When the Deskpro 386/20 was released, it was the fastest IBM PC-compatible computer on the market. However, this speed also came at a price. The exact price is not known. The most comprehensive Deskpro 386, however, was priced at US $8799 (equivalent to $23,491 in 2022).

The computer was primarily used as a high-end business computer. Intended for large calculations for which the fast 32-bit processor was also necessary. Naturally, these computers were also capable of running games that only came onto the market years later. However, as a museum, we like to show what people paid the equivalent of a car for at the time this computer was launched.

Despite the high price, sales of this computer went very well. By mid-1987, as many as 90,000 units had been sold according to analysts. By the end of 1987, the Deskpro 386 series was sold out, and in 1988 it was the best-selling computer within Compaq. This was despite IBM launching their first Intel 80386 computer in August 1987, the IBM PS/2 Model 80.