Compact Mac · The Beige Era · 1986
Macintosh Plus
The Plus fixed the original Mac’s biggest sin: you could finally add memory and fast SCSI storage. It became the longest-sold Macintosh of the classic era.
First Mac with SCSI and user-upgradeable RAM (SIMMs).
Macintosh SE (1987)
Macintosh Plus: key facts
When was the Macintosh Plus released?
The Macintosh Plus arrived in January 1986. Apple discontinued it in October 1990.
How much did the Macintosh Plus cost?
The Macintosh Plus launched at $2,599 in 1986, about $7,589 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What specs stand out?
Key specs: Motorola 68000 at 7.83 MHz, 1 MB RAM, 9" monochrome, 512×342 display, SCSI, 800 KB floppy, 2 serial.
Why does the Macintosh Plus matter?
First Mac with SCSI and user-upgradeable RAM (SIMMs).
Full specifications
| CPU | Motorola 68000 · 7.83 MHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 1 |
| Memory (RAM) | 1 MB (up to 4 MB) |
| Storage | — |
| Display | 9" monochrome, 512×342 |
| GPU | Bitmapped framebuffer |
| Ports | SCSI, 800 KB floppy, 2 serial |
| Weight | 7.5 kg |
| Dimensions | 34.5×24.6×27.6 cm |
| Operating system | System 3.0 |
| Released | January 1986 |
| Discontinued | October 1990 |
| Launch price | $2,599 |
How the Macintosh Plus compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 16,400× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 7.83 MHz, the clock is roughly 409× slower than a single performance core of a 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro, and that is before counting cores, width and IPC.
Launched at $2,599 in 1986, about $7,589 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 SCSI port would serve, and haunt, Mac users for the next decade.
Related Compact Mac models
Open the Macintosh Plus in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-08-11