IBM released the IBM Personal Computer in 1981. The original machine, officially designated the IBM 5150, was introduced on August 12, 1981.
The IBM PC was developed by a team led by William C. Lowe and Philip Don Estridge in Boca Raton, Florida. IBM used an open architecture and widely available components, including Intel’s 8088 processor, rather than building every part in-house. That decision made it easier for outside companies to create compatible software, expansion cards, and peripherals.
The machine helped establish the hardware and software conventions associated with the modern PC industry. IBM supplied PC DOS through Microsoft, while the system could be configured with options such as monochrome or color graphics. Apple was an important competitor, but it did not release the IBM PC; Dell and Compaq later produced computers, with Compaq becoming especially influential in the IBM-compatible market.