AirPort Time Capsule (802.11ac)
The tower-shaped router with a 2 or 3 TB drive for Time Machine.
Overview
The ac version of Time Capsule used the same tall chassis as the AirPort Extreme, with a built-in hard drive and a larger enclosure to dissipate heat. Capacities were 2 TB for $299 and 3 TB for $499.
Wireless performance matched the Extreme, with three spatial streams, simultaneous dual-band operation and four Gigabit Ethernet ports. The drive was used for Time Machine backups of one or many Macs, and could also hold shared files over AFP or SMB.
A USB port added a printer or additional storage. Apple ended the Time Capsule along with the rest of the AirPort lineup in 2018, leaving owners to rely on other backup solutions afterwards.
Why it mattered
The final Time Capsule and a popular way to back up Macs wirelessly in the 2010s.
At a glance
- Announced
- June 10, 2013
- Released
- June 10, 2013
- Discontinued
- April 26, 2018
- Launch price
- $299
- Status
- Vintage
Highlights
- 2 TB or 3 TB internal drive
- 802.11ac Wi-Fi
- Time Machine backup target
- Four Gigabit Ethernet ports
- USB for printer or drive
Tech specs
Specifications as published at launch. Some values (like battery life) are manufacturer estimates.
Storage
- Storage
- 2 TB or 3 TB internal hard drive
Connectivity
- Wi-Fi
- 802.11ac, simultaneous dual-band (2.4 and 5 GHz), 3x3 MIMO
- Ethernet
- Four Gigabit ports (one WAN, three LAN)
- Ports
- USB 2.0
- Smart home
- Not applicable
Network
- Speed
- Up to 1.3 Gbit/s on 5 GHz
- Security
- WPA2 Personal and Enterprise, guest network
Design
- Dimensions
- 168 x 168 x 97 mm
