All-in-One Mac · The Beige Era · 1997
Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh
A $7,499 statement piece with a slim LCD, Bose sound and a separate bass unit, delivered by a tuxedoed concierge. It flopped and was fire-saled, but it foreshadowed the iMac G4.
A flat-panel all-in-one years before the iMac: Apple’s luxury concept car.
eMac (2002)
Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh: key facts
When was the Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh released?
The Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh arrived on March 20, 1997. Apple discontinued it in March 1998.
How much did the Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh cost?
The Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh launched at $7,499 in 1997, about $14,923 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What specs stand out?
Key specs: PowerPC 603e at 250 MHz, 32 MB RAM, 2.0 GB storage, 12.1" active-matrix LCD, 800×600 display.
Why does the Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh matter?
A flat-panel all-in-one years before the iMac: Apple’s luxury concept car.
Full specifications
| CPU | PowerPC 603e · 250 MHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 1 |
| Memory (RAM) | 32 MB (up to 128 MB) |
| Storage | 2.0 GB |
| Display | 12.1" active-matrix LCD, 800×600 |
| GPU | ATI 3D Rage II |
| Ports | SCSI, ADB, S-video, TV/FM tuner |
| Weight | 9.5 kg |
| Dimensions | Vertical flat-panel all-in-one |
| Operating system | System 7.6.1 |
| Released | March 20, 1997 |
| Discontinued | March 1998 |
| Launch price | $7,499 |
How the Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 512× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 250 MHz, the clock is roughly 13× 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 500 modern phone photos.
Launched at $7,499 in 1997, about $14,923 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?
Early buyers were promised in-person setup by someone in a tuxedo.
Related All-in-One Mac models
Open the Twentieth Anniversary Macintosh in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-08-11