VAX-11/780
The first VAX computer, a 32-bit superminicomputer introduced on October 25, 1977.
DEC introduced the VAX-11/780, code-named Star, at its annual shareholders meeting on 25 October 1977. It was the first machine in the 32-bit VAX series.
It supported up to 8 MB of memory at first and up to 128 MB with later controllers. Its memory used error correcting code. DEC followed with the cheaper 11/750 and the 11/730 and 11/725 in 1982.
Why it matters
The VAX-11/780 started a long-lived family of 32-bit superminicomputers that carried DEC into the 1980s.
Key facts
- Introduced October 25, 1977.
- Code-named Star.
- 32-bit architecture.
- Memory started at up to 8 MB.
- Lower-cost models followed in 1982.
Sources
- Wikipedia, "VAX-11/780", en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VAX-11/780, accessed October 14, 2026.
- Wikipedia, "VAX", en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VAX, background reading, accessed October 14, 2026.