Apple introduced a new case design with the Quadra 800, one later used by the Quadra 840av and two Power Macs, the 8100 and 8500. Perhaps the most frustrating case to work with, it has three front accessible drive bays. One is for the floppy drive; the others may hold CD-ROM, a DAT drive, a SyQuest mechanism, etc. The […]
Author Archives: LEM Staff
Creating a midpoint between the Mac II line and the Quadra series, the short-lived Centris models were introduced in February 1993. The Centris 650 uses the same chassis as the IIvx, IIvi, and Performa 600. Some models came with a 68LC040 (no math coprocessor), only 4 MB RAM, and no ethernet. Most use the full 68040 […]
Creating a midpoint between the Mac II line and the Quadra series, the short-lived Centris models were introduced in February 1993. The Centris 610 introduced a new case style, one that would later be used for the Centris 660av and Power Mac 6100. “Going along with the auto-marketing trend toward meaningless names that sound important, Apple’s […]
The Mac IIvx was an okay computer, but a big “Huh?” for Mac IIci users. Where the LC and LC II had been compromised by using a 32-bit processor on a 16-bit data bus, the IIvx ran a 32 MHz CPU on a 16 MHz bus. This gave it slower performance than the IIci, which […]
The Mac IIvi is a slower version of the Mac IIvx, running a 16 MHz 68030 CPU on a 16 MHz bus. The IIvi was never sold in the United States. Unlike the IIvx, the IIvi cannot accept a level 2 (L2) cache, although it can accept an accelerator. In terms of performance, on some […]
Along with the 25 MHz PowerBook Duo 210, the Duo 230 was the first dockable Mac. By eliminating the internal floppy drive (as with PowerBook 100) along with other size and weight saving measures, Apple got this one down to 4.2 pounds. Because of its design, there is no way to use a floppy drive, […]
The PowerBook Duo 210 was the first dockable Mac. By eliminating the internal floppy drive (as Apple had done with the PowerBook 100) along with other size- and weight-saving measures, Apple got it down to 4.2 pounds. Because of its design, PowerBook Duos cannot use a floppy drive, external hard drive or other SCSI device, connect […]
The PowerBook 180 was the first portable Mac with a 4-bit (16-shade) active matrix display. With a 33 MHz CPU and improved screen, it replaced the 25 MHz PowerBook 170 and was in very high demand through its six-month life. Like the PowerBook 160, the 180 has a video out port supporting an external 13″ to […]
The PowerBook 160 introduced grayscale video to the PowerBook line with its 4-bit (16 shade) internal grayscale video and support for 8-bit (256-color) video on an external monitor with up to 832 x 624 resolution. With the PowerBook 180, it was the first PowerBook to support an external monitor (using Apple’s proprietary VID-14 connector with […]
The Performa 600 was an okay computer, but a big “Huh?” for Mac IIci users. Where the LC and LC IIhad been compromised by using a 32-bit processor on a 16-bit data bus, the Performa 600 ran a 32 MHz CPU on a 16 MHz bus. This gave it slower performance than the 25 MHz […]
The PowerBook 145 replaced the 16 MHz PB 140, using a 25 MHz 68030 CPU that made it significantly faster than the previous model. As with all early PowerBooks, when buying one be sure it has all the memory you need (new PowerBook RAM is getting difficult to locate, especially at reasonable prices). The PB 145 […]
Apple replaced the Quadra 900 with the 950, boosting CPU speed from 25 MHz to 33 MHz. Because Apple removed some “wait states” from the video section, the 950’s internal video is about 20% faster than the 900’s – and the faster CPU helps things along even more. The 950 can display 16-bit video on […]
What was the smallest desktop Mac prior to the Mac mini? Apple’s LC series, which measured just under 3″ tall, although it had as big a footprint as four minis. The LC II (a.k.a. Performa 400-430 and code named Foster Farms) was a slightly less crippled version of the LC. Still running a 32-bit CPU […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 145in August […]
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. The weight reduction was accomplished by using lighter plastics, eliminating the internal floppy drive, and using a smaller (2 hour, 7V) lead-acid battery. Cost […]
The IIsi shares some features with the SE/30, some with the LC series, and some with the Mac II series. Like the SE/30, it has a 68030 PDS (Processor Direct Slot) for expansion. Like the LC, it has no built-in NuBus slot, is quite short, and has a curved front. But with an adapter, the […]
Introduced as the first sub-$1,000 Macintosh in October 1990, the basic Classic came with 1 MB of RAM, a SuperDrive, and space to mount an internal SCSI hard drive. The hard drive version came with 2 MB of memory and a 40 MB hard drive. RAM expansion was via a 1 MB daughter card with two open slots, […]
Six months after moving from 16 MHz to 25 MHz with the IIci, Apple introduced the “wicked fast” 40 MHz IIfx. This was the Mac of choice for graphic designers, offering nearly three times the performance of the IIx – thanks to a lightning fast CPU, a new type of RAM, and special SCSI DMA […]
The Macintosh Display Card 4•8 is a 12″ NuBus video card compatible with most 680×0-based NuBus Macs, with the exception of the Centris/Quadra 660AV. It was introduced in March 1990. Details The 4•8 is an unaccelerated card, but it supports NuBus slave block transfers, so it will benefit from the installation of an 8•24 GC […]
The Macintosh Display Card 8•24 GC is an accelerated 12″ NuBus video card compatible with 68020– and 68030-based Macs. Acceleration is not available if the card is installed in a 68040-based Mac – in fact, the 8•24 GC control panel will bomb the computer. The card’s driver version 1.0 software is required to enable acceleration with […]
Building on the success of the Mac IIcx, the IIci offers 56% more power in the same compact case. A new feature was integrated video. The big advantage: Users no longer needed to buy a separate video card. The big disadvantage: The built-in video uses system memory (this is sometimes called “vampire video”). “…may be the best […]
You might not believe the cover from the November 1989 MacUser. They considered the Mac Portable so sexy it was photographed with a swimsuit model for the front cover! (Or maybe so unsexy it needed this treatment.) When the Mac Portable was introduced, it had roughly the same clock speed as the fastest prior […]
The Macintosh II High Resolution Video Card is a 12″ NuBus card compatible with 68K- and PowerPC-based Macs running up to Mac OS 8.1. It is not compatible with the Centris/Quadra 660AV. Details The Mac II High Res Video Card is unaccelerated. It supports resolutions of 640 x 480 and 512 x 384, which was the […]
The Macintosh Two-Page Monochrome Video Card is a 12″ NuBus card originally designed to work with the Macintosh Two-Page Monochrome Display. It was introduced at the same time as the Mac IIcx. It is compatible with 680×0- and PowerPC-based Macs running up to Mac OS 7.6.1. It may be compatible with higher versions of the Mac […]
The Macintosh II Portrait Video Card is a 12″ NuBus card designed for use with the Macintosh Portrait Display. It was introduced at the same time as the Mac IIcx. It is compatible with 680×0- and PowerPC-based Macs running up to Mac OS 7.6.1. It may be compatible with higher versions of the Mac OS, but […]
Building on the success of the Mac IIx, the 1989 IIcx offered the same horsepower in a smaller case. This was made possible by eliminating 3 NuBus slots and using a smaller (90W) power supply. Although advertised as a 32-bit computer, the Mac IIx ROMs were “dirty,” containing some 24-bit code. Running in 32-bit mode […]
Rolled out in January 1989, the SE/30 was the first compact Mac to come standard with the FDHD 1.4 MB floppy drive (a.k.a. SuperDrive) and support more than 4 MB of RAM. It was essentially a IIx in an SEcase. Although advertised as a 32-bit computer, the SE/30 ROMs were “dirty,” containing some 24-bit code, meaning […]
Building on the success of the Mac II, the 1988 Mac IIx housed a 68030 CPU and 68882 FPU (floating point unit) in the same case. Breakthrough features included the DOS-compatible 1.4 MB SuperDrive (a.k.a. FDHD for floppy disk, high density) and virtual memory. Although advertised as a 32-bit computer, the Mac IIx ROMs were […]
The Macintosh II Video Card (a.k.a. Toby) is a 12″ NuBus card compatible with 680×0-based NuBus Macs running up to Mac OS 7.6.1. It was introduced at the same time as the Mac II. It is not compatible with the Centris/Quadra 660AV and only partially compatible with the Quadra 840AV. Details The Macintosh II Video Card is unaccelerated. […]
The Macintosh II Monochrome Video Card is a 1-bit 7″ NuBus card compatible with 680×0-based NuBus Macs running up to Mac OS 7.6.1. It was introduced at the same time as the Mac II. It is unsupported with the Quadra 840AV and is not compatible with the Centris/Quadra 660AV. Details The card will drive the […]
Rolled out in March 1987 along with the compact Mac SE, the Mac II was the first modular Mac – a revolutionary change in the Macintosh line (so revolutionary that it had to be kept secret from Steve Jobs, who loved the simplicity of all-in-one designs). Options include two 800K floppy drives and a hard […]
Introduced along with the Mac II in March 1987, the SE came with 1 MB of RAM, one or two double-sided 800K floppies, and space to mount an internal SCSI hard drive (the second drive bay held either a hard drive or second floppy – no room for both, although that didn’t stop some people from […]
Apple replaced the Mac 512K with a model supporting double-sided 3.5″ disks, just like the Mac Plus. Unlike the Plus, the 512Ke used RAM chips rather than SIMMs, just like the 128K and 512K. This precluded upgrading RAM beyond 512 KB by simply plugging in higher capacity chips, although some companies did make memory upgrade […]