computer that possesses the same components as large mainframes but has reduced memory and slower processing speeds. Before the advent of the minicomputer industry in the 1960s, companies wishing to automate were forced to use a large mainframe. With the evolution of minicomputers, managers could choose computers with substantially lower costs.
a computer intermediate in size between a mainframe computer and a microcomputer; two classic examples were the Digital Equipment Corporation VAX and the IBM AS/400. A minicomputer typically occupied a large area within a room and supported 10 to 100 users at a time. Minicomputers have been replaced by networks of microcomputers. Contrast mainframe computer; personal computer.
medium-capacity computer that is larger than a microcomputer but smaller than most mainframes. A minicomputer can handle a larger amount of data than a microcomputer and can perform most of the functions of a mainframe.
