Apple Macintosh Portrait Display vs Apple Multiple Scan 15 Display
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| AppleMacintosh Portrait Display | AppleMultiple Scan 15 Display | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | 1989 | July 1994 |
| Display | ||
| Screen size | 14.2″ | 13.3″ |
| Panel | CRT (Nominal 15-inch monochrome CRT; Apple support gives 14.2-inch viewable diagonal and calls the tube shadow mask, while Service Source describes white P4 phosphor and a flat square screen. No fixed native pixel matrix.) | CRT (Nominal 15-inch flat-square shadow-mask CRT with 13.3-inch viewable image and 0.28 mm dot pitch; no fixed native pixel matrix. Apple Facts notes two designs sold worldwide.) |
| Colour depth | Service Source supports 1-, 2-, 4- or 8-bit analogue levels, with up to 256 greys at 8 bits per pixel; actual grey levels depend on video hardware. The original March 1989 launch notice lists lower video-card configurations and is not treated as a later display limit. | – |
| Supported signal modes | Supported 640 horizontal × 870 vertical analogue image at 75 Hz, 68.85 kHz horizontal scan and 80 dpi per maker documents; not a native fixed matrix. Owner guide specifies 57.2832 MHz dot clock, whereas Service Source gives 52 MHz. Factory active area 203.2 × 276.1 mm in owner guide (203 × 276 mm in Service Source). | Apple's archived support sheet lists 640 × 480 at 60 or 66.7 Hz, 800 × 600 at 60 or 72 Hz, 832 × 624 at 75 Hz and 1024 × 768 at 70 Hz. Service Source restricts 1024 × 768 to PC-compatible computers using a Mac/PC adaptor; Apple Facts October 1995 instead lists that Windows mode at 60 Hz. Supported modes depend on computer and regional design; these are CRT signal modes, not a native matrix or native refresh rate. |
| Screen coating | Maker's high-contrast, antiglare, flat square screen with white phosphor | Service Source describes a polished surface treatment; archived TIL 15754 describes antistatic and antiglare treatment for European models only |
| Connections | ||
| Video inputs | 13W3 | DA-15 |
| USB-C charging | None | None |
| Speakers | No | Yes |
| Other connections | Physical 13W3 video socket, identified by EveryMac's exact-model cable specification and Low End Mac; owner's guide shows three coaxial and ten signal positions with separate negative-going TTL sync. Compatible Macintosh video card or an appropriate cable is required; the socket itself is not DA-15 or VGA. Three ADB sockets allow one computer uplink and two remaining peripheral connections; no integrated audio. | Captive Macintosh 15-pin DA-15 analogue RGB video connector; a Mac/PC adaptor is needed for VGA computers. The archived TIL pinout identifies the Macintosh connector, rather than a VGA DE-15 socket. |
| Audio out | – | One audio input and one headphone/speaker pass-through port in Service Source; archived TIL describes a front-panel headphone jack |
| Speaker detail | – | Stereo speakers and headphone jack confirmed by Apple Facts October 1995 and archived TIL 15754; EveryMac's no-audio entry conflicts with those maker sources |
| Design | ||
| Stand adjusts | – | Tilt, swivel |
| Weight with stand | 16 kg | 14 kg |
| Size with stand | – | Apple's current archive lists 16.7 × 15.9 × 17.8 inches (height × width × depth). Apple Facts October 1995 also publishes 42.4 × 40.5 × 45.2 cm and warns that two worldwide designs have different dimensions and weight. Archived TIL 15754 instead gives 375 × 365 × 380 mm including base; the difference is retained. |
| Tilt | Apple Universal Monitor Stand provides adjustable viewing angle but is optional, not included | – |
| Size without stand | Service Source gives 332 × 292 × 379 mm (height × width × depth); Apple support gives 13.1 × 11.5 × 14.9 inches. Optional stand dimensions not substituted. | – |
| Weight detail | Owner guide and Service Source publish 16 kg (35 lb); no conversion inferred | Apple Facts and Service Source publish 14 kg (31 lb); Apple Facts warns dimensions and weight may vary between the two worldwide designs |
| Controls | Rear power switch; right-side brightness with centre detent and contrast controls. Maker specifies 20-minute warm-up to meet all specifications. | Front-panel power, brightness and contrast; geometry shift and size, zoom, reset and recall controls. Automatic degauss on power-up. |
| Power and support | ||
| Power use | Maker 75 W maximum | Maximum 90 W; archived TIL specifies less than 30 W in Energy Saver mode |
| Power supply | Domestic Service Source and owner guide specify self-configuring 90–270 V AC, 47–63 Hz; these are mains ratings, not display refresh rates | Service Source specifies 90–134 or 198–260 V AC, 47–63 Hz; these are mains ratings |
| Software | Intended for compatible Macintosh video hardware. Service Source explicitly covers the domestic version; international Series B repair documentation is separate, so regional hardware is not silently combined. Apple support and contemporary TIL date introduction March 1989; April 1989 Mini'app'les launch coverage explicitly says Portrait Display M0404 available in May 1989. Actual first retail month remains unconfirmed, so year 1989 is retained. Optional stand, unpublished brightness and unknown direct successor are not inferred. | System 7.1 or later. Some older Macintosh models require an adaptor for modes beyond 640 × 480. Apple lists introduction as July 1994; TidBITS reported shipping by 25 July 1994, so month precision is retained. Brightness and contrast ratio are unpublished. |
| Certifications | – | MPR II and US EPA Energy Star compliance in Service Source |
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