Compaq - the most successful manufacturer of the IBM compatibles - announced two new products last week that will increase the pressure on Big Blue to sort itself out.

The Compaq Portable 286 and Deskpro 286 are compatible with and, according to Compaq, better than the PC AT.

Both are based on Intel's latest hot processor, the 80286, and the portable is easily the most powerful system in its class with a 20Mb hard disk and up to 2.6Mb of RAM. Compaq says it will run up to thirty per cent faster than the AT but you can slow it down for full AT compatibility.

The Deskpro will give up to 70Mb of hard disk space and 8.2Mb of RAM. Hardware and software compatibility extends to MSDOS 3.1, the new IBM PC network, and the Topview operating system and the enhanced IBM graphics adapter.

The machines will be launched in the US this month, arriving in the UK in late summer.

Prices have not been fixed but British owners can expect to pay "around £4,000".