Model MT33
The Leading Edge MT33, also known as the Leading Edge Model MT33 was a tower−configured computer offered by Leading Edge that featured a 386DX processor. The computer featured an all steel case with a plastic front trim for a more pleasing aesthetic. The more powerful 386DX processer allowed the machine to support greater amounts of RAM than Leading Edge's 386SX computers. Like so many Leading Edge product offerings, the Model MT33 was equipped with non−standard hardware configurations.
The MT33's motherboard was unusual even for its own time. The main board contained expected interfaces such as six 16−bit ISA slots, an IDE interface for the system's hard drive, floppy drive interface and rear I/O connections; but what set it apart was the single CPU card slot that interfaced with the CPU card that contained the CPU, RAM, and NPU (if equipped). The 386DX processer provided a 33MHz clock speed and could support up to 16MB of maximum onboard RAM. If not factory equipped, the computer was upgradeable with a 387DX NPU to handle math−heavy calculations for programs such as spreadsheets and computer aided design applications.
Other hardware found inside of the MT33 was an Oak Technology 256K VGA card and many storage options including: a hard drive, a 3.5" 1.44 MB floppy drive, and a quarter height 5.25" 1.20MB floppy drive. Factory configured computers only populated one of the six ISA slots with the VGA card, leaving plenty of room for upgrades or bringing forward older hardware.
Outside of the system, the computer is constructed using an all−steel chassis with a painted steel cover held to the chassis with six screws, two on the front of the cover's sides and four on the back of the computer. This all−steel construction made the system very heavy but extremely strong and durable. To account for the steel case's capability of marring table tops, the bottom was fitted with a plastic shoe of sorts containing four rubber feet. The front of the case was likewise fitted with a plastic trim to give the MT33 a pleasant design characteristic. The Model MT33 measured 16" long by 7.5" wide by 14.5" tall and weighed 28.6 pounds fully assembled.
Aesthetically, the outside of the MT33 was rather simply designed. The front beige−colored plastic trim sported a total of four buttons, one button on the quarter height 5.25" 1.20MB floppy drive, one on the 3.5" 1.44MB floppy drive, the power button, and very small reset button. The power and reset buttons were located toward the middle−right of the front plastic. Directly above these two buttons were three LED indicators: power, turbo, and hard drive activity. The lower half of the of the plastic front featured several vertical lines with the right side contained lines closer together and the left side had lines much farther apart, likely to make way for the Leading Edge Logo. Two 3.5" drive bays could be found directly above the Leading Edge logo. Only one bay was populated with the system's hard drive. The 3.5" floppy was located within one of the three 5.25" drive bays with a 3.5" to 5.25" adapter and bezel. One would have thought that Leading Edge would have populated the 3.5" floppy drive in one of the 3.5" bays since if would have saved money on manufacturing costs by having eliminated the need for a drive bay adapter and bezel. It may have been a design choice to keep both floppy drives together, with the 5.25" 1.20MB quarter height drive at the very top and the 3.5" 1.44MB drive directly below. The remaining 5.25" drive bay remained empty as factory configured. The computer's beige−painted steel cover was plain on both sides and the top with the only features breaking up the large flat surfaces being the case screws found on the front left and front right sides and 180 ventilation holes punched into the bottom of each side of the steel case cover's base.
