SPARCstation ZX (Sun 4/30)
Gallery
Image of OSfOM.org Collection's SPARCstation ZX (Sun 4/30).
Technical Specifications
| Model: | SPARCstation ZX (Sun 4/30) |
|---|---|
| Codename: Platform: |
Sunergy sun4m |
| Processor: Math Copro: |
microSPARC (in CPU) |
| Clock Speed: | 50MHz |
| RAM: | max. 96MB |
| Graphics: | Sun ZX ("Leo") |
| Operating System: | |
| Introduced: | August 1993 |
| Dealer price (net): | 44.390DM (32MB RAM, 1.05 GB HD) (Dec. 1993) |
The SPARCstation ZX: Graphics Power in a Lunchbox
Sun Microsystems introduced the SPARCstation ZX in August 1993 as part of its "Sunergy" line alongside the SPARCclassic and LX. The machine targeted 3D graphics users who wanted a compact desktop footprint. It was essentially an LX workstation fitted with a dedicated 3D graphics card, retaining the same 50 MHz microSPARC I processor and "lunchbox" chassis.
The primary addition was the Sun ZX framebuffer card, code-named "Leo." This double-width SBus card provided 24-bit color and hardware 3D acceleration for tasks such as mechanical CAD, scientific visualization, and animation. Within Sun's compact lineup, the ZX sat above the standard LX; it offered more capability than the LX's 2D CG6 framebuffer without requiring the larger chassis or higher performance of the multiprocessing SPARCstation 10 or 20.
The workstation ran Solaris and used the broader SPARC software library. Sun ended production in March 1994.