I don't know, but my father's old DOS PC came in a flat AT case that the monitors could sit on top of and that always felt like a more efficient use of desk space than the ATX "tower" that came after it. I kind of wish I could find a desktop case like that in an ATX-standard for my Pentium 1 retro build with Windows 95. I'm just not willing to spend upwards of $80 on a case for this old system.

The closest system I can think of which I personally own would be a Toshiba T5200. It's a portable computer, which by its nature denotes small size. BUT, if you stretch your definitions, it might count, especially if you take these two factors about the T5200 into consideration:

-The built-in monitor is removable, allowing you to use it with an external VGA monitor much like a desktop computer

-The T5200 includes two ISA card slots, allowing a small degree of expandability using standard desktop computer expansion cards

Beyond that, only thing that pops to mind are the classic all-in-one Macintosh models, which technically were also marketed as semi-portable IIRC.

Baby AT desktop cases really were magnificent in their compactness, using a riser to allow for six expansion cards in a low profile form factor is something that was completely lost with the adoption of the ATX format (outside of the server market). Finding a small enclosure for a classic PC is especially difficult as most low-profile cases are designed for low-profile cards, not full-height vintage ones with a riser.

jarreboum wrote:

Baby AT desktop cases really were magnificent in their compactness, using a riser to allow for six expansion cards in a low profile form factor is something that was completely lost with the adoption of the ATX format (outside of the server market).

I think you're confusing it with LPX. Baby AT desktop cases don't use riser cards — they just use regular AT motherboards and cards are fitted vertically. They are more compact than tower AT but a bit taller than LPX.

Here's a desktop baby AT machine:

Here's an LPX machine

Also, I might be wrong, but LPX is not exactly a standard. You couldn't go to a shop, get an LPX motherboard, LPX case and an LPX PSU from different vendors. You would get it in a form of a branded computer without real upgrade options. The motherboards, riser cards and I/O shields would always differ slightly.

Of course, my bad. Yes, LPX cases are really something.

Back in the day of buying my first computer on my own, I had a Compaq Deskpro 486, almost identical to this one:

https://goo.gl/images/EY3yBb

Pretty compact for the time.

Most baby AT cases are pretty small. Usually a bit smaller then regular modern micro ATX cases

LPX is kinda interesting because while it was never a true standard that you could just buy a bunch of parts and build a system it does look like there is some campatibility/interoprability between the different manufacturers. I've often thought about trying to see if I can get an LPX case and motherboard and make a generic looking LPX system.

Just saw this on a local ads site.

jheronimus wrote:

Just saw this on a local ads site. […]
Show full quote

Just saw this on a local ads site.

Now I'm impressed!

When i was in school we used ELONEX WS-425X super slim 486SX desktops.
I secretly connected two machines with null-modem cable and used for playing F-29 Retaliator dog fights.

It is probably first Enery Star computer ever.
http://www.kompjutry.cz/soubory/pocitacezahra … nex_ws425x.html
http://cackler.rajce.idnes.cz/Elonex_WS-425X/

I used to own a Fujitsu/ICL ErgoPro C4/33 like this one:

I know Unisys sold some systems in the early 1990's that were small, the CWD series.

creepingnet wrote:

I know Unisys sold some systems in the early 1990's that were small, the CWD series.

I saw one of those systems up for sale locally a few months ago, but unfortunately it had already been sold to another person when I contacted the seller. It was tiny!

I also saw another ad for a very small desktop PC by Samsung which was either a 286 or 386 (don't remember) but I no longer remember the model name/number.

Olivetti PCS 11.

By the way I think Goupil was a French manufacturer right?

peklop wrote:

It is probably first Enery Star computer ever.

Apparently the first Energy Star computer was the IBM PS/2E. Another early one would be the Olivetti M6 400. Sadly I do not know when it was released, either 93 or early 94.

Only found out about this today
Restoring a 486 Computer-in-a-Keyboard

chinny22 wrote:

Only found out about this today
Restoring a 486 Computer-in-a-Keyboard

Wow! 😳

That would be amazing for lan parties! 🤣 It even has an expansion slot, so you can plug in a network card 😀

jheronimus wrote:

I think you're confusing it with LPX. Baby AT desktop cases don't use riser cards — they just use regular AT motherboards and cards are fitted vertically. They are more compact than tower AT but a bit taller than LPX.

If you want a system smaller than LPX but still with decent expansion options, Asus' NLX "standard" offers a small form factor case, enough room for a CD, hard disk and floppy drive + 2 expansion cards.

How retro are we talkin?
Get a Neoware Eon and you can pop in any half-length full height ISA sound card and it will function just fine as a Windows 98 DOS Machine.
I have a Neoware CA2, which is pretty similar and you can just BARELY squeeze a CT2260 Sound Blaster inside one if you shave off about 2mm from the back of the card. The only thing there is a trace for the Panasonic/Creative proprietary IDE connector.
http://www.parkytowers.me.uk/thin/neoware/Eon/index.shtml

It has a Geode GX1 Processor that can be configured down to 200mhz, and probably cache disabled by SetMul, and you can run DOS off a 64MB DIL Disk on Chip, and have a secondard PATA laptop hard drive installed (or a DOM flash disk).

It also has a ZIF socket for a slim floppy drive you could mount to the case externally, and since it's IDE compatible, You could also run a slave cable and some power out to an externally mounted CD Rom (or just use the USB 1.1 ports in Windows 98).
It cannot boot natively from USB though.

There's even a 5v and 12v power plug on the board, so you can make a molex connector for it.