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On March 2, 1987, Apple introduced the Macintosh II, a personal computer that marked a significant step forward in the Macintosh series. The Macintosh II was designed, manufactured, and sold by Apple from 1987 to 1990 and was considered a powerful and versatile computer at the time.
The Macintosh II was powered by a 16 MHz Motorola 68020 processor and featured a Motorola 68881 FPU coprocessor, providing users with a significant boost in performance. Additionally, the Macintosh II came with 1 MB or 4 MB of RAM, 40 MB or 80 MB hard drive, and two 800 KB Floppy drives. There was also an option for a Macintosh II video card for users who needed more advanced graphics capabilities.
At its launch, the Macintosh II had a starting price of $5,498, which was considered quite expensive at the time. However, the Macintosh II was well-received by users and was considered a solid investment for professionals and businesses.
Unfortunately, on January 15, 1990, Apple discontinued the Macintosh II. Today, the Macintosh II is 36 years old and is considered a classic piece of technology from the 80s. While it may not be as powerful as today’s computers, the Macintosh II was a significant step forward in the development of the Macintosh II series and helped pave the way for future innovations.
Macintosh II Details
| Introduced | March 2, 1987 |
| Discontinued | January 15, 1990 |
| Model Identifier | 6 |
| Model Number | M5000 |
| Order Number | M5333 M5430 M5410 |
| Original Price | $5,498 |
| Colors | Platinum |
| Weight | 24 Ibs. 10.886 KG |
| Dimensions | 5.5” H x 18.7” W x 14.4” D 13.97 cm H x 47.49 cm W x 36.57 cm D |
Mac II Tech Specs
Processor
| Processor | Motorola 68020 |
| Processor Speed | 16 MHz |
| Architecture | 32-bit |
| Number of Cores | 1 |
| System Bus | 16 MHz |
| Cache | 0.25 KB L1 |
| Coprocessor | Motorola 68881 FPU |
Storage & Media
| Storage | 40 MB or 80 MB (Optional) |
| Media | 2 x 800 KB Floppy |
Memory
| Built-in Memory | 1 MB 4 MB |
| Maximum Memory | 20 MB (68 MB via FDHD upgrade kit) |
| Memory Slots | 8 – 30 pin SIMMs (Groups of 4) (4 MB or larger modules must be PAL SIMMs) |
| Minimum Speed | 120 ns |
| ROM | Unknown |
| Interleaving Support | No |
Display
| Built-in Display | None |
Graphics
| Graphics Card | None |
| Graphics Memory | None |
| Display Connection | Unknown |
Expansion
| Expansion Slots | 6 – NuBus |
| Hard Drive Interface | SCSI |
Connections
| Ethernet | None |
| Modem | None |
| ADB | 2 |
| Serial | 2 |
| SCSI | 1 – DB-25 |
| Floppy Port | None |
| Audio In | None |
| Audio Out | 1 – 3.5-mm stereo output jack |
| Display | Unknown |
Accessories
- Macintosh Mouse
- Standard Keyboard
- AppleColor High-Resolution RGB Monitor (Optional)
Software
| Original OS | Macintosh System Software 0.7 |
| Maximum OS | System 7.5.5 |
| Firmware | Macintosh ROM |
Power
| Backup Battery | 3.6 V lithium |
| Maximum Continuous Power | 230 W |
| Line Voltage | Unknown |
Further Reading and References
- Macintosh II: Technical Specifications – Apple Support
- Macintosh II – Wikipedia
- Today in Apple history: Here comes the Macintosh II – Cult of Mac
- Mac II – Low End Mac
- The New Macintosh – Muzines
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Disclaimer: The data presented in this article is under continuous development and has been manually collected from various sources based on their availability. The author of this article may revise this dataset as additional research is conducted and reviewed. Please note that the information is provided “as is” and “as available” without express or implied warranties. The author cannot be held responsible for any omissions, inaccuracies, or errors in the published information. Any warranties relating to this information are hereby disclaimed.
Last updated: April 30, 2023
