Macintosh Quadra 900
Encyclopedia
The Macintosh Quadra 900 was a high-end personal computer
introduced with the Quadra 700 in October 1991 as Apple Computer
's first computers in the Quadra series
using the Motorola 68040
processor. It was discontinued in 1992, and succeeded by the very similar Quadra 950. The Quadra 900 was more expandable than the Quadra 700 but cost $7,200 in the U.S. The Quadra 900 could be upgraded to 256 megabyte
s of RAM—an astronomical amount for the time. The standard, as-shipped configuration for the 900 was 4MB. The high RAM and storage capacity, along with the expandability of 5 NuBus 90
slots and fast 25 MHz processor made it a very useful computer for scientific or design work. It was the first Mac to be built in a full tower case, featuring a single 5.25" bay initially intended to hold a tape backup drive. Quadra 900 and 950s with full complements of RAM were exceedingly rare with 16-30 pin SIMM RAM slots, due to the high cost (many thousands of dollars) of the SIMM
s at the time. It is the earliest Macintosh model able to run Mac OS 8
.
Personal computer
A personal computer is any general-purpose computer whose size, capabilities, and original sales price make it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an end-user with no intervening computer operator...
introduced with the Quadra 700 in October 1991 as Apple Computer
Apple Computer
Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad...
's first computers in the Quadra series
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...
using the Motorola 68040
Motorola 68040
The Motorola 68040 is a microprocessor from Motorola, released in 1990. It is the successor to the 68030 and is followed by the 68060. There was no 68050. In keeping with general Motorola naming, the 68040 is often referred to as simply the '040 ....
processor. It was discontinued in 1992, and succeeded by the very similar Quadra 950. The Quadra 900 was more expandable than the Quadra 700 but cost $7,200 in the U.S. The Quadra 900 could be upgraded to 256 megabyte
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...
s of RAM—an astronomical amount for the time. The standard, as-shipped configuration for the 900 was 4MB. The high RAM and storage capacity, along with the expandability of 5 NuBus 90
NuBus 90
NuBus 90 NuBus 90 is a type of slot which has been built in many models like the Macintosh Quadra 900 and Macintosh Quadra 950. NuBus slots provided some better performance to the computer by providing higher power or supporting some of the NuBus 90 features. The higher power supply in the...
slots and fast 25 MHz processor made it a very useful computer for scientific or design work. It was the first Mac to be built in a full tower case, featuring a single 5.25" bay initially intended to hold a tape backup drive. Quadra 900 and 950s with full complements of RAM were exceedingly rare with 16-30 pin SIMM RAM slots, due to the high cost (many thousands of dollars) of the SIMM
SIMM
A SIMM, or single in-line memory module, is a type of memory module containing random access memory used in computers from the early 1980s to the late 1990s. It differs from a dual in-line memory module , the most predominant form of memory module today, in that the contacts on a SIMM are redundant...
s at the time. It is the earliest Macintosh model able to run Mac OS 8
Mac OS 8
Mac OS 8 is an operating system that was released by Apple Computer on July 26, 1997. It represented the largest overhaul of the Mac OS since the release of System 7, some six years previously. It puts more emphasis on color than previous operating systems...
.