Waferpedia

Seiko Epson

HC-20

computerIntroduced Produced 1982–Seiko Epson HC-20 family
Research Quality: 30% complete
LinkedIn X Email
Seiko EpsonHC-20
No photo available yet

  • Plate 01The World's First Laptop - Epson HX-20 / HC-20

    The Retro CollectiveWatch on YouTube

What is it?

The sources state that Epson entered the microcomputer market in 1982 with the HX-20, called HC-20 in Japan. It is identified as the world's first notebook computer.

What can it run?

Process applications and technology nodes documented for this tool.

  • microcomputer

What do the numbers mean?

Control & software2

Market
microcomputer[1]
Accurate?
Description
world's first notebook computer[1]
Accurate?

Configuration & options3

Japan-market name
HC-20[1]
Accurate?
Global model name
HX-20[1]
Accurate?
Market entry year
1982[1]
Accurate?

Vintage & configurations

  1. 1982Microcomputer market entry[1]

    Epson entered the microcomputer market with the HX-20, called HC-20 in Japan.

  2. 1982-07Production start[2]

    Released in July 1982.

Interested in this tool?
Embed spec card

Where are the manuals?

Generated from public-source data on file. Enter your email to access — nothing is published; details are routed privately.

Not publicly documented

Field notes

No research found yet — worked with this tool? Share what you know.

Frequently asked questions

What type of machine is the HC-20?

It is a notebook computer and an early laptop computer.[2]

When was the HC-20 released?

It was released in July 1982.[2]

What display does the HC-20 use?

It uses a built-in 120 × 32-pixel LCD that allows 4 lines of 20 characters.[2]

What power source does the HC-20 use?

It uses rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries.[2]

Not publicly documented

The following facts about the HC-20 are absent from this record as of this revision. First-hand knowledge or a citation closes a gap; every submission is reviewed before publication.

  • No publicly documented variants, configuration options, or revision breakpoints of the HC-20 are on record.

    Answerable by: an OEM product catalog or an engineer who ordered or specified the tool

  • The control-system platform and OS era of the HC-20 are not on record.

    Answerable by: an engineer who operated it or OEM installation records

  • No publicly documented failure modes or field errata for the HC-20 are on record.

    Answerable by: a field service engineer, process engineer, or maintenance technician

  • The process node or technology generation of the HC-20 is not on record.

    Answerable by: an OEM datasheet or a fab qualification report

  • No publicly documented compatible parts, consumables, or accessories for the HC-20 are on record.

    Answerable by: an OEM parts catalog or a service engineer

No research found yet — worked with this tool? Share what you know.

Sources & citations

Sources (2)Every fact above is drawn from these public sources
  1. [1]en.wikipedia.org — en.wikipedia.orgen.wikipedia.org
  2. [2]en.wikipedia.org — en.wikipedia.orgen.wikipedia.org
Was this page accurate?

Last updated Jul 29, 2026.