LC / Performa · The Beige Era · 1993
Macintosh LC III
The LC III was the pizza-box Mac done right: faster, cheaper and widely deployed in classrooms and homes.
Fixed much of the LC II bottleneck and became a school staple.
Macintosh LC 575 (1994)
Macintosh LC III: key facts
When was the Macintosh LC III released?
The Macintosh LC III arrived on February 10, 1993. Apple discontinued it in February 1994.
How much did the Macintosh LC III cost?
The Macintosh LC III launched at $1,349 in 1993, about $2,941 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What specs stand out?
Key specs: Motorola 68030 at 25 MHz, 4 MB RAM, 80 MB storage, External display display.
Why does the Macintosh LC III matter?
Fixed much of the LC II bottleneck and became a school staple.
Full specifications
| CPU | Motorola 68030 · 25 MHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 1 |
| Memory (RAM) | 4 MB (up to 36 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 | February 10, 1993 |
| Discontinued | February 1994 |
| Launch price | $1,349 |
How the Macintosh LC III compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 4,100× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 25 MHz, the clock is roughly 128× 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 $1,349 in 1993, about $2,941 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 LC / Performa models
Open the Macintosh LC III in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-08-11