IBM ThinkPad 700C

The IBM ThinkPad 700C was introduced in October 1992 and is widely considered the first true ThinkPad laptop. It was part of the initial ThinkPad lineup that also included the 700 and 720 models, establishing the brand that would become one of the most recognizable in computing history.

The ThinkPad 700C was distinguished by its all-black industrial design—a radical departure from the beige and gray laptops of the era—and introduced the iconic red TrackPoint pointing nub located in the center of the keyboard. The design was inspired by traditional Japanese shōkadō bentō lunchboxes, which designer Richard Sapper credited as a key aesthetic influence.

The ThinkPad 700C's industrial design was created by renowned Italian-born industrial designer Richard Sapper, who had been working with IBM since 1980. Sapper's design language was so successful that the core elements—the black boxy form factor, the TrackPoint, and the keyboard layout—have been maintained across ThinkPad models for over three decades, even after Lenovo acquired the brand from IBM in 2005.

The ThinkPad 700C featured a 10.4-inch active-matrix color TFT LCD display, which was considered impressive for a laptop at the time. It was powered by an IBM 486SLC processor running at 25 MHz and shipped with Microsoft Windows 3.1, targeting the professional business market.