Sun Ultra 5
Gallery
Image taken from product brochure - ©Sun
Technical Specifications
| Model: | Sun Ultra 5 |
|---|---|
| Codename: Platform: |
Otter (A21) sun4u |
| Processor: Math Copro: |
UltraSPARC IIi (in CPU) |
| Clock Speed: | 270, 333, 360, 400MHz |
| RAM: | |
| Graphics: | |
| Operating System: | |
| Introduced: | January 1998 |
| Dealer price (net): |
The Sun Ultra 5: The Affordable UltraSPARC Desktop
Sun Microsystems introduced the Ultra 5 (code-named "Otter") in January 1998 as an entry-level workstation. Positioned as a lower-cost 64-bit Unix desktop, it succeeded the earlier SPARCstation Classic and LX.
The system was powered by the UltraSPARC IIi, an integrated version of the UltraSPARC II designed for budget systems, with clock speeds ranging from 270 MHz to 400 MHz. To reduce costs, Sun used PC-style commodity parts and replaced the SCSI hard drives standard on earlier workstations with IDE drives. While these choices lowered the entry price, they drew criticism from some traditional Sun users.
Expansion shifted from the proprietary SBus to industry-standard PCI slots. The workstation ran the 64-bit release of Solaris and had access to its software ecosystem. Because it lacked the higher-end graphics options available on systems like the Ultra 10 and Ultra 60, Sun aimed the machine at general office work, software development, and internet access.
Alongside the more expandable Ultra 10, the Ultra 5 was a commercial success. Its lower price and the stability of Solaris expanded adoption of Sun's 64-bit architecture among small businesses and educational institutions.