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Apple Power Macintosh 8600/250 vs Apple Power Macintosh 9600/233

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

Better figure, where one is clearly better

ApplePower Macintosh 8600/250ApplePower Macintosh 9600/233
Overview
Released19971997
Performance
ProcessorPowerPC 604e 250 MHz (Power Macintosh 8600/250)PowerPC 604e 233 MHz (Power Macintosh 9600/233)
CPU cores11
Graphics–IMS Twin Turbo-128 PCI graphics accelerator (4 MB VRAM; Japanese configuration)
Memory32 MB32 MB
Storage4 GB4 GB
CPU250 MHz PowerPC 604e with 64 KB L1 cache, 1 MB L2 cache, 100 MHz cache bus and 50 MHz system busOne 233 MHz PowerPC 604e on a removable processor card with integrated floating-point unit, 64 KB level-one cache and 512 KB level-two cache soldered to logic board. Exact Japanese maker page gives 46.6 MHz system bus; English support table instead gives 50 MHz, and this conflict remains explicit.
GPUBuilt-in video with 2 MB VRAM, expandable to 4 MB; the latter is required for video mirroringJapanese maker product page names an Integrated Micro Solution Twin Turbo-128 accelerator with 4 MB fixed VRAM, 24-bit colour through 1280 × 1024 and 16-bit at 1600 × 1200. Original US brochure instead limits 24-bit colour to 1152 × 870. Both specify up to 1600 × 1200; regional colour-depth difference remains qualified, and no exact card board designation is inferred.
Memory type32 MB minimum with eight 168-pin DIMM slots, expandable to 512 MB according to Apple32 MB standard, twelve 168-pin 64-bit 70 ns-or-faster DRAM DIMM sockets, up to 768 MB officially supported; matching modules in corresponding sockets permit interleaving. English support says 128 MB DIMMs may work but were not tested; these are not treated as an approved expansion configuration. 4 MB ROM
Storage type4 GB internal SCSI hard drive, 1.44 MB floppy, 24× CD-ROM and built-in Iomega Zip drive4 GB internal Fast SCSI hard disk, manual-inject 1.44 MB Apple SuperDrive floppy and AppleCD 1800i 12× CD-ROM in shared Service Source. No standard Zip drive on original 233 configuration; later 300 and 350 MHz models differ. Internal Fast SCSI up to 10 MB/s and external SCSI up to 5 MB/s.
Expansion slotsThree PCI slots; Apple's launch release also describes a pre-wired 5.25-inch SCSI expansion baySix PCI 2.0 expansion slots, five free with the supplied graphics card. Additional internal storage bays and removable processor card; no NuBus slots. Side-panel release permits access to memory, PCI cards and processor
Display
ScreenNone built inNone built in
Connections
PortsEthernetEthernet, headphone jack
Ethernet–0.01 Gb/s
Back portsApple Desktop Bus, external DB-25 SCSI, two serial ports, AAUI and 10BASE-T Ethernet, DB-15 video, stereo audio input and output, S-video and RCA video input and output, RCA audio input and outputOne ADB connector, two GeoPort/LocalTalk-compatible serial connectors, external SCSI, AAUI-15 and 10BASE-T Ethernet connectors, 16-bit stereo sound input and output. DB-15 monitor connector belongs to the supplied PCI card. Both Ethernet connectors share one interface; with both connected, the service manual says 10BASE-T takes priority
External displays–One external monitor via the supplied graphics card, up to 1600 × 1200 with compatible display and cables; developer note says the card does not support sync-on-green monitors
Speakers–Built-in speaker and 16-bit stereo audio input/output
Microphones–External Apple PlainTalk microphone supplied in the Japanese bundle; no built-in microphone
Keyboard and mouse–Original US M5883LL/A bundle includes AppleDesign keyboard, ADB Mouse II, PlainTalk microphone, System 7.5.5 or later, Internet software and documentation. Japanese bundle includes ADB Mouse II, PlainTalk microphone, power cable, KanjiTalk 7.5.5 CD-ROM, Internet Starter Kit and sample CDs, manuals and warranty; keyboard and monitor sold separately there.
Design and power
TypeTowerTower
Weight–15.9 kg
Width × depth × height–246 × 440 × 439 mm
Operating systemmacOSmacOS
Size and weight detailApple lists 17.3 × 9.7 × 17.3 inches (height × width × depth) and 35 lbExact Japanese 9600/233 maker page gives 439 mm high, 246 mm wide and 440 mm deep, 15.9 kg varying installed devices. US brochure rounds height to 440 mm; shared Service Source gives conflicting 224 mm width, so the exact model specification takes precedence.
Power supply–100–240 V AC automatically configured, single phase, 50/60 Hz. Shared Service Source distinguishes 390 W maximum DC supply output from AC input consumption
Power use–560 W maximum continuous AC input and 700 W peak input, excluding monitor; exact Japanese specification and shared service manual agree. English support’s 390 W matches the service manual’s DC output rating, so it is not treated as AC consumption
In the boxApple lists 5 August 1997 as introduction and describes the 8600/250 as offered outside the US. Its French-Canadian launch release says the new 8600 models came with Mac OS 8, while the later support sheet lists 7.6.1 as original system software. An exact first-sale date for the 8600/250 was not separately established.Apple lists 17 February 1997 as introduction. Exact February 1997 US maker brochure includes current ordering information and directs buyers to resellers; MacUser August 1997 explicitly reports the exact 233 MHz model shipping in quantity. Release year 1997 retained; actual first-sale month/day remains unconfirmed. Single processor, distinct from 200MP and Workgroup Server 9650/233.

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