Apple · Power Mac
Power Macintosh 9600/200MP
A dual-processor PowerPC tower with six PCI slots, twelve memory sockets and a 4 GB SCSI disk, designed for applications that support multiprocessing.
Model history · 2 models, 1996–1997
- 1996Power Macintosh 9500/180MPCompare
- 1997Power Macintosh 9600/200MP
- Type
- Tower
- Processor
- PowerPC 604e 200 MHz (Power Macintosh 9600/200)
- Memory
- 32 MB
- Storage
- 4 GB
- Screen
- –
- Weight
- 15.9 kg
Product links
Specifications
Report a wrong or missing specPerformance
- Processor
- 2 × PowerPC 604e 200 MHz (Power Macintosh 9600/200)
- CPU cores
- 2
- Graphics
- PCI graphics accelerator (4 MB VRAM)
- Memory
- 32 MB
- Storage
- 4 GB
- CPU
- Two physical PowerPC 604e processors at 200 MHz on one removable processor card; each has 32 KB instruction and 32 KB data caches. 50 MHz processor bus and 512 KB level-two cache soldered to the logic board. Under classic Mac OS the primary CPU runs the system and interrupts, while MP-aware applications schedule tasks on the second CPU; this is not two cores inside one chip
- GPU
- Bundled PCI graphics accelerator with 4 MB non-expandable VRAM. Exact Japanese specifications and developer note give 16-bit colour at 1280 × 1024 and 1600 × 1200, and 24-bit colour through 1152 × 870. The catalogue’s 24-bit 1280 × 1024 claim conflicts with those tables and is not transferred. Exact card identity is not inferred from a sibling
- Memory type
- 32 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 type
- 4 GB internal Fast SCSI hard disk, manual-inject Apple SuperDrive floppy and 12× internal CD-ROM. Shared service manual names AppleCD 1800i, while developer note names AppleCD 1600i; exact mechanism name remains unresolved, so the published speed is retained. No standard Zip drive on the original 200MP; later 9600 variants differ
- Expansion slots
- Six 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
- Screen
- None built in
Connections
- Ports
- Ethernet, headphone jack
- Ethernet
- 0.01 Gb/s
- Back ports
- One 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
- Japanese configuration includes ADB Mouse II, PlainTalk microphone, power cable, KanjiTalk 7.5.5 CD-ROM, Internet Starter Kit, sample CDs, manuals and warranty. Keyboard and display are sold separately
Design and power
- Type
- Tower
- Weight
- 15.9 kg
- Width × depth × height
- 246 × 440 × 439 mm
- Operating system
- macOS
- Size and weight detail
- Exact Japanese maker specifications: 439 mm high, 246 mm wide and 440 mm deep, 15.9 kg, varying with installed devices. Worldwide catalogue rounds height to 440 mm. Shared 8600/9600 service physical table gives a conflicting 224 mm width; the exact 9600/200MP 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 box
- Original system software 7.5.5 with MP-specific support; Japanese bundle uses KanjiTalk 7.5.5. Apple announced the 9600 family on 17 February 1997 and planned Canadian availability from March; August maker catalogue lists the exact 200MP offering, supporting release year 1997. Exact actual first-sale month/day remains unconfirmed. Developer note explicitly identifies 9500/180MP as predecessor
Configurations
| Processor | Memory | Storage | Storage type | Graphics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 × PowerPC 604e 200 MHz (Power Macintosh 9600/200) | 32 MB | 4 GB | Hard drive | PCI graphics accelerator (4 MB VRAM) |
Pros and cons
Pros
- Two physical 200 MHz PowerPC processors
- Six PCI slots and twelve memory sockets
- Tool-free access to the tower interior
Cons
- Second processor requires compatible applications
- Bundled video card occupies one PCI slot
- No USB ports
Closest rivals
Model | Type | Processor | Memory | Storage | Screen | Weight | Released |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tower | PowerPC 603e 225 MHz (Power Macintosh 6500) | 32 MB | 2 GB – 3 GB | – | – | 1997 | |
| Tower | PowerPC 604e 200 MHz (Power Macintosh 8600/200) | 32 MB | 2 GB | – | – | 1997 | |
| Tower | PowerPC 604e 250 MHz (Power Macintosh 8600/250) | 32 MB | 4 GB | – | – | 1997 |
Previous model: Power Macintosh 9500/180MP.
Sources
- support.apple.com/en-us/112049
- support.apple.com/ja-jp/112049
- vintageapple.org/applefacts/pdf/Apple_Facts_9708_8.97_August_1997.pdf
- macdat.net/files/pdf/apple/developer_notes/power_macintosh_7300_7600_8600_9600.…
- macdat.net/files/pdf/apple/servicesource/powermac_8600-9600-ws9650.pdf
- apple.com/ca/fr/press/1997/02/0217PowerMacAnnounce.html