | Personal computer |
| Release date | 2 May 1984 |
| Lifespan | 1985 |
| Introductory price | US$1,798 (equivalent to $5,400 in 2024) |
| Operating system | MS-DOS |
| CPU | Intel 80186 @ 6 MHz |
| Memory | 32 KB, 128 KB, or 256 KB RAM 32 KB VRAM 32 KB ROM |
| Removable storage | Cartridges |
| Display | Composite, RGB |
| Graphics | Custom VLSI 320×200 with 16 colors 640×400 with 2 colors 512 color palette |
The Mindset is an Intel 80186-based MS-DOS personal computer. It was developed by the Mindset Corporation and released in spring 1984. Unlike other IBM PC compatibles of the time, it has custom graphics hardware supporting a 320×200 resolution with 16 simultaneous colors (chosen from a 512-shade palette) and hardware-accelerated drawing capabilities, including a blitter, allowing it to update the screen 50 times as fast as an IBM standard color graphics adapter. The basic unit was priced at US$1,798 (equivalent to $5,440 in 2024). It is conceptually similar to the more successful Amiga released over a year later. Key engineers of both the Amiga and Mindset were ex-Atari, Inc. employees.
The system didn't sell well and was only on the market for about a year. This was lamented by industry commenters, who saw compatibility taking precedence over innovation. Its distinctive case remains in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York.