---
title: Kaypro 10
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Transportable
origins:
- U.S.A.
years:
- '1983'
cpus:
- Z80A
params:
  name: Kaypro 10
  image: /media/museum/photos/kaypro_10_system_1.jpg
  company: /companies/kaypro
  company_name: Kaypro
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: Kaypro 10
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Kaypro
  - label: TYPE
    value: Transportable
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: U.S.A.
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1983'
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: Detachable, 72 key typewriter style keyboard with 18 programmable keys.
  - label: CPU
    value: Z80A
  - label: SPEED
    value: 4 MHz
  - label: RAM
    value: 64 KB
  - label: VRAM
    value: 4 KB
  - label: ROM
    value: 2 KB
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 80 x 25
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: 160 x 100
  - label: COLORS
    value: built-in 9'' non-glare green phosphor screen
  - label: SOUND
    value: Unknown
  - label: SIZE / WEIGHT
    value: 450 x 200 x 385 mm / 12.5 Kg
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: One Centronics-type parallel port, two RS232C serial ports
  - label: BUILT IN MEDIA
    value: One 5.25'' floppy disk drive (double-density, double sided, 390 KB) + optional 10 MB hard-disk
  - label: OS
    value: CP/M, ZCPR (enhanced CP/M)
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: Built-in PSU
  - label: PRICE
    value: $2795
  tabs:
  - photos
  - adverts
  - links
  - docs
  forum_thread: 160
  photos:
  - title: KAYPRO 10
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/kaypro_10_system_2.jpg
  - title: KAYPRO 10
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/kaypro_k10_4.jpg
  - title: BACK
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      From left to right :\
      \- on/off switch (black) and fuse,\
      \- Reset button (red),\
      \- Parallel printer output,\
      \- Serial printer output,\
      \- Modem,\
      \- Contrast knob.
    image: /media/museum/photos/kaypro_k10_back_1.jpg
  - title: D. A. KAY
    subtitle: ''
    text: The "father" of the Kaypros, is proud of this Kaypro 10.
    image: /media/museum/photos/kaypro_da-kay.jpg
  adverts:
  - title: 84'S PARIS-DAKAR RACE
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      A KAYPRO IV IN ACTION SOMEWHERE IN AFRICA

      8 Kaypro IV and 2 Kaypro 10 were used by the doctors of the Paris-Dakar race 84's edition. The Kaypro IVs were used to store medical information about the 1000 participants. Power was provided by the Mercedes cars through the 12v cigarette lighters. The Kaypro 10s were kept in the "communication" plane during the day, and were used to centralize all the informations in the evening. At the end of the race, and after 12000 km of tracks, there were all running fine ! One of the Kaypro 10 is said to have been thrown out of the plane, mistaken with a common metallic tool box... And it still worked !
    image: /media/museum/pubs/kaypro_paris-dakar_2.jpg
  - title: FRENCH ADVERT (1984)
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      "Kaypro, it runs" !

      "Kaypro, the computer which can be carried away"

      "Elected Transportable Computer of the year"
    image: /media/museum/pubs/kaypro_pub_camarche.gif
  links:
  - title: Web Wiz CAPTCHA
    url: http://www.webwizcaptcha.com
    text: ''
  docs:
  - title: KAYPRO TECHNICAL MANUAL
    url: null
    cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/kaypro_technical_manual.jpg
    text: |-
      **KAYPRO TECHNICAL MANUAL**\
      written by Kaypro

       compiled/archived by Unknown\
       type of document : Online reader

      **... READ THE ONLINE VERSION BY CLICKING BELOW :**
  related:
  - /museum/kaypro-1
  - /museum/kaypro-2x
  - /museum/kaypro-4
  - /museum/kaypro-ii
  - /museum/kaypro-iv
  - /museum/kaypro-robie
  oc_id: 148
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230413211536/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=148
    date: '2023-04-13'
---

The Kaypro 10 was a well known CP/M computer. It is one of the last portable under CP/M. Non Linear Systems had already changed their name to Kaypro when this PC shipped. The company changed its name in 82 and the K10 came out in 83.

There were two versions, including one with a real-time clock (National MM58167 chip) and a built-in modem (300 baud, Belle System 103 compatibility, uses Texas Instruments TMS-99531/TMS-99532).

The Kaypro 10 was supplied with a lot of great programs: CP/M 80, the Perfect software suite (Perfect Writer, Perfect Calc, Perfect Filer), WordStar (word processor), dBase II (database), Superterm (terminal emulator) and two BASICs (Microsoft's BASIC and SBASIC, which was a compiler version written by Gilbert, the head of Kaypro's software engineering.).

The great success of the Kaypro 10 led "Non Linear Systems" to change their name officially to Kaypro in 1982. The Non-Linear part continued making test equipment.

---

**Igor Pronin** reports :\
As a proud owner of K10 I have to back Rick Barlett: it was good design and the price was right. I paid about 20000 FIM (roughly 6500 USD then, which was about my 2 months salary as a software programmer) when I bought one (with 10 MegaByte hard disk) back in 1983. It still is in my garage.

**Darrell Pittman** reports :\
It was the first luggable that had a built-in, shock-mounted hard disk. I once read a story about a guy who took one out to an oil-drilling site, left it on the ground and a pickup truck ran over it, and it still ran!

DOS versions by **Gene Crick**:\
Although the Kaypro II was a CPM machine, at least some Kaypro 10s ran DOS. I know as I have two of them. Was there a midstream change from CPM to DOS?