Compact Mac · The Beige Era · 1993
Macintosh Color Classic
The compact Mac in glorious colour at last, with a sharp little Sony Trinitron. A favourite of collectors today for its chunky, adorable design.
First colour compact Macintosh.
Macintosh Color Classic: key facts
When was the Macintosh Color Classic released?
The Macintosh Color Classic arrived on February 10, 1993. Apple discontinued it in May 1995.
How much did the Macintosh Color Classic cost?
The Macintosh Color Classic launched at $1,390 in 1993, about $3,030 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What specs stand out?
Key specs: Motorola 68030 at 16 MHz, 4 MB RAM, 80 MB storage, 10" Sony Trinitron colour, 512×384 display.
Why does the Macintosh Color Classic matter?
First colour compact Macintosh.
Full specifications
| CPU | Motorola 68030 · 16 MHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 1 |
| Memory (RAM) | 4 MB (up to 10 MB) |
| Storage | 80 MB |
| Display | 10" Sony Trinitron colour, 512×384 |
| GPU | Integrated |
| Ports | SCSI, ADB, one PDS slot |
| Weight | 10 kg |
| Dimensions | Compact all-in-one |
| Operating system | System 7.1 |
| Released | February 10, 1993 |
| Discontinued | May 1995 |
| Launch price | $1,390 |
How the Macintosh Color Classic compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 4,100× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 16 MHz, the clock is roughly 200× 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 20 modern phone photos.
Launched at $1,390 in 1993, about $3,030 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.
Did you know?
Enthusiasts famously "mod" them with faster boards: the "Color Classic Mystic."
Related Compact Mac models
Open the Macintosh Color Classic in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-08-11