Apple Macintosh PowerBook 540c vs Apple Macintosh PowerBook 550c

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

Only show differences

Better figure, where one is clearly better

Share comparison

Macintosh PowerBook 540c compared with Macintosh PowerBook 550c

	AppleMacintosh PowerBook 540c	AppleMacintosh PowerBook 550c
Overview
Released
Released	May 1994	1995
Display
Screen size
Screen size	9.5″	10.4″
Resolution
Resolution	640 × 480	640 × 480
Touchscreen
Touchscreen	No	No
Display type
Display type	9.5-inch backlit active-matrix colour LCD; 256 colours at 640 × 480 or 32,768 colours at 640 × 400	Backlit active-matrix colour LCD; 256 colours at 640 × 480 or 32768 colours at 640 × 400 according to Apple Japan
Performance
Processor
Processor	Motorola 68LC040 66 MHz (PowerBook 540c)	Motorola 68040 66 MHz (PowerBook 550c)
CPU cores
CPU cores	1	1
Memory
Memory	12 MB	12 MB
Storage
Storage	320 MB to 500 MB	750 MB (better)
CPU
CPU	Motorola 68LC040 running internally at 66 MHz with a 33 MHz bus; 8 KB L1 cache and no floating-point unit	Motorola 68040 with MMU and floating-point unit; Apple specifies 66 MHz internal processor clock and 33 MHz bus interface. The English support table incorrectly says no FPU, conflicting with the exact Japanese sheet and original Apple technical article
GPU
GPU	–	Service Source specifies 512 KB video memory; built-in video output supports 256 colours
Memory type
Memory type	4 MB on the logic board, expandable to 36 MB; Apple's Japanese configurations supplied 12 MB	4 MB on the logic board plus an 8 MB expansion card in the standard 12 MB configuration; expandable to 36 MB using one 70 ns or faster low-power self-refreshing card
Storage type
Storage type	Internal SCSI hard drive and 1.4 MB Apple SuperDrive floppy drive; Apple lists 240–500 MB in English support and 320/500 MB Japanese configurations	Internal 750 MB SCSI hard drive and 1.4 MB Apple SuperDrive; full KanjiTalk CD-ROM installation needs an external CD-ROM drive
Battery and size
Battery life (maker's claim)
Battery life (maker's claim)	Up to 3 hours	Up to 3 hours
Weight
Weight	3.3 kg	3.1 kg (better)
Thickness
Thickness	57 mm	57 mm
Width × depth
Width × depth	292 × 245 mm	292 × 245 mm
Battery life detail
Battery life detail	Two removable nickel-metal hydride intelligent batteries were supplied in Japan; Apple claimed three hours per battery. Published 3.3 kg weight includes both batteries.	Two removable nickel-metal hydride intelligent batteries; Apple Japan claims three hours per battery, while the original technical article and service manual say up to 3.5 hours. Recharge takes two hours asleep or off, four hours running. Headline runtime is per battery rather than an inferred combined claim. Published 3.1 kg includes two batteries; Service Source instead lists 3.3 kg
Charger
Charger	–	40 W power adapter according to Apple Service Source
Materials
Materials	–	Dark-grey enclosure according to the original Apple technical article
Connections
Operating system
Operating system	macOS	macOS
Port detail
Port detail	ADB, RS-422 serial/LocalTalk, HDI-30 SCSI, AAUI Ethernet, mini-15 video and stereo audio input/output; an optional PCMCIA module supported two Type II or one Type III card	ADB, RS-422 serial/LocalTalk, AAUI Ethernet, HDI-30 SCSI, stereo audio input/output and external video. A 90-pin processor-direct slot accepts the optional PCMCIA module for two Type II or one Type III card; Service Source places it in the second battery bay
External displays
External displays	Built-in video output supports mirroring or an extended desktop with an optional Apple video adapter cable	Mirroring or extended desktop using an optional video adapter; Japanese specifications list Macintosh, VGA and SVGA support. Service Source identifies a micro DV-14 connector, while the English support table labels it mini-15
Keyboard
Keyboard	–	Japanese JIS keyboard with tilt adjustment and power-on key; original Apple technical article specifies 79 keys including twelve function keys, unlike Service Source's generic domestic/ISO counts
Trackpad
Trackpad	Built-in solid-state trackpad in place of a trackball	Built-in solid-state trackpad with adjustable acceleration
Speakers
Speakers	Two built-in stereo speakers and a microphone	Two built-in stereo speakers and 16-bit audio with 11.035, 22.050 or 44.100 kHz sampling
Microphones
Microphones	–	Built-in electret microphone; Japanese specifications call it directional while the original technical article and service manual say omnidirectional
In the box
In the box	Apple's Japanese 12 MB/320 MB configuration included two batteries, power adapter and PowerBook Mobility Bundle software	12 MB/750 MB PowerBook, two intelligent batteries, power adapter, KanjiTalk 7.5 CD-ROM and system disks, PowerBook Mobility Bundle, documentation and warranty. Apple records introduction on 30 May 1995, while contemporary TidBITS coverage expected late-June availability; the July maker technical article confirms a released Japan-only product without a first-sale day or month