Centris · The Beige Era · 1993
Macintosh Centris 660AV
A short-lived nameplate for the AV Mac that could capture video, handle speech features and show Apple’s multimedia ambitions.
First compact AV Macintosh before Quadra renaming.
Macintosh Quadra 630 (1994)
Macintosh Centris 660AV: key facts
When was the Macintosh Centris 660AV released?
The Macintosh Centris 660AV arrived on July 29, 1993. Apple discontinued it in October 1993.
How much did the Macintosh Centris 660AV cost?
The Macintosh Centris 660AV launched at $2,489 in 1993, about $5,426 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What specs stand out?
Key specs: Motorola 68040 at 25 MHz, 8 MB RAM, 230 MB storage, External display display.
Why does the Macintosh Centris 660AV matter?
First compact AV Macintosh before Quadra renaming.
Full specifications
| CPU | Motorola 68040 · 25 MHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 1 |
| Memory (RAM) | 8 MB (up to 68 MB) |
| Storage | 230 MB |
| Display | External display |
| GPU | Integrated / NuBus video |
| Ports | SCSI, ADB, Ethernet, AV, GeoPort |
| Weight | Varies by configuration |
| Dimensions | Desktop computer |
| Operating system | System 7 |
| Released | July 29, 1993 |
| Discontinued | October 1993 |
| Launch price | $2,489 |
How the Macintosh Centris 660AV compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 2,050× 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 $2,489 in 1993, about $5,426 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 660AV in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-08-11