Power Macintosh · The Beige Era · 1995
Power Macintosh 8500
The 8500 was the multimedia tower of the first PCI Power Mac generation, built for video and production work.
High-end PCI Power Mac with built-in video capture.
Power Macintosh 5400 (1996)
Power Macintosh 8500: key facts
When was the Power Macintosh 8500 released?
The Power Macintosh 8500 arrived on August 7, 1995. Apple discontinued it in February 1997.
How much did the Power Macintosh 8500 cost?
The Power Macintosh 8500 launched at $4,000 in 1995, about $8,333 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What specs stand out?
Key specs: PowerPC 604 at 120 MHz, 16 MB RAM, 1.0 GB storage, External display display.
Why does the Power Macintosh 8500 matter?
High-end PCI Power Mac with built-in video capture.
Full specifications
| CPU | PowerPC 604 · 120 MHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 1 |
| Memory (RAM) | 16 MB (up to 512 MB) |
| Storage | 1.0 GB |
| Display | External display |
| GPU | Integrated / NuBus video |
| Ports | SCSI, ADB, serial |
| Weight | Varies by configuration |
| Dimensions | Tower |
| Operating system | System 7 |
| Released | August 7, 1995 |
| Discontinued | February 1997 |
| Launch price | $4,000 |
How the Power Macintosh 8500 compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 1,020× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 120 MHz, the clock is roughly 27× 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 250 modern phone photos.
Launched at $4,000 in 1995, about $8,333 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.
Related Power Macintosh models
Open the Power Macintosh 8500 in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-08-11