The Personal System/2 or PS/2 is IBM's second generation of
personal computer
A personal computer (PC) is a multi-purpose microcomputer whose size, capabilities, and price make it feasible for individual use. Personal computers are intended to be operated directly by an end user, rather than by a computer expert or tec ...
s. Released in 1987, it officially replaced the IBM PC, XT, AT, and PC Convertible in IBM's lineup. Many of the PS/2's innovations, such as the
16550 UART
The 16550 UART ( universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter) is an integrated circuit designed for implementing the interface for serial communications. The corrected -A version was released in 1987 by National Semiconductor. It is frequent ...
(serial port), 1440 KB 3.5-inch floppy disk format, 72-pin
SIMM
A SIMM (single in-line memory module) is a type of memory module containing random-access memory used in computers from the early 1980s to the early 2000s. It differs from a dual in-line memory module (DIMM), the most predominant form of memory ...
s, the
PS/2 port
The PS/2 port is a 6-pin mini-DIN connector used for connecting keyboards and mice to a PC compatible computer system. Its name comes from the IBM Personal System/2 series of personal computers, with which it was introduced in 1987. The PS/2 m ...
, and the VGA video standard, went on to become standards in the broader PC market.
The PS/2 line was created by IBM partly in an attempt to recapture control of the PC market by introducing the advanced yet