AST FIRST TO SHIP PENTIUM PRO SYSTEMS TO INDIRECT SALES CHANNEL

Quick to Market is Cornerstone of Turnaround Plan

IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 5, 1995 -- Representing a key strategy designed to
increase performance in accord with its turnaround plan, AST Research
(ASTA-NASDAQ) today announced it is the first manufacturer to deliver
systems to the indirect sales channel incorporating the latest PC-based
technologies from Intel and other manufacturers.

AST today became the first manufacturer to ship desktop systems in volume
to computer resellers based on Intel's PentiumR Pro microprocessor, the
most advanced computing engine available to date. In addition, AST is
shipping one of the industry's most advanced remote diagnostics products,
AST-LifeLine, that enables quicker technical support responses at lower
costs for its Bravo and Premmia business desktop systems.

"Quick to market and AST will become synonymous, interchangeable terms,"
said Ian Diery, AST president and chief executive officer. "In addition to
being the cornerstone of our turnaround plan, delivering leading-edge
technologies in advance of our competitors strengthens our commitment to
the indirect channel and enables our resellers to provide a competitive
response to Compaq and IBM, as well as direct marketers like Dell and
Gateway."

Bravo minitower systems based on Intel's Pentium Pro processor and
Microsoft's 32-bit Windows NT&#153; operating system incorporate leading
edge technologies and are well suited for processing-intensive
environments including CAD, graphics, financial and statistical
applications. Incorporating the Intel Pentium Pro processor into AST's
Bravo line extends the award-winning line of AST products to support the
complete range of currently-available Pentium and Pentium Pro processor
platforms from Intel and results in an optimum solution for business users
looking to maximize their PC investment.

The Bravo MS-T 6150 is one of AST's most advanced business desktop systems.
Its aggressive street price of $4,300 enables it to be a viable,
cost-effective alternative to implement many tasks traditionally performed
on more costly systems. It offers a high level of expandability with five
drive bays -- two internal 3.5-inch and three external 5.25-inch -- along
with four 32-bit PCI slots and three 16-bit ISA slots. Other features
include:

* Enhanced performance from a 150 MHz Pentium Pro processor
* Robust storage from hard drives up to 1.6 GB
* Fast data access with 16 MB of memory, expandable to 128 MB with
  256 KB secondary cache
* Quick graphics and vibrant color from a PCI-based 64-bit ATI
  graphics controller with 2 MB of video RAM, expandable to 4 MB
* Realistic stereo sound from 16-bit SoundBlasterR-compatible audio

AST LifeLine is an interactive technical support system that delivers the
ultimate in customer support by significantly reducing the time and costs
associated with resolving technical issues. It allows remote diagnosis and
repair of business system problems by simultaneously exchanging voice and
data over an ordinary phone line. AST PC technicians, as well as
resellers, can use AST LifeLine to look at the user's system files and
configurations in real time, while also discussing the issues surrounding
the problem. This integrated approach enables quick fixes for many
problems -- often in a single phone call.

"Products like AST LifeLine provide our customers with quick solutions to
critical problems, and our new systems equipped with the latest technology
provide strategic platforms for increased performance," added Diery.

CORPORATE BACKGROUND

AST Research Inc., a member of the Fortune 500 list of America's largest
industrial and service companies, is one of the world's leading personal
computer manufacturers. The $2.468 billion company develops a broad
spectrum of desktop, mobile and server PC products that are sold in more
than 100 countries worldwide. AST systems meet a wide range of customer
needs, ranging from corporate business applications to advanced home and
home office use. Corporate headquarters is located at 16215 Alton Parkway,
P.O. Box 57005, Irvine, Calif. 92619-7005. Telephone (714) 727-4141 or
(800) 876-4278. Fax (714) 727-9355. Information about AST and its products
can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.ast.com.
 
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