| spec | 83 | 85A | 85B | 86A | 86B | 87A | 87XM |
| standard ROM | 32K | 32K | 48K | 48K | 56K | 48K | 48K |
| addable ROM | 48K | 48K | 48K | 48K | 48K | 48K | 48K |
| maximum ROM | 80K | 80K | 96K | 96K | 104K | 96K | 96K |
| spec | 83 | 85A | 85B | 86A | 86B | 87A | 87XM |
| CRT display RAM | 8K | 8K | 8K | 16K | 16K | 16K | 16K |
| standard user RAM | 16K | 16K | 32K | 64K | 128K | 32K | 128K |
| addable user RAM | 16K | 16K | 0K | 512K | 512K | 512K | 512K |
| maximum user RAM | 32K | 32K | 32K | 576K | 640K | 544K | 640K |
| spec | 83 | 85A | 85B | 86A | 86B | 87A | 87XM |
| electronic disc ROM | NO | NO | BUILT-IN | addable | BUILT-IN | addable | addable |
| built-in dedicated e-disc RAM | NO | NO | 32K | 0K | 0K | 0K | 0K |
| standard user RAM convertible to e-disc RAM | NO | NO | 0K | 32K | 96K | 32K | 96K |
| addable user RAM convertible to e-disc RAM | NO | NO | 512K | 384K | 512K | 384K | 384K |
| maximum e-disc RAM | NO | NO | 544K | 416K | 608K | 416K | 480K |
| spec | 83 | 85A | 85B | 86A | 86B | 87A | 87XM |
| built-in CRT display area | 5" diag | 5" diag | 5" diag | n/a | n/a | 7.9" x 3" | 7.9" x 3" |
| separately purchasable 12" monitor display area | n/a | n/a | n/a | 9" x 5.8" | 9" x 5.8" | n/a | n/a |
| separately purchasable 9" monitor display area | n/a | n/a | n/a | 6.4" x 4.3" | 6.4" x 4.3" | n/a | n/a |
| alpha rows/columns - default | 16 x 32 | 16 x 32 | 16 x 32 | 16 x 80 | 16 x 80 | 16 x 80 | 16 x 80 |
| alpha rows/columns - selectable | n/a | n/a | n/a | 24 x 80 | 24 x 80 | 24 x 80 | 24 x 80 |
| scrollable alpha lines - normal mode | 64 | 64 | 64 | 54 | 54 | 54 | 54 |
| scrollable alpha lines - alphall mode | n/a | n/a | n/a | 204 | 204 | 204 | 204 |
| graphics resolution - normal mode | 256 x 192 | 256 x 192 | 256 x 192 | 400 x 240 | 400 x 240 | 400 x 240 | 400 x 240 |
| graphics resolution - graphall mode | n/a | n/a | n/a | 544 x 240 | 544 x 240 | 544 x 240 | 544 x 240 |
| spec | 83 | 85A | 85B | 86A | 86B | 87A | 87XM |
| built-in CRT display | YES | YES | YES | no | no | YES | YES |
| built-in thermal printer | no | YES | YES | no | no | no | no |
| built-in tape cartridge drive | no | YES | YES | no | no | no | no |
| spec | 83 | 85A | 85B | 86A | 86B | 87A | 87XM |
| built-in HP-IB interface | no | no | no | no | YES | YES | YES |
| built-in external monitor interface | no | no | no | YES | YES | no | no |
| built-in Centronics compatible printer interface | no | no | no | YES | no | no | no |
| built-in set of two HP 9130A disc interfaces | no | no | no | YES | no | no | no |
| spec | 83 | 85A | 85B | 86A | 86B | 87A | 87XM |
| mass storage ROM | addable | addable | BUILT-IN | BUILT-IN | BUILT-IN | BUILT-IN | BUILT-IN |
| printer ROM | addable | addable | addable | BUILT-IN | BUILT-IN | BUILT-IN | BUILT-IN |
| plotter ROM | addable | addable | addable | addable | addable | addable | addable |
| input/output ROM | addable | addable | addable | addable | addable | addable | addable |
| matrix ROM | addable | addable | addable | addable | addable | addable | addable |
| advanced programming ROM | addable | addable | addable | addable | addable | addable | addable |
| assembler ROM | addable | addable | addable | addable | addable | addable | addable |
| MIKSAM ROM | NO | NO | NO | addable | addable | addable | addable |
| extended mass storage ROM | addable | addable | addable | addable | addable | addable | addable |