---
title: Olivetti M24
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Professional Computer
origins:
- Italy
years:
- '1984'
cpus:
- Intel 8086
params:
  name: M24
  image: /media/museum/photos/olivetti_m24_1.jpg
  company: /companies/olivetti
  company_name: Olivetti
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: M24
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Olivetti
  - label: TYPE
    value: Professional Computer
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: Italy
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1984'
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: MS-DOS and GW-Basic delivered on disks
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: |-
      Separated full-stroke keyboard, 102 keys, numeric keypad, 18 function keys\
      A standard IBM keyboard (83 keys) was also proposed
  - label: CPU
    value: Intel 8086
  - label: SPEED
    value: 8 MHz
  - label: CO-PROCESSOR
    value: optional 8087 arithmetic co-processor, NEC 6845 video generator
  - label: RAM
    value: 128 Kb (up to 640 Kb)
  - label: VRAM
    value: 40 / 80 x 25
  - label: ROM
    value: 16 Kb
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 40 x 25, 80 x 25
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: 320 x 200 with 4 colors / 640 x 200 monochrom / 640 x 400 monochrom
  - label: COLORS
    value: '16'
  - label: SOUND
    value: Tone Generator
  - label: SIZE / WEIGHT
    value: 16 x 38 x 37 cm
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: Centronics, RS232c, mouse, keyboard
  - label: BUILT IN MEDIA
    value: One or Two 5.25'' disk-drives (360k or 720k), optional 10 Mb hard-disks
  - label: OS
    value: MS DOS 2.1, Concurrent CP/M 86, UCSD-P, PCOS
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: Built-in PSU, 135w
  - label: PERIPHERALS
    value: Hard-disk, IEEE 488, RS 422, RS 232, PC Net boards, IBM 3278 coaxial network board, mouse
  - label: PRICE
    value: |-
      2 disk-drives system : 3535 (France, 84)\
      color monitor, 10 Mb hard-disk : 8250 (France, 85)
  tabs:
  - photos
  - adverts
  forum_thread: 529
  photos:
  - title: M24 SP
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      The M24 SP is a "super" M24 system. Its 8086 CPU is running at 10 Mhz (instead of 8Mhz), it has 512k RAM and a 20Mb hard-disk.

      Note the front of the main case is slightly different.
    image: /media/museum/photos/olivetti_m24sp_1.jpg
  adverts:
  - title: US ADVERT, SEPTEMBER 1985
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/pubs/olivetti_m24_pub_s1.jpg
  - title: FRENCH ADVERT (1984)
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/pubs/olivetti_m24_pub_1.jpg
  - title: 'FRENCH ADVERT #2 (JUNE 1985)'
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/pubs/olivetti_pub_docile-compatibles_2.jpg
  oc_id: 535
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230610142244/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=535
    date: '2023-06-10'
---

This is a highly IBM PC compatible system. It means that it is truely hardware and sotfware compatible with the IBM PC of that time. Back then, all "PC compatible" systems were not exactly 100% compatible... so it was a real marketing argument for the Olivetti M24.\
There were two true tests to know if a system was really IBM PC compatible : Lotus 1-2-3 and Microsoft Flight Simulator, and the M-24 was running both with no problem.

But in addition to its good compatibility, the Olivetti M24 was offering more than the IBM PC itself : RS232c and Centronics interface built-in, more complete keyboard, better graphic possibilities (640 x 400) and 7 free expansion slots (instead of 3 for the IBM PC). Even the CPU (8086, real 16-bit) was faster than the 8088 (16-bit with an 8-bit bus) used by the IBM PC.

It runs under MS-DOS 2.11, CP/M 86, UCSD P-System and even PCOS, the Olivetti OS used on the M20.\
The 128k RAM can be expanded to 256k or 640k by adding memory directly onboard. It is also possible to connect two optional 10 Mb hard disks (one internal and one external).\
The Olivetti M24 was sold with a green or yellow phosphore 12" monochrome monitor, or with a color monitor (more expensive, of course). Two keyboards were available : one absolutly identical to the IBM PC's, and an Olivetti with more keys (102 instead of 83) including 18 functions keys and a complete editing keypad.

In September 85 appears a new model, the **M24 SP**. It is based on a M24 but its Intel 8086 is running at 10 Mhz, it has 512k RAM (still upgradable to 640k) and a 20Mb hard-disk.

Conclusion : the Olivetti M24 was the first computer to be fully compatible with the IBM PC and to offer more features than original PC, for a cheaper price !

The Olivetti M24 was also sold as the [Logabax 1600](/museum/logabax-persona-1600/) in France (Olivetti owned Logabax) and the [ATT PC-6300](/museum/att-pc-6300/)in the USA (Olivetti signed a distribution deal with ATT). As Olivetti was not entirely satisfied with the ATT deal, it also approached Xerox to distribute its computers in the USA.