Macintosh II · The Beige Era · 1988
Macintosh IIx
A pricey workstation-class Mac that upgraded the original Macintosh II architecture to the 68030 and kept the big six-slot chassis for expansion-heavy shops.
First Macintosh II with the 68030 processor.
Macintosh IIci (1989)
Macintosh IIx: key facts
When was the Macintosh IIx released?
The Macintosh IIx arrived in September 1988. Apple discontinued it in October 1990.
How much did the Macintosh IIx cost?
The Macintosh IIx launched at $7,769 in 1988, about $20,937 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 IIx matter?
First Macintosh II with the 68030 processor.
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 | Desktop computer |
| Operating system | System 7 |
| Released | September 1988 |
| Discontinued | October 1990 |
| Launch price | $7,769 |
How the Macintosh IIx 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 $7,769 in 1988, about $20,937 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 IIx in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-08-11