Apple Macintosh XL Apple Macintosh XL

Macintosh XL Explained

On January 1st, 1985, Apple introduced the Macintosh XL, a powerful personal computer that was part of the Macintosh series. At a starting price of $9,995, the Macintosh XL was geared toward professionals and power users looking for a high-performance machine.

The Macintosh XL featured a 5 MHz Motorola 68000 processor, which was considered fast at the time. It also came with a 12″ monochrome display, 512 KB of RAM, 10 MB of hard drive storage, and a 400 KB floppy disk drive. These specs were impressive for the time and made the Macintosh XL a formidable machine for its day.

However, despite its impressive specs, the Macintosh XL was only available for a little over a year. On August 1st, 1986, Apple discontinued the Macintosh XL, making it a short-lived but notable addition to the Macintosh lineup. Today, 39 years after its discontinuation, the Macintosh XL remains a piece of Apple’s history and a reminder of the company’s early efforts to push the boundaries of personal computing.

Macintosh XL
Source: pinterest.com – Macintosh XL

Macintosh XL Details

IntroducedJanuary 1, 1985
DiscontinuedAugust 1, 1986
Model Identifier2
Original Price$9,995
ColorsBeige
Weight55 Ibs.
24.947 KG
Dimensions13.8” H x 18.5” W x 15.2” D
35.05 cm H x 47 cm W x 38.6 cm D

Mac XL Tech Specs

Processor

ProcessorMotorola 68000
Processor Speed5 MHz
Architecture16-bit
Number of Cores1
CoprocessorNone
CacheNone
System Bus5 MHz

Memory

StorageBuilt-in 10 MB hard disk drive and optional
external 5 or 10 MB Apple ProFile hard disk drive
Built-in Memory512 KB
Maximum Memory2 MB
Memory Slots2 – Apple Lisa memory boards
Minimum Speed150 ns
ROM16 KB

Display

Built-in Display12″ monochrome display
Resolution720 x 364

Graphics

Graphics CardNone
Graphics MemoryNone

Connections

ModemNone
EthernetNone
ADBNone
SCSINone
Serial2 – RS-232C
1 – DE-9
Parallel1 – D-25
Audio InNone
Audio Out1 – Built-in speaker
Floppy PortNone
Display1 – RCA composite video output

Expansion

Slots3 – Apple Lisa expansion slots
MediaBuilt-in 400 KB 3.5-inch floppy disk drive

Accessories

Keyboard76-key Selectric-style, detached keyboard with 10-key pad

Software

Original OSMacWorks XL (support for up to System Software 1.1)
Maximum OSMacWorks Plus II (support for up to System 7.5.5)
FirmwareN/A

Power

Backup Battery4.8 V NICAD or None
Maximum Continuous Power150 W
Line Voltage115 or 230V AC

Further Reading and References

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: March 13, 2023