Newton · The Beige Era · 1993
Newton MessagePad
Ahead of its time and mocked for it. Its handwriting recognition became a Doonesbury punchline. But its DNA is the direct ancestor of the iPhone, and its ARM chip powers Apple Silicon today.
Coined the term "PDA" and pioneered handwriting recognition.
eMate 300 (1997)
Newton MessagePad: key facts
When was the Newton MessagePad released?
The Newton MessagePad arrived in August 1993. Apple discontinued it in 1998.
How much did the Newton MessagePad cost?
The Newton MessagePad launched at $699 in 1993, about $1,524 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What specs stand out?
Key specs: ARM 610 at 20 MHz, 640 KB RAM, 4 MB storage, 336×240 monochrome touchscreen display.
Why does the Newton MessagePad matter?
Coined the term "PDA" and pioneered handwriting recognition.
Full specifications
| CPU | ARM 610 · 20 MHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 1 |
| Memory (RAM) | 640 KB |
| Storage | 4 MB |
| Display | 336×240 monochrome touchscreen |
| GPU | Integrated |
| Ports | PCMCIA, serial, infrared |
| Weight | 400 g |
| Dimensions | Handheld slate |
| Operating system | Newton OS 1.0 |
| Released | August 1993 |
| Discontinued | 1998 |
| Launch price | $699 |
How the Newton MessagePad compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 26,200× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 20 MHz, the clock is roughly 160× 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 could hold roughly one modern phone photo.
Launched at $699 in 1993, about $1,524 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?
Apple co-founded ARM to build the Newton’s chip, a stake that later helped fund its recovery.
Related Newton models
Open the Newton MessagePad in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-08-11