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Toshiba Satellite Pro 400 (1995)

400CS · 400CDT · 1995–1996 · laptop

Specifications

Cpu: Intel Pentium, 75 MHz (soldered TCP package), 64 KB L1 cache
Ram: max: 40 MB via proprietary memory expansion module · base: 8 MB (400CS) or 16 MB (400CDT) EDO DRAM, non-removable
Ports: Parallel (Centronics) · Serial (RS-232C) · VGA output · PS/2 (keyboard/mouse) · Docking/port replicator connector · External floppy drive port · Audio line-in/line-out · Microphone input · Infrared (IrDA)
Battery: Removable lithium-ion main battery, roughly 2 to 3 hours typical; separate internal NiMH backup cells for CMOS and hibernation, notorious for leaking with age
Display: 10.4" display, 640x480: passive matrix color (STN) on the 400CS, active matrix color (TFT) on the 400CDT; Chips and Technologies 65546 graphics with 1 MB VRAM
Storage: base: 2.5" IDE hard drive, 810 MB standard · options: Larger IDE drives up to the interface's practical limit via later replacement · 3.5" 1.44 MB floppy in the modular expansion bay · Optional Toshiba XM-1202B 5.25" 4x CD-ROM in the expansion bay
Weight: 3.2 kg
Os Support: latest: Windows 95 (community-confirmed upgrade path on period drivers) · shipped: MS-DOS 6.22 with Windows for Workgroups 3.11
Release Price: $3,299 (400CS)

Variants

Models

400CSPassive matrix (STN) screen, 8 MB base RAM, the cheaper of the pair.

400CDTActive matrix (TFT) screen with sharper contrast and less ghosting, 16 MB base RAM, higher launch price.

Upgrade paths

RAM

40 MB via Toshiba's proprietary memory expansion module · Base memory is soldered to the board; the single expansion slot takes only Toshiba's own module, no generic SO-DIMM substitute existed at the time.

~$200 for a period 32 MB module

MODERATE

storage

Replacement 2.5" IDE hard drive up to a few GB, limited by period BIOS geometry translation · Standard 2.5" IDE bay, no caddy or adapter needed; the practical ceiling is whatever the BIOS's LBA/CHS translation will address, not the interface itself.

~$50-$150 for a used period-correct IDE drive today

MODERATE

other

Swap the modular expansion bay module between floppy drive, CD-ROM, secondary hard drive, or secondary battery · The bay is hot-swappable in most configurations, a genuinely flexible feature for 1995 and one many contemporaries lacked.

EASY

battery

Replacement lithium-ion main battery pack · The internal NiMH backup cells are soldered and prone to leaking after 30 years; removing them is a common preservation step, but doing so kills CMOS/hibernation memory retention.

~$40-$80 for a NOS or rebuilt pack

MODERATE