Newton · The Beige Era · 1997
eMate 300
A chunky, kid-proof green clamshell running Newton OS, aimed at schools years before the iBook. Its translucent design hinted at the iMac aesthetic just around the corner.
A rugged, translucent clamshell built for classrooms: a Newton with a keyboard.
Newton MessagePad 2000 (1997)
eMate 300: key facts
When was the eMate 300 released?
The eMate 300 arrived in March 1997. Apple discontinued it in February 1998.
How much did the eMate 300 cost?
The eMate 300 launched at $799 in 1997, about $1,590 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What specs stand out?
Key specs: ARM 710a at 25 MHz, 3 MB RAM, 2 MB storage, 6.8" greyscale touchscreen, 480×320 display.
Why does the eMate 300 matter?
A rugged, translucent clamshell built for classrooms: a Newton with a keyboard.
Full specifications
| CPU | ARM 710a · 25 MHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 1 |
| Memory (RAM) | 3 MB |
| Storage | 2 MB |
| Display | 6.8" greyscale touchscreen, 480×320 |
| GPU | Integrated |
| Ports | PCMCIA, serial, IrDA |
| Weight | 1.8 kg |
| Dimensions | Translucent green clamshell |
| Operating system | Newton OS 2.1 |
| Released | March 1997 |
| Discontinued | February 1998 |
| Launch price | $799 |
How the eMate 300 compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 5,460× 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.
This entire device held less data than a single modern phone photo (~4 MB).
Launched at $799 in 1997, about $1,590 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 see-through green shell predated the Bondi Blue iMac by over a year.
Related Newton models
Open the eMate 300 in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-08-11