Supermini

A supermini is a class of minicomputer with high performance. The term was an invention used mainly to distinguish the emerging 32-bit minis from the classical 16-bit minicomputer. Reportedly coined by DEC at their VAX announcement in 1976, the term is now largely obsolete, but still remains of interest for students/researchers of computer history.

Significant superminis

• Norsk Data Nord-5, first supermini, 1972
• Norsk Data Nord-50, 1975
• DEC VAX, 1978
• Data General Eclipse MV/8000, 1980
• Norsk Data ND-500, 1981
• Norsk Data ND-570/CX, fastest supermini, 1983, at 7.1 Whetstone MIPS

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A supermini is also a class of car (see car classification).