Laser 128 | 1988
Laser 128
The Laser 128 is an Apple II clone released by VTech in 1986, comparable to the Apple IIe and Apple IIc. This computer has 128KB of RAM and, like the Apple IIc, features a one-piece, semi-portable design with a carrying handle and a built-in 5¼-inch floppy disk drive. It uses the 65C02 microprocessor and supports Apple II graphics. Unlike the Apple IIc, it has a numeric keypad, Centronics printer port, and 128KB of dedicated video RAM. The 15-pin D-sub digital video port is compatible with the Apple IIc's flat panel display, but the Laser 128’s port is also compatible with the RGBI interface via an adapter cable. The original model had a proprietary 560x384 video mode, which was removed in later models.
The Laser 128 features a single expansion slot for Apple II peripheral cards, providing better expandability than the IIc. However, the slot is exposed, and an $80 expansion chassis with two slots for the Apple IIe's Slot 5 and Slot 7 is required. The computer also has an internal memory-expansion slot that can accommodate a card for up to 1MB of additional RAM, which can be used as a RAM disk. The Laser 128EX and 128EX/2, which also support 1MB of memory expansion, come with the memory expansion card built in.
The Laser 128 was released in 1986, featuring a 1MHz CPU and a 5¼-inch floppy drive, and was priced at $479. The Laser 128EX, with a 3.6MHz CPU, was released in 1987 and priced at $499. The Laser 128EX/2, released in 1988, came with a 3.5-inch floppy drive and was priced at $549, with a $499 version available with a 5¼-inch drive.
Announced in early 1986, the Laser 128 was sold by VTech in the U.S. at a price of $479, while Central Point Software sold it by mail for $395. This was considerably cheaper compared to the Apple IIe, which sold for $945 in April 1986. Apple, which had already sued VTech over the Laser 3000, filed a lawsuit to stop the Laser 128's distribution, but VTech was able to secure U.S. Customs approval to export the Laser 128 in 1986. The lawsuit reportedly did not affect demand for the computer. Central Point, the leading retailer, advertised the Laser 128 and its accessories, stating that "a computer without expansion slots is a dead-end that stays behind as technology advances." The name was chosen to sound like the Commodore 128, and the company targeted those who wanted to use the large Apple software library at a price similar to the Commodore. By the end of 1986, other mail-order firms were selling the Laser 128, and at least one peripheral manufacturer advertised compatibility with the clone.
By 1988, VTech had acquired a majority share in Central Point Software and formed Laser Computer, Inc. as a subsidiary. Central Point then ended its mail-order sales of the Laser 128 and began selling it exclusively through dealers such as Sears. In 1988, inCider magazine wrote that the Laser 128 had "won a place in the Apple market" and "irritated Apple in the process." VTech later released the Laser 128EX in 1987 with a 3.6MHz CPU, followed by the $549 Laser 128EX/2 in mid-1988 with a 3.5-inch disk drive and MIDI port. Apple soon released the Apple IIc Plus.
While Apple II clones from Franklin were discontinued after the Apple Computer, Inc. v. Franklin Computer Corp. (1983) lawsuit, VTech reverse-engineered the Apple Monitor ROM using a clean room design, rather than copying it, and licensed a Microsoft BASIC-compatible version of Applesoft BASIC. Apple studied the Laser 128 but was unable to force it off the market.
Despite its physical resemblance to the IIc, the Laser 128 is seen as an enhanced Apple IIe, with 128KB of RAM and an Extended 80-Column Text Card. Apple had stated in 1984 that the IIc was compatible with 90% of all Apple II software. In 1986, Central Point tested the Laser 128 and found that it ran all but a few titles, including Choplifter, David's Midnight Magic, and Serpentine, due to copy protection. "We think it's safe to say that the latest and best software is 90% likely to run on the Laser 128," InfoWorld wrote in 1986. Software that ran on the Laser 128 included AppleWorks, Quicken, Apple Writer, VisiCalc, Flight Simulator II, The Print Shop, and Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?, sometimes with slightly different colors. About 12% of the 129 tested software packages were incompatible, mostly educational software or games. While incompatible with some hardware, the magazine noted that the expansion slot and parallel port allowed the Laser 128 to use products incompatible with the IIc. InCider called the computer "amazingly Apple-compatible," estimating 95% compatibility. Programs like F-15 Strike Eagle, Fantavision, WordPerfect, and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy ran successfully on the Laser 128, and the magazine noted that upgrading ROM chips for better compatibility was easy. A+ also found that the Laser 128 was compatible with 28 of 30 popular Apple II programs, while only about half worked with the Franklin Ace. BYTE reported that expansion cards worked properly but that software compatibility was "mixed," with "graphics programs showing flaws" compared to the Apple IIc and II+. The Laser 128’s popularity meant that major software companies tested their software on it alongside Apple hardware.
Licensing BASIC allowed VTech to avoid reimplementing a large portion of the Apple II's ROM. Applesoft BASIC was the largest and most complex part of the Apple II's ROM contents. Microsoft made most of its revenue by retaining the rights to the software it sold, meaning VTech could legally license it. Much Apple software relied on machine code routines in BASIC ROM.
InfoWorld in May 1986 noted that "we can see why" Apple opposed the Laser 128’s importation. It stated that other than the keyboard feel, the Laser 128’s external features (expansion slot, numeric keypad, and Centronics port) improved upon the IIc, and at a price less than half that of the IIc, it was "a real bargain." inCider in December 1986 said that "the Laser 128 deserves a look from anyone considering a Commodore" and noted its "remarkable compatibility and competent performance." BYTE in January 1987 preferred the Laser 128’s keyboard, including the keypad and cursor keys’ positions, over the Apple IIc's and praised the quality of the documentation. Despite some software compatibility issues, BYTE concluded that its low price made the Laser 128 "perfect for someone looking for a second computer or an inexpensive first computer that runs the largest pool of software available today."
inCider in November 1988 stated that the Laser 128EX/2 "has everything you can possibly put into an 8-bit Apple II." It concluded that while the IIc Plus was faster (4 MHz vs. 3.6 MHz), the 128EX/2 offered better expandability, making it a great choice for AppleWorks users, and that the 5¼-inch version of the EX/2, or the older EX, might be the best choice for bargain hunters.
