Photo: Felix Winkelnkemper / CC BY 2.0 / Wikimedia Commons · source
Macintosh Plus
SCSI, SIMM sockets and an 800 KB drive in the long-lived compact Mac.
Overview
The Macintosh Plus took the familiar compact case and fixed its practical gaps. Memory started at 1 MB and could grow to 4 MB through SIMM sockets, so users no longer had to solder or pay for board swaps.
A SCSI port arrived for the first time on a Mac, opening the door to fast external hard disks, scanners and other peripherals. The internal floppy drive now held 800 KB per disk, and a larger 128 KB ROM brought the hierarchical file system.
Its keyboard gained cursor keys and a numeric pad, and the machine ran System 3 up to System 7.5.5. Desktop publishing with the LaserWriter printer made it a business success, and the design stayed unchanged until 1990.
Why it mattered
Its SCSI port and upgradeable memory made the Mac a platform for peripherals, and it remained in production for 1,734 days.
At a glance
- Announced
- January 16, 1986
- Released
- January 16, 1986
- Discontinued
- October 15, 1990
- Launch price
- $2,599
- Chip / processor
- Motorola 68000, 8 MHz
- Display
- 9"
- Storage
- 800 KB floppy
- Status
- Vintage
Highlights
- First Mac with a SCSI port
- 1 MB RAM, expandable to 4 MB with SIMMs
- 800 KB double-sided floppy drive
- On sale for almost five years
Tech specs
Specifications as published at launch. Some values (like battery life) are manufacturer estimates.
Display
- Size
- 9-inch
- Type
- Monochrome CRT
- Resolution
- 512 x 342
Chip
- Chip
- Motorola 68000, 8 MHz
Memory
- RAM
- 1 MB, expandable to 4 MB (SIMM)
- Storage options
- One 800 KB 3.5-inch floppy drive; external SCSI hard disks
- ROM
- 128 KB
Ports
- Ports
- SCSI, 2 serial, external floppy, mouse, headphone jack
Design
- Dimensions
- 35 x 24 x 28 cm (13.6 x 9.6 x 10.9 in)
- Weight
- 7.5 kg (16.5 lb)
- Cooling
- Fanless
Software
- Launch OS
- System 3.0
- Latest supported OS
- System 7.5.5
Availability
- Announced
- January 16, 1986
- Released
- January 16, 1986
- Discontinued
- October 15, 1990
- Launch price
- $2,599
Colors
- Finishes
- Platinum Beige
How it compares
More in the Macintosh family
Macintosh 128K
The beige box that put a mouse and icons on millions of desks.
Macintosh 512K
The "Fat Mac" quadrupled memory to make the Mac usable.
Macintosh 512Ke
The budget Mac that borrowed the Plus floppy drive and ROMs.
Macintosh SE
A compact Mac with an internal drive bay and its first expansion slot.
Macintosh SE/30
The fast, hackable compact Mac that collectors still adore.
Macintosh Classic
The first Mac under a thousand dollars.
Macintosh Classic II
A 68030 Classic: faster, but still a black-and-white compact.
Macintosh Color Classic
The last compact Mac, now with a color Trinitron screen.