On March 2nd, 1987, Apple introduced the Macintosh SE, a personal computer that would go on to become a classic in the Macintosh series. This new computer was designed, manufactured, and sold by Apple from 1987 to 1989, and it was the first Macintosh computer to feature an 8 MHz Motorola 68000 processor, a 9″ monochrome display, and 1 MB or 2 MB of RAM.
The Macintosh SE also came with a 20 MB or 40 MB hard drive, one or two 800 KB floppy disk drives, and a dedicated operating system: Macintosh System Software. With a starting price of $2,898, it was a high-end computer for its time, and it quickly became a popular choice for professionals and power users.
However, the Macintosh SE’s time in the spotlight was short-lived. On August 1st, 1989, Apple discontinued the Macintosh SE and replaced it with the Macintosh SE FDHD. Despite its relatively brief lifespan, the Macintosh SE remains an important piece of technology history, and today it celebrates 37 years since its initial release.
Macintosh SE Details
| Introduced | March 2, 1987 |
| Discontinued | August 1, 1989 |
| Model Identifier | 5 |
| Order Number | M5010 |
| Original Price | $2,898 |
| Colors | Platinum |
| Weight | 17 Ibs. 7.711 KG |
| Dimensions | 13.6” H x 9.69” W x 10.9” D 34.54 cm H x 24.61 cm W x 27.68 cm D |
Mac SE Tech Specs
Processor
| Processor | Motorola 68000 |
| Processor Speed | 8 MHz |
| Architecture | 32-bit |
| Number of Cores | 1 |
| System Bus | 8 MHz |
| Cache | None |
| Coprocessor | None |
Storage & Media
| Storage | 20 MB or 40 MB (Optional) |
| Media | 1 or 2 – 800 KB Floppy drive |
Memory
| Built-in Memory | 1 MB 2 MB |
| Maximum Memory | 4 MB |
| Memory Slots | 4 – 30 pin SIMM (Groups of 2) |
| Minimum Speed | 150 ns |
| ROM | Unknown |
| Interleaving Support | No |
Display
| Built-in Display | 9” monochrome display |
| Resolution | 512 x 342 |
| Pixel Density | 72 ppi |
Graphics
| Graphics Card | None |
| Graphics Memory | None |
| Display Connection | Unknown |
Expansion
| Expansion Slots | 1 – SE PDS |
| Hard Drive Interface | SCSI |
Connections
| Ethernet | None |
| Modem | None |
| ADB | 2 |
| Serial | 2 |
| SCSI | 1 – DB-25 |
| Floppy Port | 1 – DB-19 |
| Audio In | None |
| Audio Out | 1 – 3.5-mm mono output jack |
| Display | Unknown |
Accessories
- Macintosh Mouse
- Standard Keyboard
Software
| Original OS | System Software 2.0.1 |
| Maximum OS | System 7.5.5 |
| Firmware | Macintosh ROM |
Power
| Backup Battery | 3.6 V lithium |
| Maximum Continuous Power | 100 W |
| Line Voltage | Unknown |
Further Reading and References
- Macintosh SE: Technical Specifications – Apple Support
- Macintosh SE – Wikipedia
- Mac SE – Low End Mac
- 20 Macs for 2020: #6 – Macintosh SE/30 – SixColors
- I Wrote This on a 30-Year-Old Computer – The Atlantic
- Apple Macintosh SE SuperDrive – Retro Viator
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 28, 2023
