AST notebooks continue to receive rave reviews from top industry magazines; PC Magazine, Windows Magazine and Home Office Computing pick AST Ascentia notebooks as best in their class.

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 4, 1995--AST Computer's price/performance leadership has once again been validated, as the company receives more honors for its line of Ascentia notebook computers from top industry trade magazines.

PC Magazine honored the AST Ascentia 800N with its coveted Editors' Choice for value notebooks, while Windows Magazine and Home Office Computing commended AST's Ascentia 900N professional notebook giving it the Windows Magazine Recommended and Home Office Computing Best Buy seals. The publications selected their favorite notebook products from reviews in January 1995 issues.

PC Magazine tested more than 60 notebook computers in its semi-annual review that measures performance, usability and portability. Editors selected the Ascentia 800N among the best value notebooks, based on its solid performance in the 486DX2/50 processor class, strong battery life, and an array of options that according to PC Magazine editors make the Ascentia 800N a good "road warrior."

Windows Magazine put the industry's top professional level notebooks through their paces in its January WinLab Product Comparison. Among the products reviewed were notebooks from Compaq, Dell and Toshiba. Editors gave the Ascentia 900N its Windows Magazine Recommended seal due to its battery life and ergonomics.

According to Windows Magazine test editors, "The 900N easily outdistanced the rest of the pack in our battery tests. It managed to pump power for nearly three hours and 20 minutes under the most rigorous use -- almost 25 minutes longer than the Dell, its closest competitor."

Home Office Computing magazine calls the Ascentia 900N one of the best all-around notebooks in its roundup of high-performance Dual-Scan STN color systems. Home Office Computing editors state, "AST's Ascentia 900N packs great performance at a reasonable price. It boasted the best ranking on our application test."

The Ascentia 900N, PC LapTop Computers Magazine's Notebook of the Year, is a professional series notebook, featuring Intel DX4/75MHz or DX2/50MHz processors, the industry's largest 10.4-inch active-matrix color LCD, great for easy viewing, and an integrated SmartPoint track stick. Add to it AST's PowerStation docking station or EasyPort port replicator, and you have a solid desktop alternative. Estimated sales prices for the Ascentia 900N start at $2,749.

AST's value notebook, the Ascentia 800N, represents the best value in notebook computing. With an Intel DX2/50MHz processor, 9.5-inch Dual-Scan STN color display and a removable floppy drive that serves as a second battery bay, users get performance computing at a value price. The Ascentia 800N is available at estimated sales prices starting at $2,249.

Corporate Background

AST Research is ranked No. 287 on the Fortune 500 list of America's largest industrial companies and is one of the world's leading personal computer manufacturers. The company develops PC products ranging from portable systems to superservers. AST, a $2.367 billion company, is represented in 100 countries and operates 43 subsidiaries and sales offices worldwide. Corporate headquarters are located at 16215 Alton Parkway, P.O. Box 57005, Irvine, Calif. 92619-7005. -0-

Note to Editors: AST is a registered trademark and Ascentia, SmartPoint and EasyPort are trademarks of AST Research Inc. Intel is a trademark of Intel Corp. All other products or services mentioned herein may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

CONTACT: AST Research Inc., Irvine

Donna Kather, 714/727-7943