Macintosh II · The Beige Era · 1990
Macintosh IIsi
A compact, relatively affordable color-capable Mac that gave offices 68030 speed without the imposing price of a IIci or IIfx.
Affordable 68030 color Mac with built-in video.
Macintosh IIvi (1992)
Macintosh IIsi: key facts
When was the Macintosh IIsi released?
The Macintosh IIsi arrived in October 1990. Apple discontinued it in March 1993.
How much did the Macintosh IIsi cost?
The Macintosh IIsi launched at $3,770 in 1990, about $9,161 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What specs stand out?
Key specs: Motorola 68030 at 20 MHz, 2 MB RAM, 40 MB storage, External color, built-in video display.
Why does the Macintosh IIsi matter?
Affordable 68030 color Mac with built-in video.
Full specifications
| CPU | Motorola 68030 · 20 MHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 1 |
| Memory (RAM) | 2 MB (up to 65 MB) |
| Storage | 40 MB |
| Display | External color, built-in video |
| GPU | Integrated / NuBus video |
| Ports | SCSI, ADB, one PDS slot |
| Weight | Varies by configuration |
| Dimensions | Desktop computer |
| Operating system | System 7 |
| Released | October 1990 |
| Discontinued | March 1993 |
| Launch price | $3,770 |
How the Macintosh IIsi compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 8,190× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 20 MHz, the clock is roughly 160× 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 10 modern phone photos.
Launched at $3,770 in 1990, about $9,161 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 IIsi in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-08-11