On January 16, 1986, Apple introduced the Macintosh Plus, a personal computer that would become a staple of the Macintosh series for the next four years. As a flagship product of the company, the Macintosh Plus was designed, manufactured, and sold by Apple, and it quickly became a popular choice among consumers.
The Macintosh Plus was a powerful computer for its time, boasting an 8 MHz Motorola 68000 processor, a 9-inch monochrome display, and 1 MB of RAM. It also came with an 800 KB floppy disk drive and a dedicated operating system, Macintosh System Software. With its cutting-edge technology and sleek design, the Macintosh Plus was a hit with consumers.
However, all good things must come to an end, and on October 15, 1990, Apple decided to discontinue the Macintosh Plus. Despite its relatively short lifespan, the Macintosh Plus remains a beloved piece of technology, remembered for its contributions to the Macintosh series and its impact on the personal computer market.
Today, 38 years after its introduction, the Macintosh Plus remains a beloved piece of technology history. Its design, features, and capabilities are still impressive, even by today’s standards. It’s a testament to the innovation and creativity of the team at Apple, and it’s a reminder of how far personal computers have come in the last 38 years.
Macintosh Plus Details
| Introduced | January 16, 1986 |
| Discontinued | October 15, 1990 |
| Model Identifier | 4 |
| Order Number | M0001A M0001AP |
| Original Price | $2,599 |
| Colors | Beige Platinum |
| Weight | 16.5 Ibs. 7.484 KG |
| Dimensions | 13.6” H x 9.6” W x 10.9” D 34.54 cm H x 24.38 cm W x 27.68 cm D |
Mac Plus Tech Specs
Processor
| Processor | Motorola 68000 |
| Processor Speed | 8 MHz |
| Number of Cores | 1 |
| System Bus | 8 MHz |
| Cache | None |
| Coprocessor | None |
Memory
| Storage | None |
| Built-in Memory | 1 MB |
| Maximum Memory | 4 MB |
| Memory Slots | 4 – 30 pin SIMMs |
| Minimum Speed | 150 ns |
| 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 |
Connections
| Ethernet | None |
| Modem | None |
| ADB | None |
| Serial | 2 – RS-422 1 – DE-9 |
| SCSI | 1 – DB-25 |
| Floppy Port | 1 – DB-19 |
| Audio In | None |
| Audio Out | 1 – Built-in speaker 8-bit 22-kHz |
| Display | Unknown |
Expansion
| Slots | None |
| Media | 800 KB floppy disk drive |
Accessories
- Macintosh Mouse
- Macintosh Plus Keyboard
Software
| Original OS | Macintosh System Software 0.7 |
| Maximum OS | System 7.5.5 |
| Firmware | Macintosh ROM |
Power
| Backup Battery | 4.5 V Alkaline |
| Maximum Continuous Power | 60 W |
| Line Voltage | 110-120V AC (Model M0001A) 220-240V AC (Model M00001AP) |
Further Reading and References
- Macintosh Plus: Technical Specifications – Apple Support
- Macintosh Plus – Wikipedia
- Apple Macintosh Plus 1MB – The Centre for Computing History
- Today in Apple history: Macintosh Plus brings big changes
- Mac Plus – Low End Mac
- Apple Macintosh Plus – HomeComputerMuseum
- Personal Computer Apple Macintosh Plus 1MB – Google Arts & Culture
- Macintosh Plus – iFixit
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 17, 2023
