Power Macintosh · The Beige Era · 1994
Power Macintosh 6100
The PowerPC transition begins. Apple ditched the ageing 680x0 for the speedy RISC PowerPC, running old software through clever emulation. The affordable on-ramp to a new era.
First Macintosh powered by the PowerPC RISC chip.
Power Macintosh 6200 (1995)
Power Macintosh 6100: key facts
When was the Power Macintosh 6100 released?
The Power Macintosh 6100 arrived on March 14, 1994. Apple discontinued it in May 1996.
How much did the Power Macintosh 6100 cost?
The Power Macintosh 6100 launched at $1,819 in 1994, about $3,874 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What specs stand out?
Key specs: PowerPC 601 at 60 MHz, 8 MB RAM, 250 MB storage, External, up to 832×624 display.
Why does the Power Macintosh 6100 matter?
First Macintosh powered by the PowerPC RISC chip.
Full specifications
| CPU | PowerPC 601 · 60 MHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 1 |
| Memory (RAM) | 8 MB (up to 72 MB) |
| Storage | 250 MB |
| Display | External, up to 832×624 |
| GPU | Built-in DRAM video |
| Ports | SCSI, ADB, serial |
| Weight | 6.4 kg |
| Dimensions | Low-profile desktop |
| Operating system | System 7.1.2 |
| Released | March 14, 1994 |
| Discontinued | May 1996 |
| Launch price | $1,819 |
How the Power Macintosh 6100 compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 2,050× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 60 MHz, the clock is roughly 53× 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 63 modern phone photos.
Launched at $1,819 in 1994, about $3,874 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?
Old 68k Mac apps ran on it via a built-in emulator, Apple’s first such jump.
Related Power Macintosh models
Open the Power Macintosh 6100 in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-08-11