Apple Macintosh Quadra 840AV vs Apple Macintosh Quadra 900

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Macintosh Quadra 840AV compared with Macintosh Quadra 900

	AppleMacintosh Quadra 840AV	AppleMacintosh Quadra 900
Overview
Released
Released	1993	October 1991
Performance
Processor
Processor	68040 40 MHz (Macintosh Quadra 840AV)	68040 25 MHz (Macintosh Quadra 900)
CPU cores
CPU cores	1	1
Memory
Memory	4 MB	4 MB
Storage
Storage	230 MB to 1 GB (better)	160 MB to 400 MB
CPU
CPU	40 MHz Motorola 68040 with integrated memory management and floating-point unit, 8 KB L1 cache and 32-bit data path; separate 66.67 MHz AT&T 3210 DSP	25 MHz Motorola 68040 with integrated memory-management and floating-point units and 8 KB on-chip cache; no standard L2 cache
GPU
GPU	Built-in video with 1 MB VRAM supports 16-bit colour at 640 × 480 and 8-bit at 1024 × 768; 2 MB VRAM raises those to 24-bit and 16-bit respectively	Built-in video with 1 MB VRAM, expandable to 2 MB; Apple lists 8-bit colour at 640 × 480, 832 × 624 and 1152 × 870 with standard VRAM, and 24-bit at 640 × 480 and 832 × 624 with 2 MB
Memory type
Memory type	Four 72-pin SIMM slots; Apple supports 4–128 MB total with 60 ns memory	Sixteen 30-pin 80 ns SIMM slots in banks of four, with 4 MB standard. Apple's October 1991 catalogue supported 64 MB using 4 MB SIMMs; its later support sheet lists a 256 MB technical maximum using larger modules but notes 8 MB and 16 MB SIMMs are not supported by Apple. Original UK maker brochure explicitly advertises 256 MB using 16 MB SIMMs; that original maker qualification differs from the later support sheet's unsupported-module note.
Storage type
Storage type	Internal 1.44 MB floppy drive, SCSI hard drive in Apple's 230 MB–1 GB range and optional 2× CD-ROM drive	Internal 1.44 MB SuperDrive and optional 160 MB SCSI hard drive at launch; Apple listed a 400 MB version for January 1992. The case supports three further internal SCSI devices, including a removable-media device.
Expansion slots
Expansion slots	Three NuBus slots	Five NuBus '90 slots and one processor-direct slot
Display
Screen
Screen	None built in	None built in
Connections
Ports
Ports	Ethernet	Ethernet, headphone jack
Back ports
Back ports	Apple Desktop Bus, DB-15 video, DB-25 SCSI, GeoPort, printer and modem serial ports, AAUI-15 Ethernet, S-video and RCA video input and output, microphone input and speaker output	Apple Desktop Bus, DB-15 video, DB-25 SCSI, two serial ports, AAUI Ethernet, mono sound input and stereo sound output
External displays
External displays	Built-in video supports up to 1152 × 870 pixels; colour depth depends on VRAM	Built-in video supports Apple's monitor range, with colour depth depending on VRAM and resolution; Apple's launch catalogue also names VGA, NTSC and PAL monitor support
Speakers
Speakers	–	Internal speaker, mono audio input and stereo sound output; Apple supplied a microphone
Design and power
Type
Type	Tower	Tower
Weight
Weight	11.48 kg (better)	16.7 kg
Width × depth × height
Width × depth × height	196 × 400 × 356 mm	226 × 523 × 473 mm
Operating system
Operating system	macOS	macOS
Size and weight detail
Size and weight detail	Apple's 14 × 7.7 × 15.75 inch and 25.3 lb reference dimensions; metric fields are rounded conversions	Apple's 18.6 × 8.9 × 20.6 inch dimensions and 36.8 lb weight for the floppy-only model; metric fields are rounded conversions
Power supply
Power supply	Maximum 200 W; 100–240 V AC, 50–60 Hz; 3.6 V lithium clock battery	Maximum 303 W, 100–240 V AC, 50–60 Hz; 3.6 V lithium clock battery and keyboard soft power
In the box
In the box	Original System Software 7.1 with System Enabler 088. Apple lists 29 July 1993 as introduction; a separate first-sale month was not established.	Original System Software 7.0.1, microphone and ADB mouse; Apple's October 1991 catalogue says the keyboard was sold separately