Macintosh IIfx
Encyclopedia
The Macintosh IIfx was a model of Apple Macintosh computer, introduced in 1990 and discontinued in 1992. At introduction it cost from US $9,000 to US $12,000, depending on configuration, and was the fastest Mac. It had many code-names, including Stealth, Blackbird, F-16, F-19, Four Square, IIxi, Zone 5 and Weed-Whacker.
Dubbed "Wicked Fast" by the Product Manager, Frank Casanova - who came to Apple from Apollo Computer
in Boston
, Massachusetts
where the term "wicked" was commonly used to define anything extreme - the system ran at a clock rate
of a then impressive 40 megahertz, had 32 KB
of Level 2 cache
, six NuBus
slots and included a number of proprietary ASICs
and coprocessors designed to speed up the machine further. These required software written specifically for the IIfx to take advantage of them. The 40 MHz speed referred to the main logic board clock (the bus), the Motorola 68030
CPU
, and the computer's Motorola 68882 FPU
. The machine had eight RAM slots, for a maximum of 128 MB
RAM, an enormous amount at the time.
The IIfx featured specialized high-speed (80 ns
) RAM using 64-pin dual-ported SIMMs, at a time when all other Macintosh models used 30-pin SIMMs. The extra pins were a separate path to allow latched read and write operations. It was also possible to use parity memory modules, being the only stock 68K Macintosh to support them. (There were special versions of the Macintosh IIci
that used parity 30-pin SIMMs.) The IIfx also included two special dedicated processors for sound and serial communications
. These I/O chips featured a pair of embedded
6502
CPUs, meaning that this Mac also had the core of two Apple II
machines inside it (albeit at 10 MHz rather than the 1 MHz of the Apple II). However the machine's architecture did not expose these CPUs to developers.
The IIfx used SCSI as its hard disk
interface, as had all previous Macintosh models since the Macintosh Plus
. The IIfx required a special black-colored SCSI terminator for external drives, however. SCSI would remain the standard internal storage connector on the Macintosh line until Apple began transitioning to IDE with the Quadra 630's release in 1994.
The IIfx was the apex of Apple's 68030-based Macintosh II series
and was replaced at the top of Apple's lineup by the Macintosh Quadra
series in 1991. It was the last Apple computer released that was designed using the Snow White design language
.
Dubbed "Wicked Fast" by the Product Manager, Frank Casanova - who came to Apple from Apollo Computer
Apollo Computer
Apollo Computer, Inc., founded 1980 in Chelmsford, Massachusetts by William Poduska and others, developed and produced Apollo/Domain workstations in the 1980s. Along with Symbolics and Sun Microsystems, Apollo was one of the first vendors of graphical workstations in the 1980s...
in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
where the term "wicked" was commonly used to define anything extreme - the system ran at a clock rate
Clock rate
The clock rate typically refers to the frequency that a CPU is running at.For example, a crystal oscillator frequency reference typically is synonymous with a fixed sinusoidal waveform, a clock rate is that frequency reference translated by electronic circuitry into a corresponding square wave...
of a then impressive 40 megahertz, had 32 KB
Kilobyte
The kilobyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. Although the prefix kilo- means 1000, the term kilobyte and symbol KB have historically been used to refer to either 1024 bytes or 1000 bytes, dependent upon context, in the fields of computer science and information...
of Level 2 cache
CPU cache
A CPU cache is a cache used by the central processing unit of a computer to reduce the average time to access memory. The cache is a smaller, faster memory which stores copies of the data from the most frequently used main memory locations...
, six NuBus
NuBus
NuBus is a 32-bit parallel computer bus, originally developed at MIT as a part of the NuMachine workstation project. The first complete implementation of the NuBus and the NuMachine was done by Western Digital for their NuMachine, and for the Lisp Machines Inc. LMI-Lambda. The NuBus was later...
slots and included a number of proprietary ASICs
ASICS
ASICS is a Japanese athletic equipment company. ASICS produces professional footwear and sports equipment designed for football, running, netball, tennis, badminton, squash, martial arts, cricket, golf, wrestling, track & field, cross-training, volleyball, cheerleading, lacrosse, and for many other...
and coprocessors designed to speed up the machine further. These required software written specifically for the IIfx to take advantage of them. The 40 MHz speed referred to the main logic board clock (the bus), the Motorola 68030
Motorola 68030
The Motorola 68030 is a 32-bit microprocessor in Motorola's 68000 family. It was released in 1987. The 68030 was the successor to the Motorola 68020, and was followed by the Motorola 68040. In keeping with general Motorola naming, this CPU is often referred to as the 030 .The 68030 features on-chip...
CPU
Central processing unit
The central processing unit is the portion of a computer system that carries out the instructions of a computer program, to perform the basic arithmetical, logical, and input/output operations of the system. The CPU plays a role somewhat analogous to the brain in the computer. The term has been in...
, and the computer's Motorola 68882 FPU
Floating point unit
A floating-point unit is a part of a computer system specially designed to carry out operations on floating point numbers. Typical operations are addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and square root...
. The machine had eight RAM slots, for a maximum of 128 MB
Megabyte
The megabyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information storage or transmission with two different values depending on context: bytes generally for computer memory; and one million bytes generally for computer storage. The IEEE Standards Board has decided that "Mega will mean 1 000...
RAM, an enormous amount at the time.
The IIfx featured specialized high-speed (80 ns
Nanosecond
A nanosecond is one billionth of a second . One nanosecond is to one second as one second is to 31.7 years.The word nanosecond is formed by the prefix nano and the unit second. Its symbol is ns....
) RAM using 64-pin dual-ported SIMMs, at a time when all other Macintosh models used 30-pin SIMMs. The extra pins were a separate path to allow latched read and write operations. It was also possible to use parity memory modules, being the only stock 68K Macintosh to support them. (There were special versions of the Macintosh IIci
Macintosh IIci
The Apple Macintosh IIci was an improvement on the Macintosh IIcx. Sharing the same compact case design with three expansion slots, the IIci improved upon the IIcx's 16 MHz Motorola 68030 CPU and 68882 FPU, replacing them with 25 MHz versions of these chips. The IIci came with either a 40 or...
that used parity 30-pin SIMMs.) The IIfx also included two special dedicated processors for sound and serial communications
Serial communications
In telecommunication and computer science, serial communication is the process of sending data one bit at a time, sequentially, over a communication channel or computer bus. This is in contrast to parallel communication, where several bits are sent as a whole, on a link with several parallel channels...
. These I/O chips featured a pair of embedded
Embedded system
An embedded system is a computer system designed for specific control functions within a larger system. often with real-time computing constraints. It is embedded as part of a complete device often including hardware and mechanical parts. By contrast, a general-purpose computer, such as a personal...
6502
MOS Technology 6502
The MOS Technology 6502 is an 8-bit microprocessor that was designed by Chuck Peddle and Bill Mensch for MOS Technology in 1975. When it was introduced, it was the least expensive full-featured microprocessor on the market by a considerable margin, costing less than one-sixth the price of...
CPUs, meaning that this Mac also had the core of two Apple II
Apple II
The Apple II is an 8-bit home computer, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977...
machines inside it (albeit at 10 MHz rather than the 1 MHz of the Apple II). However the machine's architecture did not expose these CPUs to developers.
The IIfx used SCSI as its hard disk
Hard disk
A hard disk drive is a non-volatile, random access digital magnetic data storage device. It features rotating rigid platters on a motor-driven spindle within a protective enclosure. Data is magnetically read from and written to the platter by read/write heads that float on a film of air above the...
interface, as had all previous Macintosh models since the Macintosh Plus
Macintosh Plus
The Macintosh Plus computer was the third model in the Macintosh line, introduced on January 16, 1986, two years after the original Macintosh and a little more than a year after the Macintosh 512K, with a price tag of US$2599...
. The IIfx required a special black-colored SCSI terminator for external drives, however. SCSI would remain the standard internal storage connector on the Macintosh line until Apple began transitioning to IDE with the Quadra 630's release in 1994.
The IIfx was the apex of Apple's 68030-based Macintosh II series
Macintosh II series
The Macintosh II series was a series of personal computers in Apple's Macintosh line.-Features:Unlike prior Macintosh models, which were all compact Macintosh designs, the Macintosh II models were "modular" systems which did not include built-in monitors and were expandable...
and was replaced at the top of Apple's lineup by the Macintosh Quadra
Macintosh Quadra
The Macintosh Quadra series was Apple Computer's product family of professional high-end Apple Macintosh personal computers built using the Motorola 68040 CPU. The first two models in the Quadra line were introduced in 1991, and the name was used until the Power Mac was introduced in 1994...
series in 1991. It was the last Apple computer released that was designed using the Snow White design language
Snow White design language
The Snow White design language was an industrial design language developed by Hartmut Esslinger's Frog Design. Used by Apple Computer from 1984 to 1990, the scheme has vertical and horizontal stripes for decoration, ventilation, and the illusion that the computer enclosure is smaller than it...
.
External links
- Macintosh IIfx profile on Low End Mac
- Apple-History: Macintosh IIfx
- EveryMac: Macintosh IIfx
- Macintosh IIfx technical specification at apple.com
- Comment about missing NetBSD support, because of several undocumented ASICs.