Apple Macintosh Color Classic vs Apple Macintosh LC 580

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Better figure, where one is clearly better

Macintosh Color Classic compared with Macintosh LC 580
AppleMacintosh Color ClassicAppleMacintosh LC 580
Overview
ReleasedFebruary 19931995
Performance
Processor68030 16 MHz (Macintosh Color Classic)Motorola 68LC040 33 MHz (Macintosh LC 575)
CPU cores11
Memory4 MB8 MB (better)
Storage40 MB to 160 MB500 MB (better)
CPU16 MHz Motorola 68030 with 16-bit data bus, integrated PMMU and 0.5K L1 cache; optional 68882 maths coprocessor, no supplied FPU, L2 cache or second processorOriginal Motorola 68LC040 at 33 MHz, without an integrated floating-point unit. Apple catalogue gives 66/33 MHz internal/bus clock; optional PowerPC upgrade is excluded from this configuration. Shared Service Source describes it as an updated LC 575
GPU–Built-in video uses 1 MB DRAM soldered to the logic board, displaying 32,768 colours at 640 × 480
Memory type4 MB onboard, expandable to 10 MB using two paired 30-pin SIMMs, 100 ns minimum; 1, 2 or 4 MB modules. With two 4 MB SIMMs the lower 2 MB onboard cannot be addressed. 1 MB ROM8 MB standard in the maker catalogue: 4 MB soldered plus one 4 MB SIMM, with a second socket free. Two 72-pin 80 ns SIMM sockets, expandable to 52 MB; the single-bank socket accepts only 1, 4 or 16 MB modules. 1 MB ROM in original service specifications
Storage typeOriginal Apple Facts and Apple Direct describe 4 MB memory with 40, 80 or 160 MB internal SCSI disks, varying by country; original US ordering sheet explicitly identifies 4 MB/80 MB M1602LL/A. 1.44 MB removable SuperDrive floppy; optional external CD-ROM. Original capacity units retained500 MB internal IDE hard disk in the catalogue configuration, plus manual-inject Apple SuperDrive floppy. Double-speed tray-loading internal CD-ROM is optional or included in some regional configurations; the separately marketed Performa 580CD has its own software and hardware bundle
Expansion slotsOne LC-compatible 96-pin processor-direct slot and optional maths-coprocessor socket; slide-out logic board provides access to memory, VRAM and expansionOne 114-pin LC processor-direct slot, one communications slot for optional Ethernet or fax modem, one video-input slot for optional capture hardware and an internal connector for optional external video
Display
Screen size8.2″14″
Resolution512 × 384640 × 480 (better)
PanelCRTCRT
Refresh rate60.15 Hz66.67 Hz (better)
Display typeSony Trinitron colour CRT; maker display-component sheet distinguishes 10-inch tube from 8.2-inch viewable area, retained as the main display size. 512 × 384 Macintosh mode, exact 60.15 Hz refresh and 24.48 kHz horizontal scanBuilt-in 14-inch diagonal shadow-mask colour CRT, 0.28 mm dot pitch. The exact service manual calls the viewable image 11.5 inches and gives a nominal 240 × 180 mm active raster; these maker descriptions are retained separately
Display features256K VRAM supplies 256 colours; optional additional 256K VRAM enables 32,768 colours. Apple IIe card provides 560 × 384 mode at the same 60.15 Hz; this optional-card mode is not native Macintosh resolution640 × 480 at 66.67 Hz in the exact timing table (66.7 Hz rounded elsewhere in the same manual); 16-bit colour
Connections
PortsHeadphone jackHeadphone jack
Front ports–Stereo headphone socket; front brightness and contrast controls
Back portsTwo ADB, DB-25 SCSI, two RS-232/RS-422 serial ports, mono sound input and mono sound output. LocalTalk networking through serial port; Ethernet needs an optional expansion card, no built-in external video or floppy connectorOne ADB port; one DB-25 SCSI port supporting six external devices; two RS-232/RS-422 serial ports, with 9-pin mini-DIN modem and 8-pin mini-DIN printer connectors; mono sound input and stereo sound output
External displays–Optional external video connector supports mirroring on compatible 640 × 480 and 800 × 600 monitors, as listed in the shared service manual; no external video socket as standard
SpeakersBuilt-in speaker and omnidirectional electret microphone; mono 8-bit output at 22 kHz, sound input at 22 or 11 kHzTwo integrated speakers; 8-bit stereo playback and mono recording at 11 or 22 kHz. Optional CD-ROM supports audio-CD playback
Microphones–Integrated microphone for monaural sound input
Keyboard and mouseADB keyboard with numeric keypad and two-level tilt adjustment, Apple ADB Mouse IISupports Apple Desktop Bus keyboards and the ADB Mouse II. Maker photograph shows a keyboard and mouse; regional education bundles vary
Design and power
TypeAll-in-oneAll-in-one
Weight10.2 kg (better)18.3 kg
Width × depth × height251 × 320 × 368 mm343 × 419 × 455 mm
Operating systemmacOSmacOS
Size and weight detailMain dimensions and 10.2 kg weight use original Apple Facts metric figures. Original technical library gives 22.5–23.2 lb (10.2–10.5 kg) depending on configuration and slightly different rounded centimetre dimensionsApple catalogue: 455 × 343 × 419 mm (height × width × depth), 18.3 kg, varying with installed devices. Service Source rounds the same 17.9 × 13.5 × 16.5 inch case to 455 × 344 × 420 mm and 18.4 kg; headline follows the catalogue’s published metric values
Power supplyMaximum 100 W, automatic 90–240 V AC, 47–63 Hz, 0.83 A; 3.6 V lithium clock battery. Keyboard power control and display power-saving modeAutomatically configured 100–240 V AC mains; service supply operating range 90–264 V rms, 50–60 Hz ±3 Hz
Power use–Service Source: 120 W maximum for all line and load conditions. Current support article describes a PowerPC-upgraded configuration and lists 60 W, so that figure is not transferred to the original model
In the boxOriginal system software 7.1 and System Enabler 401. Maker announcement 10 February 1993 is not treated as exact first sale; February sale month uses Wikipedia's historical sold-period account, with original March Apple Direct describing an available US configuration. Colour Classic is the regional spelling; no separate Performa 250 or Color Classic II generation added hereOriginal 68LC040 model is offered in Apple’s April and October 1995 catalogues; the latter identifies US education-only sales and varying worldwide configurations. Current Apple support article describes an installed PowerPC 601 upgrade card. It records introduction on 3 April 1995, while contemporary Macworld says education shipping was planned for that day; exact actual first retail delivery is unconfirmed, so release retains supported year precision

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