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Apple Macintosh SE vs Apple Macintosh XL

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Better figure, where one is clearly better

AppleMacintosh SEAppleMacintosh XL
Overview
Released19871985
Performance
Processor68000 8 MHz (Macintosh SE)68000 5 MHz (Macintosh XL)
CPU cores11
Memory1 MB512 KB or 1 MB
Storage20 MB10 MB
CPU8 MHz 68000 with 16-bit data path; no PMMU, FPU, cache or second processor5 MHz Motorola 68000 with a 16-bit, 5 MHz data path; no PMMU, FPU, cache or second processor
Memory type1 MB standard, expandable to 4 MB using four 30-pin SIMM slots; 256K or 1 MB modules installed in pairs, minimum 150 ns; two-chip 1 MB SIMMs unsupported. 256K ROM; standard capacity confirmed by Apple's original product-line appendixFactory 512 KB, expandable to 1 MB in Apple's January 1985 announcement; two Lisa memory-card slots using 512K boards. Current support lists a 0.5–2 MB range; configurations retain the original Apple memory options rather than later third-party upgrades. 16K ROM
Storage typeTwo 800K removable floppy drives or one 800K drive plus a 20 MB SCSI hard drive in Apple's original advertisement. Apple support lists an internal range from none to 40 MB; no factory RAM/storage pair inferred for its upper limit. Capacities retained in original unitsBuilt-in 10 MB hard disk and manually loaded 400K floppy drive; no internal CD drive. MacWorks versions differ in hard-disk access and startup support; the original revision cannot access a hard disk, while later revisions add hard-disk installation and direct startup
Expansion slotsOne SE processor-direct slot (PDS)Three Lisa expansion slots
Display
Screen size9″12″
Resolution512 × 342720 × 364
PanelCRTCRT
Display typeOne-bit monochrome CRT; 9-inch diagonal confirmed in Apple's original SE/30 owner manual, Macintosh product-line appendix. Maker's explicit 512 × 342 note corrects generic 512 × 384 table12-inch monochrome CRT; Apple's model-specific note gives 720 × 364 pixels and overrides the generic resolution matrix. Original pixels are rectangular
Display features–Optional Macintosh XL Screen Kit modifies the screen to show Macintosh text and graphics with the correct proportions. Apple's current support note states 608 × 431 pixels with the kit. The kit requires updated MacWorks XL and a Macintosh-only hard disk, excluding a disk shared with Lisa 7/7 or Workshop
Connections
PortsHeadphone jack–
Back portsTwo ADB ports, DB-25 SCSI, DB-19 external floppy, printer and modem serial ports, speaker/headphone output; no Ethernet or external videoRCA video, printer and modem ports; no SCSI or Ethernet. Legacy ports are retained here because the comparison table does not represent their connector types
Keyboard and mouseOriginal Apple advertisement offers a choice of two keyboards–
Design and power
TypeAll-in-oneAll-in-one
Operating systemmacOSmacOS
Size and weight detailMaker 17 lb; 13.6 in height × 9.69 in width × 10.9 in depth, retained in original unitsApple publishes 48 lb and 15.2 in height × 18.7 in width × 13.8 in depth; original units retained
Power supplyMaximum 100 W, 90–270 V, 47–63 Hz, 0.83 A; backup-battery specification unpublishedUS specification maximum 150 W, 120 V AC, 50–60 Hz and 1.25 A; no backup battery listed
In the boxOriginal system software 2.0 package; maker introduced 2 March 1987, discontinued 1 August 1989. Original Apple advertisement confirms retail offering by April 1987, without establishing earliest sale month; released year onlyMacWorks provides the Macintosh software environment on Lisa hardware. Apple announced the Lisa 2/10 rename on 23 January 1985; the original 1985 Macintosh Office brochure offers the XL through authorised dealers. First-sale year retained because no exact first-sale day or month is established; Apple's support introduction date is not adopted as retail sale

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