A compact 68040 Macintosh with an integrated floating-point unit, IDE hard disk and slots for optional networking, video capture and television hardware.
MacUser and Macworld praised its value, modular expansion and strong 68040 performance. Both liked the optional multimedia hardware and convenient front audio controls. MacUser warned that the lack of NuBus limited serious video editing and large-screen graphics upgrades; Macworld found the built-in video slow. Macworld tested preproduction machines, and MacUser tested prerelease video hardware, so those findings may differ from final shipping units.
Motorola MC68040 with integrated floating-point unit, paged memory management and 8 KB cache. Apple gives nominal 33 MHz in its support table and October 1994 catalogue; its developer note explains the 33 MHz bus and 66 MHz internal clock. The LC 630 and Performa 630 use the FPU-less MC68LC040 instead
GPU
Built-in video with 1 MB dedicated DRAM, 16-bit colour at 640 × 480 or 512 × 384 and 8-bit at 800 × 600 or 832 × 624; video capture not supported at 832 × 624
Memory type
4 MB on the logic board and one 72-pin SIMM slot; Apple catalogue offers 4 MB or 8 MB configurations and supports up to 36 MB using a 32 MB SIMM. Minimum SIMM speed is 80 ns; 1 MB ROM
Storage type
250 MB internal IDE hard disk and 1.44 MB SuperDrive floppy. A double-speed internal SCSI CD-ROM drive is optional, not standard on the base Quadra. Other hard-disk capacities in the shared family developer note are not copied into these exact Quadra configurations
Expansion slots
LC-compatible processor-direct slot, communications slot for either Ethernet or modem, video-input slot and optional TV tuner. Apple Video and TV/Video kits add capture and television features; they are not built into the base configuration. Optional PowerPC processor upgrade
Display
Screen
None built in
Connections
Ports
2 × headphone jack
Back ports
DB-15 video, DB-25 external SCSI, one ADB, two serial ports with LocalTalk, sound input and rear sound output. Front headphone jack and infrared receiver; no USB. Ethernet uses an optional communications card
External displays
Requires a separate monitor; Apple lists Color Plus 14-inch, Macintosh Color Display, AudioVision 14 and Multiple Scan 15 plus compatible VGA/SVGA displays. The maker catalogue photo includes an external monitor, keyboard and mouse
Speakers
Single internal speaker, stereo output and front/rear audio jacks. Apple developer note specifies 8-bit sampling; a contemporary MacUser review calls output 16-bit, so maker specification retained
Design and power
Type
Compact
Weight
7.7 kg
Width × depth × height
320 × 419 × 109 mm
Operating system
macOS
Size and weight detail
October 1994 AppleFacts gives 10.9 cm high, 32.0 cm wide and 41.9 cm deep; metric values retained. Shared Service Source reverses width and depth (41.95 cm width, 32 cm depth), an unresolved documentation conflict. Base weight without CD-ROM is 7.7 kg; with CD-ROM is 8.6 kg, varying with options. AppleFacts' 8.6 kg reference does not identify its drive configuration
Power supply
100–240 V AC, 50–60 Hz; 45 W maximum excluding monitor, according to Service Source. 4.5 V alkaline clock battery
In the box
System 7.1.2P with System Enabler 405. Apple introduces the model on 18 July 1994; contemporary TidBITS states planned 2 August shipping for the Quadra, distinct from the education-market Performa. October 1994 maker buying catalogue confirms the Quadra was offered during 1994; exact first-delivery date remains unconfirmed, so release uses year precision
Configurations
Processor
Memory
Storage
Storage type
68040 33 MHz (Macintosh Quadra 650)
4 MB
250 MB
Hard drive
68040 33 MHz (Macintosh Quadra 650)
8 MB
250 MB
Hard drive
Pros and cons
Pros
+Integrated floating-point unit
+Removable logic board and internal expansion slots
