The Power Mac 4400 (7220 in Australia) was Apple’s attempt to build an inexpensive Mac using more industry standard components, such as a chunky PC-like case. It was also available in a PC Compatible system with a 166 MHz DOS card with a 133 MHz Cyrix PR166+ 6×86 CPU (80486 class) and 16 MB RAM. […]

The 6400 replaced the Performa 6360 and used a new tower configuration. It was available in 180 MHz and 200 MHz configurations. The neatest feature: a built-in subwoofer for very rich sound. The 6400 was replaced by the Power Mac 6500. The Performa/Power Mac 5400 is virtually identical to the 6400 – but with a […]

The PowerBook 1400, the first CD-ROM equipped notebook computer, was available in several different configurations over its lifespan, including two screen types (dual-scan and active matrix) and three processor speeds (117, 133, and 166 MHz). The 1400c has an active matrix display, while the 1400cs model uses the less expensive dual-scan passive matrix technology. (That […]

The Performa 6360 replaced the 6320‘s 120 MHz 603e with a 160 MHz 603e CPU. Fortunately, it also had an improved motherboard design that overcame the most egregious failings of the Road Apple x200 series. Although it looks like the earlier models in this series, it’s a whole different machine under the hood – complete […]

The 4000-series was Motorola’s professional-level Mac clone. Based on the Tanzania motherboard with a Power PC 604e CPU, these provide top performance at a reasonable price. All models include an EDI hard drive, an ATAPI CD-ROM player, and an unprecedented (at least in the Mac OS world) five-year warranty. Tanzania-based computers will not boot with […]

The 3000-series was Motorola’s entry-level Mac clone. Based on the Tanzania motherboard with a Power PC 603e CPU, they provided good performance at a lower price than the 604-based 4000-series. All models include an EDI hard drive, an ATAPI CD-ROM player, and an unprecedented (at least in the Mac OS world) five-year warranty. The most common […]

The SuperMac C600 (Apus 3000 series in Europe and Asia) was Umax’s least expensive minitower. Introduced at 160 MHz in August 1996, Umax was selling 280 MHz models by mid-1997. The C600 was designed around a modified Tanzania motherboard with a daughter card for 3 PCI slots and 1 Comm-2 slot. The C600 was the first […]

The PowerBase was available in low profile and minitower configurations, with speed ranging from 180-240 MHz using the PPC 603e processor. The CPU was on a daughter card for ease of upgrade. Tanzania-based computers will not boot with a dead PRAM battery. Try replacing the battery before attempting to replace the power supply on a […]

The Genesis MP+ arrived in August 1996 in dual- and quad-processor versions based on the PowerPC 604e processor, an improved version of the 604 CPU found in the earlier Genesis MP. Note that many of these were introduced only two weeks before DayStar chose to discontinue producing Mac OS computers on 25 August 1997. DayStar sold […]

The PowerTower Pro came in a tower configuration with speed ranging from 180 to 250 MHz using the PPC 604e processor. The CPU was on a daughter card for ease of upgrade. The PowerTower Pro was the first computer to use the PowerPC 604e CPU, and its 225 MHz speed when the model debuted made […]

The SuperMac J700 (Centauri in Europe and Asia) was Umax’s least expensive computer based on the PowerPC 604e processor. Very expandable, it has 4 PCI slots, 5 drive bays, 8 DIMM sockets, and a replaceable CPU. The J700 uses the same CPU daughter cards as Apple’s Power Macs from the same era, giving the SuperMac J700 […]

The SuperMac S900 (known as the Pulsar in Europe and Asia) was Umax’s first Mac clone and would remain Umax’s most powerful, most expandable computer and the last production Mac clone with 6 expansion slots until the S910 arrived. The S900 in unique in that it has a second CPU slot, but only accepts a Umax SuperMac […]

The PowerTower came in a tower configuration with speed ranging from 166-200 MHz using the PPC 604 or 604e processor. The CPU was on a daughter card for ease of upgrade. Thanks to Steve Kahng’s connections to IBM from his days with Leading Edge, Power Computing was able to acquire higher-speed PowerPC CPUs before other […]

The PowerCenter was available in low profile, desktop, and tower configurations, with speed ranging from 120-180 MHz using the PPC 604 processor. The CPU was on a daughter card for ease of upgrade. Got a Power Computing machine? Join LEM’s Powerlist Group. Got a PCI Power Mac? Join our PCI PowerMacs Group. Variants PowerCenter 120. […]

Essentially a Power Mac 7200 repackaged in Apple’s mini-tower case, the 8200 came in 100 and 120 MHz versions. Because the CPU is not on a daughter card, the only upgrade is replacing the motherboard with one from a Power Mac 8500 and adding a daughter card. As with the 7200, increasing VRAM to 2 […]

The Power Mac 7600 is identical to the 7500 – except for the processor card. The 7500 shipped with a 100 MHz PowerPC 601 CPU; the 7600 with a 120 MHz or 132 MHz PPC 604 or a 200 MHz 604e. Thanks to its daughter card design, it can be upgraded with a faster 604e, […]

The 120 MHz Power Mac 6300 and Performa 6320 replaced the 100 MHz Performa 6300‘s 100 MHz 603e CPU with a 120 MHz 603e. To save money, Apple based the x200 motherboard on the Quadra 605 with its 25 MHz system bus and 32-bit memory, even though the 603 is a 64-bit chip. Apple also used an […]

The PowerCurve was a desktop computer with a 120 MHz PPC 601 processor. The CPU is on a daughter card for easy upgrade. It was the first Power Computing clone to use PCI slots instead of NuBus. It was also the first to use VGA instead of Apple’s larger 15-pin video connector. Tanzania-based computers will […]

The PowerWave was a desktop computer with a 120 to 150 MHz PPC 604 processor. The CPU is on a daughter card for easy upgrade, just like the Power Mac 7500, 8500, and 9500. Got a Power Computing machine? Join LEM’s Powerlist Group. Got a PCI Power Mac? Join our PCI PowerMacs Group. Details introduced: […]

The DayStar Genesis MP was the first multiple processor Mac OS computer, introduced in October 1995 in a four processor version. It came in dual- and quad-processor versions based on the PowerPC 604 processor. There are three different versions of the MP 528, which uses four 132 MHz 604 CPUs, based on different Apple motherboard […]

The Performa 6300 (a.k.a. 6260, 6290, 6310) replaced the 6200‘s 75 MHz 603 with a faster 100 MHz 603e CPU. The 6300 was replaced with a 120 MHz model in April 1996. To save money, Apple based the x200 motherboard on the Quadra 605 with its 25 MHz system bus and 32-bit memory, even though the 603 […]

The PowerBook Duo 2300c was Apple’s only PowerBook Duo based on a PowerPC CPU. To make the 2300c compatible with Duo Docks for earlier models, the 100 MHz 64-bit PowerPC 603e CPU was used on a 33 MHz 32-bit bus, which seriously compromised performance. The 9.5″ 640 x 480 display normally runs in 8-bit/256-color mode, […]

The PowerBook 190 was Apple’s last model based on a Motorola 68040 CPU. The 190cs has an 8-bit dual-scan passive matrix color display. Apple eliminated the internal modem bay and the ethernet port found in the previous 500 series, forcing buyers to acquire these items separately. Because the PC Card uses a 16-bit bus, ethernet […]

The PowerBook 190 was Apple’s last model based on a Motorola 68040 CPU. The base model has a 640 x 480 4-bit passive matrix grayscale display; the 190cs has an 8-bit color display. Apple eliminated the internal modem bay and the ethernet port found in the PowerBook 500 series that preceded the 190, forcing buyers […]

The PowerBook 5300 was Apple’s first PowerBook based on a PowerPC CPU. Due to fire problems with the original LithIon battery (which was recalled before it reached the consumer market), plastic chipping from the case, and poor performance (among other things), we label it a Compromised Mac. (It was also the butt of a lot […]

Using the same case as the Power Mac 8100, the 8500 (a.k.a. 8515) was the first Mac minitower with a replaceable CPU daughter card. Unlike the first generation of Power Macs, the 8500 has PCI slots and uses the PowerPC 604 processor, a significantly improved, second-generation PPC design. The 8500 also has audio, S-video, and […]

The Power Mac 7200 was the entry level second-generation Power Mac, part of the first group of Macs to use the PCI bus instead of older, slower NuBus. Originally produced in 75 MHz and 90 MHz versions (a.k.a. Power Mac 7215/90), the slower model was phased out when the 120 MHz model was introduced in […]

The System 81/110 was Radius’ second Macintosh clone. It was built around a slightly modified Power Mac 8100 motherboard. Like the System 100, the 81/110 was built like a tank with thick metal to provide substantial RFI shielding – and significant weight. Details introduced 1995.07.24; discontinued 1996.01.01 requires System 7.5.1 to 9.1, excluding 7.5.2 CPU: […]

Blackbird was Apple’s code name for a line of PowerBooks based on Motorola’s 68LC040 and 68040 processors. (The LC version draws less power and has no FPU.) The PowerBook 550c was available only in Japan. Differences from the rest of the 500-series include use of regular 68040 (not the stripped down 68LC040), a 750 MB […]