LC / Performa · The Beige Era · 1990
Macintosh LC
"Low-Cost colour" for homes and schools, in a famously flat pizza-box case. With an Apple IIe card it could even run old II software for classrooms.
First affordable colour Mac, in the slim "pizza box" case.
Macintosh LC II (1992)
Macintosh LC: key facts
When was the Macintosh LC released?
The Macintosh LC arrived in October 1990. Apple discontinued it in March 1992.
How much did the Macintosh LC cost?
The Macintosh LC launched at $2,400 in 1990, about $5,832 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What specs stand out?
Key specs: Motorola 68020 at 16 MHz, 2 MB RAM, 40 MB storage, External colour, 512×384 display.
Why does the Macintosh LC matter?
First affordable colour Mac, in the slim "pizza box" case.
Full specifications
| CPU | Motorola 68020 · 16 MHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 1 |
| Memory (RAM) | 2 MB (up to 10 MB) |
| Storage | 40 MB |
| Display | External colour, 512×384 |
| GPU | Built-in video |
| Ports | SCSI, ADB, one LC PDS slot |
| Weight | 3.5 kg |
| Dimensions | "Pizza box" desktop |
| Operating system | System 6.0.7 |
| Released | October 1990 |
| Discontinued | March 1992 |
| Launch price | $2,400 |
How the Macintosh LC compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 8,190× 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 10 modern phone photos.
Launched at $2,400 in 1990, about $5,832 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?
Its slim case meant a thin internal speaker that owners loved to mock.
Related LC / Performa models
Open the Macintosh LC in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-08-11