Apple Power Macintosh 8200/120 vs Apple Power Macintosh 8500/150
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| ApplePower Macintosh 8200/120 | ApplePower Macintosh 8500/150 | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | 1996 | 1996 |
| Performance | ||
| Processor | PowerPC 601 120 MHz (Power Macintosh 7200/120) | PowerPC 604 150 MHz (Power Macintosh 8500/150) |
| CPU cores | 1 | 1 |
| Memory | 16 MB | 16 MB |
| Storage | 1.2 GB | 2 GB (better) |
| CPU | 120 MHz PowerPC 601 soldered to the logic board, integrated floating-point unit, 32 KB level-one cache, 40 MHz 64-bit processor bus and standard 256 KB level-two cache. Apple's brochure describes a logic-board upgrade plus separately purchased processor card for an 8500 conversion, not a standard removable 8200 processor card | 150 MHz PowerPC 604 with integrated floating-point unit, 32 KB L1 cache, 256 KB L2 cache and 64-bit data path at 50 MHz |
| GPU | Built-in accelerated video with 1 MB soldered VRAM, expandable to 4 MB using three VRAM sockets. Exact support table gives 16-bit colour through 832 × 624 and 8-bit at 1024 × 768 and 1152 × 870 with standard VRAM; 1280 × 1024 requires at least 2 MB. 4 MB allows 24-bit at 1024 × 768 and 16-bit at 1152 × 870 and 1280 × 1024 | Built-in video with 2 MB VRAM supports 24-bit colour through 832 × 624; 4 MB VRAM raises 1152 × 870 to 24-bit colour and is required for video mirroring |
| Memory type | UK brochure specifies 16 MB for 8200/120, matching its exact support page. Shared Service Source describes 8 or 16 MB across both models without pairing them; the 8 MB 8200/100 configuration is not transferred. Four 168-pin 64-bit 5 V 70 ns-or-faster DIMM sockets, 256 MB supported maximum; no memory interleaving. Apple says 128 MB DIMMs can be used but were not tested. 4 MB ROM | Eight 168-pin DIMM slots; Apple supports 16–512 MB total with 70 ns memory |
| Storage type | 1.2 GB internal SCSI hard disk, manual-inject 1.44 MB Apple SuperDrive floppy and AppleCD 600i 4× CD-ROM in the original UK ordering configuration. Exact support also lists 8× CD-ROM without identifying its full configuration; no additional RAM/storage pairing is invented. UK brochure gives internal/external SCSI up to 5 MB/s and an additional 3.5-inch disk or other SCSI-device bay | Internal 1.44 MB floppy drive, 2 GB SCSI hard drive and 4× or 8× CD-ROM drive |
| Expansion slots | Three PCI 2.0 slots; no standard analogue AV module. Optional PC Compatibility Cards are separately purchased PCI hardware, not a second processor in the base configuration | Three PCI slots; optional PC Compatibility Card |
| Display | ||
| Screen | None built in | None built in |
| Connections | ||
| Ports | Ethernet, headphone jack | Ethernet |
| Ethernet | 0.01 Gb/s | – |
| Back ports | DB-15 display output, one ADB connector, external DB-25 SCSI, two GeoPort/LocalTalk-compatible serial connectors, AAUI and 10BASE-T Ethernet, mini-jacks for 16-bit stereo sound input and output up to 44.1 kHz. The two Ethernet connectors share one interface; 10BASE-T takes priority if both are connected | Apple Desktop Bus, DB-15 video, DB-25 SCSI, two GeoPort serial connections, AAUI and 10BASE-T Ethernet, S-video and RCA video input and output, RCA audio input and output, microphone input and speaker output |
| External displays | One external display through built-in video; up to 1280 × 1024 requires additional VRAM and a compatible monitor. Brochure colour-depth headline describes expanded VRAM, not standard 1 MB | Built-in video supports up to 1280 × 1024 pixels; available colour depth depends on VRAM |
| Speakers | Built-in speaker; stereo sound output for external speakers | – |
| Microphones | Supports an external Apple PlainTalk microphone | – |
| Keyboard and mouse | Apple ADB Mouse II, system software 7.5.3 or later, Internet-access software, setup and reference documentation and limited warranty listed in the UK brochure; keyboard and monitor purchased separately | – |
| Design and power | ||
| Type | Tower | Tower |
| Weight | 11.3 kg (better) | 11.34 kg |
| Width × depth × height | 196 × 400 × 356 mm | 196 × 400 × 356 mm |
| Operating system | macOS | macOS |
| Size and weight detail | UK brochure and Service Source give 356 mm high, 196 mm wide and 400 mm deep, 11.3 kg; weight varies with installed devices | Apple's 14 × 7.7 × 15.75 inch and 25 lb reference dimensions; metric fields are rounded conversions |
| Power supply | 100–240 V AC, automatically configured, single phase, 50–60 Hz. UK brochure specifies 225 W maximum excluding display; shared Service Source distinguishes 225 W DC output from 340 W continuous/520 W peak AC input, while exact support gives 150 W without that distinction. This conflict remains explicit and no consumption headline is selected | Maximum 225 W; 100–125 or 200–240 V AC, 50–60 Hz; 3.6 V lithium clock battery |
| In the box | Apple lists 22 April 1996 as introduction. Original April 1996 UK brochure includes exact ordering information and specifications, supporting sale year 1996; the actual first-sale month/day remains unconfirmed. Service Source labels this family Europe-only and exact support states it was not sold in the US | Original System Software 7.5.3. Apple lists 22 April 1996 as introduction; a separate maker first-sale date was not established. |
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