Centris · The Beige Era · 1993
Macintosh Centris 650
The Centris 650 offered genuine 68040 speed in Apple’s newly confused early-1990s lineup, then quickly became a Quadra.
A midrange 68040 desktop/tower before it was renamed Quadra.
Macintosh Quadra 630 (1994)
Macintosh Centris 650: key facts
When was the Macintosh Centris 650 released?
The Macintosh Centris 650 arrived on February 10, 1993. Apple discontinued it in October 1993.
How much did the Macintosh Centris 650 cost?
The Macintosh Centris 650 launched at $2,700 in 1993, about $5,886 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What specs stand out?
Key specs: Motorola 68040 at 25 MHz, 4 MB RAM, 230 MB storage, External display display.
Why does the Macintosh Centris 650 matter?
A midrange 68040 desktop/tower before it was renamed Quadra.
Full specifications
| CPU | Motorola 68040 · 25 MHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 1 |
| Memory (RAM) | 4 MB (up to 136 MB) |
| Storage | 230 MB |
| Display | External display |
| GPU | Integrated / NuBus video |
| Ports | SCSI, ADB, serial |
| Weight | Varies by configuration |
| Dimensions | Desktop computer |
| Operating system | System 7 |
| Released | February 10, 1993 |
| Discontinued | October 1993 |
| Launch price | $2,700 |
How the Macintosh Centris 650 compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 4,100× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 25 MHz, the clock is roughly 128× slower than a single performance core of a 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro, and that is before counting cores, width and IPC.
All of this storage holds about 58 modern phone photos.
Launched at $2,700 in 1993, about $5,886 in today’s money (approx., US CPI).
Method note: clock comparisons use frequency only; price conversions use US CPI.
Sources
Specs checked against Apple technical specifications archive, EveryMac, Mactracker, Wikimedia Commons image credits.
Related Centris models
Open the Macintosh Centris 650 in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-08-11