PowerBook 170

The PowerBook 170 was the only first generation PowerBook to sport an active matrix screen. With a 25 MHz 68030, it was 2/3 faster than the PowerBook 140. Between the faster CPU, faster screen, and addition of a floating point unit, the 170 was nearly twice as fast as the 140. It was replaced by […]

PowerBook 140

The PowerBook 140 had a physically larger passive-matrix screen than the PowerBook 100 (although it displayed the same 640 x 400 pixels), a more efficient CPU, and a 2-hour NiCad battery (the same one used on all PowerBook models from the 140 to the 180). It was replaced by the 25 MHz PowerBook 145 in […]

PowerBook 100

The PowerBook 100 was a big step forward from the Mac Portable. First and foremost, it was just one-third as heavy at 5.1 pounds. Secondly, it was several thousand dollars less expensive.

Mac Classic II

Introduced in October 1991, the Classic II (a.k.a. Performa 200) was both an upgraded Classic and a replacement for the venerable SE/30. Based on a modified LC motherboard, the Classic II shares a 16-bit data path and a RAM ceiling of 10 MB (the Classic II is slower than the SE/30, even though both use […]

Quadra 900

October 1991 saw the introduction of Macs using Motorola’s high-octane 68040 CPU. The Quadra 900 was a full-fledged tower design, although it had only a single front accessible drive bay. The Quadra 700 and 900 were the first Macs with built-in ethernet, using Apple’s AAUIs connector.

Quadra 700

October 1991 saw the introduction of the firest Macs using Motorola’s high-octane 68040 CPU. The Quadra 700, built in the same chassis as the Mac IIci, was built as a minitower, although with no front accessible hard drive bays. The Quadra 700 and 900 were the first Macs with built-in ethernet, using Apple’s AAUI connector.

LaserWriter IIf

Introduced in 1991, the LaserWriter IIf was a big step forward from the LaserWriter IINTX. It had a much more powerful CPU, a 20 MHz 68030 instead of a 16 MHz 68000, and its 2 MB of memory could be expanded as high as 32 MB. It was one of the first printers with Postscript […]

LaserWriter IIg

Although the LaserWriter IIf was a big step forward from the LaserWriter IINTX., the IIg was also a big step forward from the IIf. It was the first LaserWriter with ethernet, and it included two technologies to improve output. FinePrint reduced jaggies on text while PhotoGrade supported over 65 levels of gray in printed output. […]