Apple Macintosh IIfx vs Apple Macintosh LC

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Macintosh IIfx compared with Macintosh LC

	AppleMacintosh IIfx	AppleMacintosh LC
Overview
Released
Released	1990	October 1990
Performance
Processor
Processor	68030 40 MHz (Macintosh IIfx)	68020 16 MHz (Macintosh LC)
CPU cores
CPU cores	1	1
Memory
Memory	4 MB (better)	2 MB
Storage
Storage	80 MB to 160 MB (better)	40 MB
CPU
CPU	40 MHz Motorola 68030 with integrated memory-management unit and 68882 floating-point coprocessor; 0.5 KB L1 and 32 KB L2 cache	16 MHz Motorola 68020 with a 16-bit data path and 0.25 KB L1 cache; no standard paged memory-management unit or floating-point coprocessor
GPU
GPU	No built-in video; a compatible NuBus video card is required for a display	Integrated video has 256 KB VRAM, supporting 8-bit colour at 512 × 384 or 4-bit at 640 × 480; 512 KB VRAM upgrade permits 16-bit colour at 512 × 384 or 8-bit at 640 × 480
Memory type
Memory type	Eight 64-pin SIMM slots in banks of four, using 80 ns or faster memory; Apple lists 4–128 MB and a 512 KB ROM. The 64-pin modules are specific to the IIfx.	2 MB soldered to the logic board plus two 30-pin SIMM slots, populated as a matched pair; 100 ns memory and 2–10 MB total supported by Apple; 512 KB ROM
Storage type
Storage type	One or two internal 1.44 MB floppy drives, with optional 40–160 MB SCSI hard drives; 4 MB floppy-only, 80 MB and 160 MB configurations are represented here	40 MB internal SCSI hard drive and 1.44 MB floppy in the standard configuration reported by Low End Mac; a dual-floppy education version was also offered
Expansion slots
Expansion slots	Six NuBus slots and one processor-direct slot	One LC processor-direct slot; optional 68881 floating-point card occupies it
Display
Screen
Screen	None built in	None built in
Connections
Ports
Ports	Headphone jack	Headphone jack
Back ports
Back ports	Two Apple Desktop Bus ports, DB-25 SCSI, printer and modem serial ports and sound output; no built-in video or Ethernet	Apple Desktop Bus, DB-15 video, DB-25 SCSI, printer and modem serial ports, microphone input and sound output; no built-in Ethernet or external floppy port
External displays
External displays	A NuBus video card is required; resolution and colour depth depend on the fitted card	Built-in video supports 512 × 384 and 640 × 480 Apple displays; colour depth depends on fitted VRAM
Speakers
Speakers	Internal speaker and sound output	Internal speaker with mono audio input and output
Design and power
Type
Type	Compact	Compact
Weight
Weight	10.9 kg	4 kg (better)
Width × depth × height
Width × depth × height	475 × 366 × 140 mm	310 × 389 × 74 mm
Operating system
Operating system	macOS	macOS
Size and weight detail
Size and weight detail	Apple's 5.5 × 18.7 × 14.4 inch and 24 lb reference dimensions; metric fields are rounded conversions	Apple's 2.9 × 12.2 × 15.3 inch and 8.8 lb reference dimensions; metric fields are rounded conversions
Power supply
Power supply	Maximum 230 W; 100–240 V AC, 48–62 Hz; 3.6 V lithium clock battery and keyboard soft power	Maximum 50 W; 90–240 V AC, 50–60 Hz; 3.6 V lithium clock battery
In the box
In the box	Original System Software 6.0.5. Apple lists 19 March 1990 as introduction; a separate maker first-sale date was not established.	Original System Software 6.0.7. Apple lists 15 October 1990 as introduction; Low End Mac also dates release to October 1990