Apple Macintosh Performa 6400/180 vs Apple Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| AppleMacintosh Performa 6400/180 | AppleTwentieth Anniversary Macintosh | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | 1996 | – |
| Performance | ||
| Processor | PowerPC 603e 180 MHz (Performa 6400) | PowerPC 603e 250 MHz (Power Macintosh 6500/250) |
| CPU cores | 1 | 1 |
| Graphics | – | ATI 3D RAGE II (2 MB SGRAM) |
| Memory | 16 MB | 32 MB (better) |
| Storage | 1.6 GB | 2 GB (better) |
| 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. | 250 MHz PowerPC 603e with integrated floating-point unit, 50 MHz system bus, 32 KB L1 cache split into 16 KB data/instruction caches, and a 256 KB L2 High Performance Cache Module operating at 50 MHz. No processor supplier is assigned without exact maker evidence. |
| 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. | ATI 3D RAGE II with 2 MB SGRAM, with QuickDraw 2D/3D and video acceleration. The maker specifies thousands of colours at 800 × 600; application-window restrictions apply to accelerated 3D at that mode. |
| 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. | 32 MB EDO RAM supplied as one 32 MB DIMM or two 16 MB DIMMs; two 168-pin slots support up to 128 MB. Exact Apple TIL specifies 5 V EDO or fast-paged DIMMs, 60 ns or faster, with 2K refresh; 3.3 V or 4K-refresh DIMMs are incompatible. 4 MB ROM. |
| 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×. | 2 GB ATA/IDE hard disk, vertically mounted 4× CD-ROM and manual-insert 1.44 MB Apple SuperDrive floppy. Optical-drive output and the TV/FM tuner are controlled by the supplied infrared remote. |
| 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 PCI 2.0 slot for a 6.88-inch card drawing up to 15 W, plus a Comm Slot II for a modem or Ethernet card. A separate video-input slot and TV/FM tuner card are fitted. Macintosh-specific PCI drivers are required; NuBus cards are incompatible. |
| Display | ||
| Screen | None built in | 12.1″ |
| Resolution | – | 800 × 600 |
| Refresh rate | – | 60 Hz |
| Display type | – | 12.1-inch backlit active-matrix colour LCD, 800 × 600 at 60 Hz; 6 bits per red/green/blue channel. Maker does not name the LCD subtype, so IPS or TN is not guessed. |
| Connections | ||
| Ports | Headphone jack | 2 × 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. | One ADB, external DB-25 SCSI for up to six devices, two GeoPort-compatible serial ports, rear stereo output, two separate stereo audio inputs, S-video input with a supplied composite-video adapter, TV aerial/cable connector and FM aerial connector. One front headphone output plus one rear headphone-compatible line output are counted. No built-in USB, FireWire or Ethernet. |
| External displays | – | No external monitor output specified |
| 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. | Custom Bose Acoustimass system with integrated stereo speakers and a separate floor-standing bass unit. The power-supply ratings are not acoustic output ratings. |
| Microphones | – | Built-in omnidirectional electret microphone |
| 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. | Custom keyboard with Italian leather palm rests, removable/repositionable ADB trackpad, infrared remote, Bose bass unit and composite-to-S-video adapter. January1998 Apple catalogue lists a 33.6 Kbps GeoPort modem/Internet Connection Kit; older power-test conditions separately describe a 28.8 Kbps modem. |
| Design and power | ||
| Type | Tower | All-in-one |
| Weight | – | 6.8 kg |
| Width × depth × height | 198 × 428 × 406 mm | 419 × 254 × 438 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. | Headline size and 6.8 kg weight describe the main unit only. Separate bass unit weighs 4.8 kg and measures 270 × 211 × 298 mm (height × width × depth); keyboard is 0.84 kg and 25 × 292 × 207 mm. Main-unit metric dimensions follow the original maker table rather than converting its rounded inch values. |
| 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. | Bass-unit voltage selector covers 90–130 or 180–264 V AC, 47–63 Hz, single phase; manually configured and factory preset |
| Power use | – | Maximum continuous AC input 140 W; maximum continuous DC output 70 W. Typical AC input 47 W is qualified to the maker test with 250 MHz 603e, 2 GB disk, 28.8 Kbps modem, L2 module and CD-ROM; sleep is below 30 W without PCI cards. |
| 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. | Mac OS 7.6.1 with System Enabler 704 originally. Apple support labels introduction as 1 June 1997; widely copied March dates describe announcements, and the accessible May order notice does not establish actual first delivery. Released is omitted pending exact first-sale evidence. Earlier preview articles describe a proposed 604e machine and are not used for this production 603e model. The primary picture is a grayscale original Apple catalogue image, retained without colour reconstruction; higher-quality original colour press imagery remains unavailable. |
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