Apple Macintosh Performa 6400/180 vs Apple Macintosh SE FDHD
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| AppleMacintosh Performa 6400/180 | AppleMacintosh SE FDHD | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | 1996 | 1989 |
| Performance | ||
| Processor | PowerPC 603e 180 MHz (Performa 6400) | 68000 8 MHz (Macintosh SE) |
| CPU cores | 1 | 1 |
| Memory | 16 MB (better) | 1 MB or 2 MB |
| Storage | 1.6 GB (better) | 20 MB to 40 MB |
| CPU | 180 MHz PowerPC 603e with integrated floating-point unit, 32 KB L1 cache and a 64-bit 40 MHz bus. The 256 KB Apple High Performance Module L2 cache is optional, unlike the standard cache of the 6400/200. The shared Service Source calls the processor 603ev; the exact specification page and original brochure use 603e. | MC68000 with 32-bit internal architecture at 7.83 MHz in the original exact FDHD brochure and service manual. Current Apple support rounds the clock to 8 MHz and specifies a 16-bit data path; the existing nominal 8 MHz SE chip record is reused. No FPU, PMMU, L1 or L2 cache, or second processor. |
| GPU | 1 MB built-in video DRAM, not expandable; 640 × 480 and 800 × 600 at 16-bit colour, 832 × 624 and 1024 × 768 at 8-bit colour. A separate PCI graphics card is needed for additional capabilities. | – |
| Memory type | 8 MB soldered to the logic board and an 8 MB DIMM supplied; two 168-pin 64-bit fast-page-mode DIMM sockets support up to 136 MB total, with 70 ns or faster memory. | Exact ordering configurations have 1 MB for dual-FDHD and 20 MB hard-disk systems, or 2 MB for the 40 MB hard-disk system; expandable to 4 MB. Four 30-pin SIMM sockets, 150 ns or faster, using 256 KB or 1 MB modules installed in pairs; two-chip 1 MB SIMMs are unsupported. No soldered system RAM. 256 KB ROM includes the FDHD drive routines, Hierarchical File System, QuickDraw, Macintosh Toolbox, AppleTalk, ADB and SCSI support. 256 bytes of parameter memory. |
| Storage type | 1.6 GB internal IDE hard drive, 1.44 MB SuperDrive floppy drive and tray-loading 8× CD-ROM. The shared service manual lists a 1.2 GB drive and AppleCD 600i for generic 6400 configurations; the exact 180 MHz support page and ordering brochure agree on 1.6 GB and 8×. | Original August 1989 maker brochure explicitly offers M0029LL/A with 1 MB RAM and two 1.4 MB FDHD floppy drives; M0028LL/A with 1 MB, one FDHD drive and 20 MB internal SCSI hard disk; M0031LL/A with 2 MB, one FDHD drive and 40 MB internal SCSI hard disk. Current support calls the FDHD capacity 1.44 MB. Drive reads and writes 400 KB and 800 KB Macintosh disks as well as high-density Macintosh disks, and exchanges MS-DOS, OS/2 and ProDOS-format disks with Apple File Exchange. Capacities are retained in their original units; fixed-storage headline is omitted for the floppy-only configuration. No CD-ROM included. |
| Expansion slots | Two PCI 2.0 slots for 6.88-inch cards with Mac drivers; Communications Slot II occupied by the supplied modem, plus positions for optional video input and TV/FM tuner cards. One pre-cabled 5.25-inch internal SCSI bay. Optional Avid Cinema requires the Apple Video System and occupies one PCI slot; it is not supplied with the standard 180 MHz configuration. | One SE-Bus processor-direct expansion slot with a 96-pin Euro-DIN connector and accessory access opening. Original exact brochure explicitly says SE/30 and NuBus cards are incompatible with this slot. Compatible optional accelerator, network, coprocessor and external-display adapter cards require their own software and hardware. |
| Display | ||
| Screen | None built in | 9″ |
| Resolution | – | 512 × 342 |
| Panel | – | CRT |
| Display type | – | Built-in 9-inch, one-bit monochrome CRT at 512 × 342. Exact brochure, service manual and current support's explicit note agree; the generic current support table's 512 × 384 row is not adopted. No refresh rate is published in the sources read. |
| Connections | ||
| Ports | Headphone jack | Headphone jack |
| Front ports | 3.5 mm headphone output and volume buttons; optional infrared remote support. | – |
| Back ports | DB-15 monitor output, ADB, DB-25 external SCSI, two GeoPort-compatible serial ports, 3.5 mm sound input compatible with PlainTalk microphones and line-level 3.5 mm speaker output. The supplied modem provides 28.8 Kbit/s data and 14.4 Kbit/s fax; replacing it with an Ethernet card provides wired networking. Optional video input handles composite and S-video NTSC, PAL or SECAM. | Two ADB ports; printer and modem RS-232/RS-422 serial ports with mini-DIN-8 connectors and up to 230.4 Kbaud in the original brochure; external DB-25 SCSI; DB-19 external floppy connector; sound output for an external amplifier or speaker. AppleTalk/LocalTalk networking uses the serial ports. No built-in Ethernet, USB, FireWire, microphone input or computer-monitor video connector. |
| External displays | – | No built-in external-video output. An optional compatible SE-Bus external-display adapter is required; its display modes and limits are not assigned to the standard machine. |
| Speakers | Built-in full-range monophonic speaker switches to subwoofer operation when external speakers are connected. 16-bit stereo input/output at 11.025, 22.05 or 44.1 kHz; SRS surround processing applies to rear sound output, not the front headphone jack. | Built-in sound with a four-voice generator, 8-bit digital-to-analogue conversion and 22 kHz sampling rate. One miniature sound-output port for an external amplifier; no stereo or measured loudness claim assigned. |
| Keyboard and mouse | Keyboard, mouse, cables and bundled applications listed for US order M5167LL/A; display, TV/FM tuner, Apple Video System, Avid Cinema and PC Compatibility Card are optional. Gallery image includes an optional monitor. | Exact ordering brochure supplies the mouse, system software, HyperCard, Guided Tour disk, owner's guide, Getting Started guide and warranty statement. Apple Keyboard or Apple Extended Keyboard is packaged and sold separately, not assumed included. The primary is the original FDHD-labelled maker brochure photograph of the single-floppy/hard-disk housing. |
| Design and power | ||
| Type | Tower | All-in-one |
| Width × depth × height | 198 × 428 × 406 mm | 244 × 276 × 345 mm |
| Operating system | macOS | macOS |
| Size and weight detail | Original brochure lists 40.6 × 19.8 × 42.8 cm (height × width × depth), matching the service manual. Weight is 20.18 kg without the monitor and varies with installed devices; the service manual explicitly excludes the CD-ROM drive. The technical booklet transposes depth and height labels. | Exact original FDHD brochure and shared service manual give 34.5 × 24.4 × 27.6 cm (height × width × depth), also printed as 13.6 × 9.6 × 10.9 inches. Current exact support instead prints a 9.69-inch width; original maker metric values are used without converting the differently rounded inch values. Weight is 7.7–9.5 kg / 17–21 lb depending on fitted hard disk or second floppy drive; no one configuration-specific weight is established, so headline mass remains omitted. |
| Power supply | Exact specification page and ordering brochure list 220 W maximum, 100–125 or 200–240 V AC at 47–63 Hz. The shared service manual agrees on 220 W maximum continuous but gives wider voltage bands; the original technical booklet instead states 140 W input and 98 W DC output. These conflicting ratings are retained rather than treated as measured consumption. | Exact original brochure and shared service specify 100 W maximum, regional 90–140 or 170–270 V AC, 47–63 Hz. Current support summarises 90–270 V and 0.83 A. Maximum input is not typical operating consumption. Brochure describes a CMOS clock/calendar with a seven-year lithium battery; no guessed battery chemistry capacity is added. |
| Noise | – | Original exact brochure rates the cross-flow fan at 10 CFM and 38 dB without acoustic distance or weighting; this is not a measured whole-computer noise figure. |
| In the box | Original System Software 7.5.3 with System Enabler 410 v1.1. Apple lists 5 August 1996 as introduction; the original 1996 ordering brochure and contemporary MacUser review establish sale in 1996, but a distinct first-sale month remains unresolved. | System Tools 6.0.3 or later with Finder 6.1 or later, printer drivers, Apple File Exchange, HD SC Setup, Disk First Aid and Font D/A Mover; HyperCard included. Exact August 1989 current ordering brochure establishes sale in 1989, without proving first-sale month or day; Apple's introduction date is 1 August 1989. This is the FDHD hardware revision, distinct from the published original 1987 SE with 800 KB drives. Linked 1988 SE owner's guide covers the earlier 800 KB edition and must be read with the separately linked FDHD supplement; it is not specification evidence for this revision's drive capacity. No unsupported official predecessor link assigned. |
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