| In 1990 Apple began its major assault on the
microcomputer market with six new machines. No portion of
the market was left untouched: The Mac Classic II, with
its black-and-white display, targeted the low-cost
segment, while two 68040-based Macs, the Quadra 700 and
900, took the high-end, high-performance territory. For
the on-the-go office worker, the PowerBooks — three
notebook Macs with black-and-white screens — offered many
features that PC notebook computers lacked. Since then,
Apple has made enhancements to these product lines, such
as a faster Quadra (the Quadra 950) and more powerful
notebooks with gray-scale displays (the PowerBook 180 and
PowerBook Duo 230). On February 10, Apple unleashed its second wave in the market-share war. As before, the company introduced six Macs that compose a sweeping revision of its product line. Among the changes is the first compact Mac with a color screen, the first PowerBook with a color screen, and a new Quadra with a shorter mini-tower design. A newly introduced Centris series — a set of 68040-based midrange computers — is intended to replace the Mac II line. Also shown was the Mac LC III, a high-powered successor to the LC II. With street prices likely to range from $1000 to $4500, these new Macs address the price-conscious segment of the microcomputer market while delivering processing power. Because low-end Macs now account for the vast majority of Apple's unit sales, we'll start at the bottom of the product line and work our way up. We looked at preproduction units of each model. Note that the prices given here are preliminary and may change by press time. Color Classic Low-cost computing on the Mac traditionally meant sacrificing color capability. This is no longer true. The Color Classic's built-in monitor uses a 76-dot-per-inch, 10-inch-diagonal Sony Trinitron tube that displays a 512- by 384-pixel screen. Previous compact Mac screens — such as the Classic II — are only 512 by 342 pixels, making the Color Classic's screen taller by 42 pixel lines. To accommodate the larger tube, Apple slightly altered the compact case design, using a larger front bezel that also includes a built-in microphone. As with the Classic II, the Color Classic's main logic board uses a 16-MHz 68030 processor and has 4 MB of RAM standard (the Classic II initially had only 2 MB of RAM, but since mid-1992, Apple has been shipping the unit with 4 MB). RAM is expandable to 10 MB using 30-pin RAM SIMMs. There is 256 KB of 100-nanosecond VRAM (video RAM) that lets the computer display 256 colors on-screen. You can expand it to 512 KB by adding a VRAM SIMM; the system can then display 32,768 colors. The Color Classic still uses a 16-bit-wide bus that reduces system costs, but at the expense of throughput. However, the video-frame buffer now resides in VRAM rather than in main memory and thus eliminates a performance hit that hobbled the Classic's design. In the old design, as the video circuits periodically accessed memory to refresh the screen, they blocked the processor's access to the bus, which degrades overall performance. With the video-frame buffer in separate VRAM on the Color Classic, both video and processor operations run unimpeded. The result should be better performance, and the preliminary BYTE low-level benchmark results (see the figure) support this conclusion. The Color Classic is about as fast as a Mac LC II, or about Mac II caliber. Normally, the compact Mac design offers limited expansion options, but here's where the Color Classic really breaks with tradition. First, there's a socket for a 68882 FPU. Next, there's a 96-pin PDS (Processor Direct Slot) that's electrically and physically compatible with Mac LC and LC II expansion boards. Finally, you can junk the Torx screwdriver and case-cracking tools required to open older compact Macs. Just tug on two tabs at the bottom rear of the computer to remove a panel, and the main logic board slides out, letting you easily add extra RAM, the FPU, or an LC or LC II expansion board. This arrangement also prevents exposure to the hazardous voltages lurking in the color-video circuitry. A Color Classic with 4 MB of RAM and a 40-MB hard drive costs $1300. The 68000-based Classic is being discontinued, with the Classic II taking its place as the lowest-cost Mac. No upgrade path from a Classic II to a Color Classic is offered. Mac LC III As limited as its expansion options are (a single PDS slot and no FPU), the Mac LC II is Apple's best-selling computer. The company asked users what design improvements they'd like to see in the computer. The answers were, allow more memory, add more display options, and make it faster. The LC III does these things — and more. A new controller chip — an enhanced derivative of a Mac LC ASIC (application-specific IC) — enables you to expand RAM to 36 MB (up from 10 MB). The main logic board has 4 MB of 80-ns RAM soldered to it, and a single SIMM socket provides memory expansion using a high-density SIMM. The LC III uses an industry-standard 72-pin SIMM, rather than the 30-pin SIMMs found in other Macs. The LC III's built-in video supports a bevy of monitors, from Apple's 12-inch RGB display (512 by 384 pixels) to its 16-inch display (832 by 624 pixels) and VGA monitors. The 512 KB of 80-ns VRAM soldered to the main logic board supports 8-bit pixels (256 colors) on these screens. A single SIMM socket lets you add 256 KB of VRAM (for a total of 768 KB) so that you can view 16-bit images (32,768 colors) on 14-inch monitors (640 by 480 pixels). The LC III's 68030 processor is clocked at 25 MHz (up from 16 MHz), and there's a socket for a 68882 FPU. More important, the LC III uses a 32-bit-wide bus, whereas the LC II's bus was only 16 bits wide (a cost-cutting move, as in the Classic design). The end result is that the LC III serves up nearly Mac IIci performance, according to the BYTE benchmarks. A notched 114-pin PDS connector accepts existing 96-pin LC II expansion boards, with a maximum power budget of 4 watts. An LC III with 4 MB of RAM and a 40-MB hard drive costs $1300. Mac LC II owners can rest easy: Through a logic-board swap, they can upgrade their computers for $599, although they will have to replace the old RAM. The LC II won't be discontinued; instead, its price will be lowered. Centris 610 With the market's low end firmly anchored by the Classic II, Color Classic, LC II, LC III, and the Performa line, Apple turned its attention to the aging 68030-based Mac II line. The top performer here has been the 25-MHz Mac IIci, whose design is more than three years old. The new Centris 610 and 650 computers are low-cost 68040-based midrange Macs. Tight integration of components has reduced the 10 custom ASICs used in the Quadra 950 design to only three, which reduces the cost of the Centris computers and the 33-MHz Quadra 800 (described later). One of these chips, the memory-controller ASIC (MEMC), now lets you mix different-density RAM SIMMs (as long as they are 4 MB or larger) on the main logic board. At boot-up time, the MEMC maps the different-size chunks of RAM into one contiguous memory space. Throughput wasn't sacrificed while cutting costs. Both Centris computers use the 53C96 SCSI controller, the same one found in the Quadras. This controller has a maximum transfer rate of 5 Mbps, versus the 53C80 found in other Macs that handles only 1.5 Mbps. The I/O bus in the Quadra design has practically disappeared, with most I/O signals and controls combined into one ASIC (the IOSB). The IOSB is clocked at CPU speeds, so on the Quadra 800 most I/O operations run at 33 MHz. The exception is the Ethernet controller, which runs at 16 MHz. The Centris 610 is a low-profile desktop computer similar in design to the Mac LC III. It has room for two internal SCSI devices: a 3 1/2-inch drive and a bay at the front for a 5 1/4-inch half-height device (typically a CD-ROM drive). An 86-W power supply provides ample power for these peripherals. To reduce costs, the Centris 610 uses a 20-MHz 68LC040, which is essentially a 68040 processor without an FPU (sort of like a 486SX). However, it uses the same socket as a 68040, which offers the possibility of an upgrade. An Ethernet port, using the AUI (Attachment Unit Interface) connector, is an option. This option is actually a main logic board populated with the Ethernet port and electronics. Like the Mac IIsi, the Centris 610 has a single 68040 PDS expansion slot, which can also be a NuBus slot by using an adapter board. To fit within the computer, these boards must be only 7 inches long (current NuBus boards can be up to 12 inches long) and use a maximum of 10 W. The Centris 610 starts with a base 4 MB of RAM; two 72-pin SIMM sockets let you expand memory to a maximum of 68 MB. Its 512 KB of 100-ns VRAM supports 8-bit colors on monitors from 12 to 21 inches (1152 by 870 pixels). Two SIMM sockets let you increase VRAM to 1 MB, to support 16-bit-deep screens on monitors as large as 16 inches. A Centris 610 with 4 MB of RAM and an 80-MB hard drive is expected to cost under $2000. You get a lot of bang for your buck here: The BYTE low-level benchmarks peg the 20-MHz Centris 610 at better than Mac IIfx performance (the Mac IIfx uses a 40-MHz 68030 and 68882 FPU.) Even with the 68LC040, the Centris 610 did better than the Mac IIfx on floating-point operations. Centris 650 If you require more expansion options than are offered by the Centris 610, there's the Centris 650. It uses the same Mac IIvx housing with a bay for a 5 1/4-inch SCSI device, a 68040 PDS, and three slots that implement a NuBus 90 backplane. The slots accept full-size NuBus boards. A 112-W power supply powers the system, and 15 W is available for each NuBus slot. The processor is a 68LC040 or a 68040 clocked at 25 MHz. As with the Centris 610, the Ethernet interface is an option. The Centris 650's on-board video is identical to the Centris 610's and supports the same monitor sizes and screen depths. But it uses 80-ns VRAM instead of 100-ns hardware. The main logic board has 4 or 8 MB of 80-ns RAM; four 72-pin SIMM sockets let you expand memory to as much as 136 MB (assuming 8 MB on the main board). The memory subsystem in the Centris 650 and the Quadra 800 has been enhanced to support interleaved memory. The MEMC ASIC arranges RAM in logical banks and then provides a hardware assist by rapidly stepping through the banks during burst-mode accesses. This shaves several clock cycles off these memory operations and improves throughput. The memory on the main logic board is interleaved, and the socketed SIMM RAM must be the same density for memory interleaving to occur. The BYTE benchmarks show that, on average, the Centris 650's memory operations are faster by about 13 percent than the Quadra 700 (Apple claims 10 percent to 15 percent). While not all memory operations can take advantage of burst mode, the test results do indicate that the memory subsystem uses them when it can. The benchmarks show that the 650 edges out the 25-MHz Quadra 700 in performance. A Centris 650 with 4 MB of RAM and an 80-MB hard drive sets you back $3000. It's expected that the Mac IIsi and IIci will be discontinued, leaving the Mac IIvx as the sole survivor of the Mac II line. Quadra 800 The Quadra 800 is a short, squat tower similar to the Quadra 950, but it stands only 14 1/4 inches high (versus the Quadra's 18 3/5 inches). It uses a 33-MHz 68040 processor and comes with 8 MB of 70-ns RAM on the main logic board. Four 72-pin SIMM sockets let you expand RAM to 136 MB. Memory on the main logic board is interleaved, and so is the socketed RAM if it is all the same density. Ethernet is standard, and three slots implement a NuBus 90 backplane, which handles full-size NuBus boards. The tower contains three bays at the front that can hold four SCSI devices: a 5 1/4-inch half-height device (typically a CD-ROM), a 3 1/2-inch half-height device (a hard drive), and either a 3 1/2-inch full-height device (typically a disk array) or two half-height devices. A ribbon cable with SCSI connectors and four power cables at the ready make adding a SCSI peripheral easy. The 200-W power supply provides ample muscle for these peripherals and 15 W per NuBus board. Because the Quadra 800 borrows from the same design used by the Centris 610 and 650, it supports the same monitors and screen depths (up to 16 bits deep on a 16-inch monitor). Video performance on all three systems is faster because the IOSB eliminates one wait state from VRAM accesses. Also, certain QuickDraw graphics routines have been modified to take advantage of the 68040's MOVE16 instruction (which burst-transfers 16 bytes), improving the speed of scrolling and filling operations. The BYTE benchmarks show that the Quadra 800 is slightly faster than the 33-MHz Quadra 950. This results from the improvements in the Quadra design: memory interleaving, the I/O functions merged into the IOSB, and the optimized video. A Quadra 800 with 8 MB of RAM and a 230-MB hard drive costs $4700, a most attractive price when you compare it to a similarly equipped Quadra 950 ($7359). Where the Quadra 800 falls short of its predecessor is in its lack of 24-bit video, fewer slots, and fewer peripheral bays. The features the Quadra 800 packs, however, should attract a flock of buyers. PowerBook 165c Last but not least, Apple closes the gap in its notebook line with the PowerBook 165c. Essentially a PowerBook 180 (a 33-MHz 68030 processor, 68882 FPU, external video, and 4 MB of RAM), the 165c differs mainly in its color passive-matrix LCD screen that displays 256 colors. The 9-inch-diagonal display is smaller than the PowerBook 180's 77-dpi, 10-inch-diagonal display, but its 85-dpi density packs in the same 640- by 400-pixel screen. The screen uses special filters and polarizer materials to provide good contrast and a wide viewing angle, while two backlight bulbs and a filter increase its brightness. The screen adds only 1/5 pound to the system's weight (for a total of 7 pounds). Internally, the engineers moved the 4 MB of RAM and 1 MB of ROM to a "cousin card" to make room for the color display's controller and DRAM. The display consumes more power (about 6 to 7 W). Thus, the PowerBook 165c uses a beefier 2.9-watt-hour nickel-cadmium battery (the PowerBook 140/170 use a 2.7-Wh battery). Also, the power charger now cranks out 24 W (up from 15 W) to recharge the battery faster. The 165c's screen is brighter than we expected, with rich colors. Scanned color images are a joy to behold. The BYTE benchmarks indicate that the 165c is slightly slower than the PowerBook 180. The video benchmarks were especially slow because the display's frame buffer doesn't use dual-ported VRAM. Although the PowerBook 165c's passive-matrix screen might not match the brisk colors of an active-matrix screen, the trade-off here is for your wallet. A PowerBook 165c with 4 MB of RAM and an 80-MB hard drive costs $3279. The prices of comparable PC notebooks with active-matrix screens start at about $4300. A Mac for Every Purpose This latest generation of Macs spans every part of the microcomputer market. At the low end, there is the affordable Color Classic with a small desktop footprint. If you need more power, the LC III serves up Mac IIci performance. The 68030-based midrange Mac II line was in desperate need of an overhaul. The Centris line of Macs brings this section up to date with affordable 68040-based computers that deliver ample horsepower. The Quadra 800 mini-tower offers leading-edge performance while intelligent design compromises make it the most affordable Quadra ever. And for those who need color on the road, the PowerBook 165c is a powerful 33-MHz color notebook that delivers performance while sparing your budget. As usual, we admire the Apple engineers who have reused proven technologies where they can (e.g., enhanced versions of the Mac LC components for the LC III) and maximized their design efforts (e.g., by integrating the Quadra design into fewer ASICs and using them in the Centris computers as well as the Quadra 800). The result is better performance at lower cost — a win-win situation for the Mac user. The FactsColor Classic (with 4 MB of RAM/40-MB hard drive): $1300Mac LC III (with 4 MB of RAM/40-MB hard drive): $1300 Mac Centris 610 (with 4 MB of RAM/80-MB hard drive): under $2000 Mac Centris 650 (with 4 MB of RAM/80-MB hard drive): $3000 Mac Quadra 800 (with 8 MB of RAM/230-MB hard drive): $4700 Mac PowerBook 165c (with 4 MB of RAM/80-MB hard drive): $3279 Apple Computer, Inc. 20525 Mariani Ave. Cupertino, CA 95014 (408) 996-1010 Photograph: The Centris 68040-based Macs make up Apple's new midrange computers. Both are shown with an optional CD-ROM drive. Graph: Preliminary low-level benchmark results. For all tests, a Classic II = 1. Higher numbers indicate better performance. All Macs ran System 7.1. The Color Classic had an FPU; the Centris 610 did not. Tom Thompson is a BYTE senior technical editor at large with a B.S.E.E. from Memphis State University. He is an associate Apple developer. You can reach him on AppleLink as "T.THOMPSON" or on the Internet at tomt@bytepb.byte.com. Tom R. Halfhill is a BYTE senior news editor based in San Mateo, California. You can reach him on BIX as "thalfhill." Copyright 1994-1997 BYTE |