The Macintosh PowerBook 160, a notebook computer designed, manufactured, and sold by Apple, was a part of the Macintosh PowerBook series and was first introduced on October 19th, 1992. Priced at $2,480, this computer was a powerful addition to Apple’s line of Macintosh computers.
The PowerBook 160 featured a 25 MHz Motorola 68030 processor, 9.8″ monochrome LCD display, 4 MB of RAM, and the option for a 40 MB, 80 MB, or 120 MB hard drive. It also included a 1.44 MB floppy drive, allowing users to easily save and transfer files.
Despite its impressive specs and capabilities, the Macintosh PowerBook 160 was discontinued on August 16th, 1993. Today, the PowerBook 160 is 30 years old and remains a piece of Apple’s history. As technology continues to advance, it’s interesting to look back at the PowerBook 160 and see how far we’ve come in the world of computers.
Macintosh PowerBook 160 Release Date and Original Price
| Introduced | October 19, 1992 |
| Discontinued | August 16, 1993 |
| Model Identifier | 34 |
| Model Number | M4500LL/A (40 MB hard drive) M4510LL/A (80 MB hard drive) M4520LL/A (120 MB hard drive) |
| Original Price | $2,480 |
| Colors | Grey |
| Weight | 6.8 Ibs. 3.084 KG |
| Dimensions | 2.25” H x 11.25” W x 9.3” D 5.71 cm H x 28.57 cm W x 23.62 cm D |
Tech Specs
Processor
| Processor | Motorola 68030 |
| Processor Speed | 25 MHz |
| Architecture | 32-bit |
| Number of Cores | 1 |
| System Bus | 25 MHz |
| Cache | 0.5 KB L1 |
| Coprocessor | None |
Storage & Media
| Storage | 40 MB 80 MB 120 MB |
| Media | 1.44 MB floppy |
Memory
| Built-in Memory | 4 MB of PSRAM |
| Maximum Memory | 14 MB |
| Memory Slots | 1 – PowerBook 1xx (70-pin connector) |
| Minimum Speed | 85 ns |
| ROM | Unknown |
| Interleaving Support | No |
Display
| Built-in Display | 9.8″ diagonal passive matrix reflective LCD |
| Resolutions | 640 x 400 |
Graphics
| Graphics Card | None |
| Graphics Memory | 128 KB |
| Display Connection | 1 – Mini-15 |
Expansion
| Expansion Slots | Internal 20-pin connector for the optional 2400-baud modem card |
| Hard Drive Interface | 40-pin SCSI |
| Bays | Unknown |
Software
| Original OS | System Software 7.1 |
| Maximum OS | Mac OS 7.6.1 |
| Firmware | Macintosh ROM |
Connections
| Wi-Fi | None |
| Ethernet | None |
| Modem | None |
| Bluetooth | None |
| ADB | 1 |
| Serial | 2 |
| SCSI | HDI-30 |
| Floppy Port | None |
| Audio In | 1 – 3.5-mm analog input jack 1 – Built-in microphone |
| Audio Out | 1 – 3.5-mm analog output jack 1 – Built-in speaker |
| Infrared | None |
| Display | 1 – Mini-15 |
Keyboard and trackpad
| Keyboard | Built-in 64-key (U.S.) or 64-key (ISO) 3.0-mm travel keyboard |
| Trackpad | Built-in 25-mm trackball pointing device |
Power
| System Battery | 2.5-ampere-hour NiCad battery |
| Backup Battery | 3 V lithium |
| Maximum Continuous Power | 17 W |
| Line Voltage | Unknown |
| Power Adapter | Unknown |
References:
Apple Support – Macintosh PowerBook 160: Technical Specifications
