TECHNOLOGY : IBM Notebook PC to Hit U.S. Market Today

International Business Machines Corp. will make its long-awaited debut in the U.S. market for notebook computers today with a machine expected to sell at the same low prices offered by its rivals, industry sources said Monday.

The PS/2 N51, which weighs 6.2 pounds and is based on Intel Corp.’s 386SX 16 megahertz chip, will list for $2,250 but is expected to be marked down to between $1,700 and $1,800 by dealers.

A notebook computer is a portable PC one category lighter than a laptop, which can weigh as much as 11 pounds.

The world’s biggest computer maker will also announce plans to make its first color laptop machine available next month, the sources said. IBM declines to comment on products prior to launch.

Armonk, N.Y.-based IBM has been slow to enter the booming notebook market. Having sold less-advanced models in Japan and Europe, the company has dragged its feet at home in hopes of bringing out a more sophisticated line of notebooks.

Analysts estimate that the desktop PC market grows at about 8% a year. But shipment growth in notebooks has been in the 20% to 25% range in each of the past two years.

The new IBM notebook is expected to include 2 megabytes of memory and a 40-megabyte hard drive, a 9 1/2-inch back-lit screen with reversal type, and full-sized alphanumeric keys.

And it can serve as a fax machine with an optional modem.

But analysts say the N51 notebook’s most important feature may be its price.

IBM is known for introducing new PCs at prices that far outstrip those of its competitors, the idea being that IBM quality and service standards will make up for the higher cost.