---
title: DULMONT Magnum
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Portable
origins:
- Australia
years:
- '1984'
cpus:
- Intel 80186
params:
  name: Magnum
  image: /media/museum/photos/dulmont_magnum_system_1.jpg
  company: /companies/dulmont
  company_name: DULMONT
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: Magnum
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Dulmont
  - label: TYPE
    value: Portable
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: Australia
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1984'
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: No language but a software package
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: Full-stroke 76 keys with function and arrows keys
  - label: CPU
    value: Intel 80186
  - label: SPEED
    value: Unknown
  - label: RAM
    value: 96 KB up to 384 KB
  - label: ROM
    value: 128 KB up to 384 KB
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 40-80 characters x 8 lines
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: Unknown
  - label: COLORS
    value: Monochrome
  - label: SOUND
    value: Internal speaker
  - label: SIZE / WEIGHT
    value: 32(W) x 27,5(D) x 5,5(H) cm. / 4.8 Kg
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: 2 x ROM cartridges, 2 x Serial, Parallel, Composite video, Expansion port
  - label: BUILT IN MEDIA
    value: C-MOS battery-backup RAM
  - label: OS
    value: MS-DOS
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: External power supply unit, Ni-Cad battery
  - label: PERIPHERALS
    value: 2 x 5.25'' 360 KB F.D. unit
  - label: PRICE
    value: Unknown
  forum_thread: 745
  oc_id: 764
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230329003534/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=764
    date: '2023-03-29'
---

Like the [HP-110](/museum/hewlett-packard-hp-110/) or the Sharp [PC-5000](/museum/sharp-pc-5000/), the Dulmont Magnum belongs to the first family of notebook computers with LCD screen (not yet back-lighted). Moreover, it was the first computer conceived and manufactured in Australia. It was also called **Kookaburra** (an Australian bird) for some export markets.

The Magnum was a PC-compatible system featuring an Intel 80186 processor, 96 KB of RAM, an 8 line LCD screen and several management software in ROM: word processor, spreadsheet, telecommunication, file manager, and appointment. Additional ROM software could be added thanks to two 128 KB cartridge slots. A rechargeable Ni-Cad battery pack allowed ten to twelve hours of continuous use, and a lithium battery kept the content of the RAM memory when the system was turned off.

Due to various RAM/ROM configurations in the system, the drive letters assignation was specific to the Dulmont: drive A corresponded to the software in ROM, drives B and C, to each optional ROM expansion, D to the internal C-MOS RAM, E and F to the external floppy disc drives.

---

**Chris Todter** adds:\
I was the engineering manager for this project. Most of the information is accurate, although it actually came out about 2 years earlier, and definitely pre-dated the [Sharp 5000](/museum/sharp-pc-5000/), and the [HP-110](/museum/hewlett-packard-hp-110/).\
The speed got up to 8MHz, and the display was up to 40 lines by the time the company folded. It also contained patented power saving features whereby it would put the processor to sleep between keystrokes.