Pixar Image Computer
A $135,000 graphics computer built by the group that became Pixar, which sold about 120 units by 1988.
Lucasfilm's computer division built the Pixar Image Computer to make high-quality images. Steve Jobs bought the group on February 3, 1986, and it became Pixar. About three months later the computer went on sale for doctors, oil explorers and weather scientists.
The machine cost $135,000 and needed a $35,000 Sun or Silicon Graphics workstation to run it. In 1987 Pixar redesigned it as the P-II, which cost $30,000.
Why it matters
The computer sold poorly. By 1988 Pixar had sold only 120 of them, and a CT scanner maker bought 30 of those. The company survived by turning to animation, and its short films led to the first feature-length computer-animated movie.
Key facts
- Steve Jobs bought the group on February 3, 1986.
- Priced at $135,000 plus a $35,000 host workstation.
- Aimed at medicine, geophysics and weather.
- The P-II model in 1987 cost $30,000.
- Only 120 sold by 1988.
Sources
- Wikipedia, "Pixar Image Computer", en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pixar_Image_Computer, accessed October 14, 2026.
- Mimms Museum of Technology and Art, "Exhibits", mimmsmuseum.org/exhibits/, accessed October 14, 2026.