Printer · The Beige Era · 1995
Color LaserWriter
Color LaserWriter brought high-quality networked color laser output to design studios and offices at a very Apple price.
Apple’s color laser-printer family.
Color StyleWriter 2400 (1995)
Color LaserWriter: key facts
When was the Color LaserWriter released?
The Color LaserWriter arrived in 1995. Apple discontinued it in 1998.
How much did the Color LaserWriter cost?
The Color LaserWriter launched at $6,999 in 1995, about $14,581 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What specs stand out?
Key specs: PowerPC / printer controller at 100 MHz, 12 MB RAM, Ethernet, AppleTalk, parallel.
Why does the Color LaserWriter matter?
Apple’s color laser-printer family.
Full specifications
| CPU | PowerPC / printer controller · 100 MHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 1 |
| Memory (RAM) | 12 MB (up to 64 MB) |
| Storage | — |
| Display | — |
| GPU | — |
| Ports | Ethernet, AppleTalk, parallel |
| Weight | Varies by model |
| Dimensions | Color laser printer |
| Operating system | Driver/firmware support |
| Released | 1995 |
| Discontinued | 1998 |
| Launch price | $6,999 |
How the Color LaserWriter compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 1,370× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 100 MHz, the clock is roughly 32× slower than a single performance core of a 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro, and that is before counting cores, width and IPC.
Launched at $6,999 in 1995, about $14,581 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 Printer models
Open the Color LaserWriter in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-08-11