Clevo / Kapok / Sager 8500 series
| 8500 | 8500M | 8500P | 8500C | 8500V | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Pentium MMX 166-266 | Intel MMC-1 modules | Intel MMC-2 modules (66MHz bus) | Socket 370 / Celeron | Socket 370 / Pentium III |
| RAM | EDO / SDRAM 128MB | EDO / SDRAM 2x SODIMM, 256MB | SDRAM, 3x SODIMM, 256MB | SDRAM, 3x SODIMM, 384MB | PC100/133 SODIMM, 512MB |
| LCD | 13“, 14”, 15“, Active/Passive, 1024×768 | 13”, 14“, 15”, Active/Passive, 1024×768 | 15“ Active 1024×768 | 15” Active 1024×768 | 15“ Active, 1024×768 / 1400×1050 |
| VGA | C&T 65555 4MB | S3 Virge/MX 4MB | ATI Rage LT Pro 8MB | ATI Rage LT Pro 8MB | ATI Rage Mobility 128 16MB |
| Audio | ESS Audiodrive 1879 | ESS Audiodrive 1879 | ESS Audiodrive 1879 | ESS 1878S Maestro-2E | ESS Allegro |
Note: System specs taken from https://macdat.net/laptops/kapok/8000.html
Of the possible models, the best ones for DOS gaming are the 8500, 8500M and 8500P (as they all have excellent ESS Audiodrive chips) - with the 8500P being the most powerful and having (arguably) the best support for multiple video modes via the 'ratiometric' screen scaling of the ATI Rage LT Pro chip; the C&T offers toggleable scaling, and the S3 Virge is noted as not having settings to change scaling modes (beyond BIOS on/off). The 8500C and 8500V, whilst having faster processors and better video (in the case of the 8500V), don't have anywhere near as compatible/quality sounding audio.
Put simply; the 8500P is the best of the bunch if you want to run DOS games natively.
Notice!
It seems that not all 8500p models are the same. One of the first machines I sought out was indeed an 8500p, but on arrival it was equipped with the ESS 1878S Maestro-2E; a far inferior chip for DOS gaming purposes.
First machine, 8500c
The first Kapok machine I was able to find was an 8500c.
Although this is not the ideal machine (it uses the awful ESS Maestro-2 audio, which is not entirely DOS compatible and awful FM Music output) it was in pretty good condition, no damage, and with all removeable drives, caddies and covers intact and in place. The bulk of the machine (minus motherboard) is shared with the other 8500 models, so is an ideal source of parts or to be converted into one of the other models.
Faults
Whilst not a fault with the machine as such, this laptop was found without a power supply, so that is something I need to source.
Secondly, the laptop suffered substantial damage during shipping, arriving with the rear corner of the case entirely shattered into fragments:
This is far worse than not having a power supply, and I'm uncertain if this can be repaired at all. I'll need to disassemble the entire machine and see if it is possible to use the fragments to put the pieces back in place. If all the bits are there, then it might be possible to use two-part epoxy to 'glue' the corner back together, though it may need reinforcement.
Replacement Power Supply
The Kapok 8500 series uses the following power supply:
Ilan Elec. Ltd F1900 20v, 3.25A, 65W
Unfortunately, it's not as simple as finding a power supply with the correct voltage and amperage… the connector is an unusual 4-pin, square type, not a barrel jack, and it supplies both a power voltage, and a different voltage to charge the battery.
Second machine, 8500p
What I thought was the perfect model showed up:
Alas, when I opened the case to investigate, I found this looking back at me:
That's an ESS 1878S Maestro-2E. One of the later ESS chips without any actual FM hardware, and a far inferior chip for anyone who wants to play DOS games. Not what I was expecting.