Tech District · VIDEO ESSAY

The Rise and Fall of IBM PS/2, the Computer That Tried to Take the PC Standard Back From the Clones

IBM launched the PS/2 in 1987 with an ambitious goal: regain control of the PC standard it had helped create. With new technologies like Micro Channel Architecture, VGA graphics, 3.5-inch floppy drives, and the now-famous PS/2 keyboard and mouse ports, IBM tried to push the industry in a new direction. But PC clone makers had already changed the market. In this video, we explore how IBM’s attempt to take back control of the personal computer ecosystem ultimately backfired, why manufacturers resisted its new standards, and how the PS/2 became an important but costly turning point in PC history.