Macintosh IIvx

The Macintosh IIvx is a personal computer designed, manufactured and sold by Apple Computer, Inc. from October 1992 to October 1993. It is the last of the Macintosh II family of Macintosh computers. The IIvx was introduced at the same time as the Macintosh IIvi, Performa 600 and Performa 600CD, with all four models using the same new metal case design. Like the Performa 600CD, the IIvx could be equipped with an internal double-speed CD-ROM drive.[1]

Macintosh IIvx
A Macintosh IIvx
DeveloperApple Computer, Inc.
Product familyMacintosh II, Centris
Release dateOctober 19, 1992 (1992-10-19)
Introductory priceUS$2,950 (equivalent to $5,375 in 2019)
DiscontinuedOctober 21, 1993 (1993-10-21)
Operating systemSystem 7.1 - Mac OS 7.6.1
CPUMotorola 68030 @ 32 MHz
Memory4 MB, expandable to 68 MB (80 ns 30-pin SIMM)
DimensionsHeight: 6 inches (15 cm)
Width: 13 inches (33 cm)
Depth: 16.5 inches (42 cm)
Mass25 pounds (11 kg)
SuccessorMacintosh Quadra 650
Related articlesMacintosh IIvi

While the IIvx shares the model designation of other Macintosh II computers, Apple considers the IIvx to be the first computer in the Macintosh Centris line.[2] According to Apple, their lawyers were unable to complete the trademark check on the "Centris" name in time for the IIvx's release.[2] Machines bearing the Centris name were introduced a few months later.

The IIvx was described in a MacWorld Magazine review as having "the best price-to-performance ratio of any computer Apple has ever built."[1] The list price for a machine with an 80 MB hard drive, 4 MB main memory, and 512 KB of video memory was US$2,949. Adding the CD-ROM and upgrading to 5 MB of main memory and 1 MB video memory increased the price to US$3,219, which Macworld deemed to be "the best CD-ROM drive bargain ever offered".

The much more powerful Macintosh Centris 650 was released four months after the IIvx for $250 less, immediately rendering the IIvx obsolete. The IIvx's base price was slashed by more than a third.[3] Because of increasing competition from Dell and other PC manufacturers, prices of the IIvx continued to fall quickly; by the end of June 1993, the price of the 5/80 + CD-ROM configuration had dropped to $1,799, about half its original price.[4] For a while afterwards, people who bought an expensive Mac that quickly became outdated were said to have been "IIvx-ed".[5]

Overview

The Mac IIvx began its life in development as a proof-of-concept to see how an internal CD-ROM drive could be added to a Mac. But after Apple CEO John Sculley gave a speech at MacWorld Tokyo which promised a Mac with a CD-ROM drive, the IIvx was rushed into production.[5] Several shortcuts were taken in its design; most notably, its 32 MHz processor was crippled by a 16 MHz bus, making it slightly slower than the popular but aging Macintosh IIci.[3] Its serial port was limited to 57.6 kbit/s, which could cause problems with serial connections and MIDI hardware. The Macintosh IIvi (a slower version of the IIvx with a 16 MHz processor) was introduced at the same time in some markets (though not the United States) but was discontinued four months later. The high-end member of the original Performa family, the Performa 600 was also based on the same architecture. The IIvx was one of the only Macintosh II models with a 32K L2 cache, following the IIfx's onboard 32K cache and the IIci's optional 32K cache card. The IIvi and Performa 600 did not support an L2 cache despite their similarities to the IIvx.

Hardware

The IIvx was sold with hard drives ranging from 40 to 400 MB, three NuBus slots, and a Processor Direct Slot.[6]

The Macintosh IIvx uses the same case as the Macintosh Performa 600, which was itself reused for Centris 650 (later known as the Quadra 650). It can be upgraded to this machine by swapping the logic board. The IIvx case was also used for the Power Macintosh 7100.[7]

Timelines

Timeline of Macintosh II models
See also: Timeline of Macintosh models

Timeline of Macintosh Quadra and Centris models
See also: Timeline of Macintosh models
Power MacintoshMacintosh LC IIIMacintosh Quadra 630Macintosh Quadra 950Macintosh Quadra 650Macintosh Quadra 610Macintosh Quadra 900Macintosh Quadra 840AVMacintosh Quadra 800Macintosh Quadra 700Macintosh Quadra 660AVMacintosh Quadra 650Macintosh Quadra 610Macintosh Quadra 605Macintosh IIvx
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References
  1. Seiter, Charles (December 1992). "Macintosh IIvx - The latest desktop Mac is a faster version of the Performa 600". MacWorld Magazine. pp. 206–207.
  2. Gruman, Galen (April 1993). "Centris 610 & 650 - Two new midrange performers replace the venerable Mac II line". MacWorld Magazine. pp. 106–113.
  3. "Macintosh IIvx". Low End Mac.
  4. "Dealers not sold on Apple rebates". MacWEEK. Vol. 7 no. 25. p. 34.
  5. O'Grady, Jason D. (2008). Apple Inc. (Corporations That Changed the World). ABC-CLIO. ISBN 0-313-36244-0.
  6. "Macintosh IIvx: Technical Specifications". Apple.
  7. "Power Macintosh 7100/80: Technical Specifications". Apple.
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