The Macintosh LC (meaning low-cost color) was Apple Computer's product family of low-end consumer Macintosh personal computers in the early 1990s. The original Macintosh LC was released in 1990 and was the first affordable color-capable Macintosh. Due to its affordability and Apple II compatibility the LC was adopted primarily in the education and home markets. Together with the Mac IIsi, it introduced built-in audio input on the Mac. The "LC" name was subsequently used for a line of low-end Macintosh computers for several years and spanned the 68k to PowerPC transition.

Macintosh computers, especially the color Macs starting with the Macintosh II in 1987, had always been rather expensive computers with large profit margins. The original LC was an attempt at an affordable, modular, color-capable Macintosh. Compared with earlier Macs, Apple cut some corners on performance and features in order to keep the price down.

The Mac LC sold well, and in 1991 was replaced by the LC II, which replaced the LC's 68020 processor with a 68030.

•introduced 1990.10.15 at $2,400; discontinued 1992.03.23
•requires System 6.0.7 to 7.5.5
•CPU: 16 MHz 68020
•FPU: 68881 (optional, uses PDS slot)
•performance: 1.8, relative to SE (compare to 2.4 for Mac II); 0.87, MacBench 2.0 CPU; 3.31, Speedometer 3.06; 0.22, Speedometer 4; 2.6 MIPS
•ROM: 512 KB
•RAM: 2 MB on motherboard, expandable to 10 MB using a pair of 100ns 30-pin SIMMs; can use 1 MB, 2 MB, and 4 MB SIMMs
•L2 cache: none
•video: 256 KB VRAM SIMM, expandable to 512 KB; supports 512 x 384 and 640 x 480 resolutions (must have 512 KB VRAM for 8 bits at 640 x 480, 16 bits at 512 x 384)
•VRAM: accepts one 100ns VRAM SIMM, 256 KB standard, can be upgraded with single 512 KB VRAM SIMM, other specs unknown, VRAM SIMM appears to be specific to early Macs.
•video port: DB-15
•ADB ports: 1
•serial ports: 2 DIN-8 RS-422 on back of computer
•SCSI: DB-25 connector on back of computer
•sound: 8-bit mono
•audio in: 8-bit mono
•expansion slot: LC PDS slot
•size (HxWxD): 2.9" x 12.2" x 15.3"
•weight: 8.8 lbs.
•PRAM battery: 3.6V half-AA
•power supply: 50W
•Gestalt ID: 19
•model no.: M0350
•addressing: 24-bit or 32-bit
•upgrade path: LC II, LC III, Quadra 605
Thanks to http://lowendmac.com for tyhe specification

Our LC was kindly donated by Bob Sheppard

Manufacturer: Apple
Date: 15th October 1990

This exhibit has a reference ID of CH212. Please quote this reference ID in any communication with the Centre for Computing History.