Macintosh II · The Beige Era · 1989
Macintosh IIcx
The IIcx kept professional color-Mac expansion but made the box smaller, quieter and easier to service.
Shrank the modular Macintosh II into a much smaller three-slot case.
Macintosh IIfx (1990)
Macintosh IIcx: key facts
When was the Macintosh IIcx released?
The Macintosh IIcx arrived in March 1989. Apple discontinued it in March 1991.
How much did the Macintosh IIcx cost?
The Macintosh IIcx launched at $5,369 in 1989, about $13,798 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What specs stand out?
Key specs: Motorola 68030 + 68882 at 16 MHz, 1 MB RAM, 80 MB storage, External display display.
Why does the Macintosh IIcx matter?
Shrank the modular Macintosh II into a much smaller three-slot case.
Full specifications
| CPU | Motorola 68030 + 68882 · 16 MHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 1 |
| Memory (RAM) | 1 MB (up to 128 MB) |
| Storage | 80 MB |
| Display | External display |
| GPU | Integrated / NuBus video |
| Ports | SCSI, ADB, serial |
| Weight | Varies by configuration |
| Dimensions | Compact desktop case |
| Operating system | System 7 |
| Released | March 1989 |
| Discontinued | March 1991 |
| Launch price | $5,369 |
How the Macintosh IIcx compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 16,400× 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 $5,369 in 1989, about $13,798 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 Macintosh II models
Open the Macintosh IIcx in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-08-11