Power Macintosh 9500
The first Mac with PCI slots and a swappable CPU card.
Overview
The Power Macintosh 9500 changed the architecture. Where earlier Power Macs used NuBus, the 9500 offered six PCI slots, which meant cards from the PC world could be adapted to the Mac and graphics hardware choices exploded.
Its processor lived on a daughterboard, so upgrades were possible, and it was the first Mac to use 168-pin DIMMs, allowing up to 1.5 GB. The chip was a 604 at 120 to 150 MHz, later a 604e at 180 and 200 MHz, with dual-processor configurations available in the 180 MP.
On top of that came 10BASE-T Ethernet alongside AAUI, and a standard 1 GB hard disk. It was a mainstay in design and video studios.
Why it mattered
It introduced PCI to the Mac and became the template for the Power Mac towers that followed.
At a glance
- Announced
- June 19, 1995
- Released
- June 19, 1995
- Discontinued
- February 17, 1997
- Launch price
- $4,699
- Chip / processor
- PowerPC 604, 120 MHz
- Storage
- 1 GB or 2 GB hard disk
- Status
- Vintage
Highlights
- First Mac with PCI expansion
- PowerPC 604 from 120 MHz, 604e up to 200 MHz
- Up to 1.5 GB RAM with DIMMs
- Swappable CPU daughterboard
Tech specs
Specifications as published at launch. Some values (like battery life) are manufacturer estimates.
Chip
- Chip
- PowerPC 604, 120 to 150 MHz (604e up to 200 MHz)
Memory
- RAM
- 16 MB, expandable to 1.5 GB
- Storage options
- 1 GB hard disk (2 GB on later models)
Expansion
- Slots
- Six PCI slots
Design
- Dimensions
- 43 x 19.5 x 40 cm (16.9 x 7.7 x 15.75 in)
- Weight
- 13 kg (28 lb)
Software
- Launch OS
- System 7.5.2
- Latest supported OS
- Mac OS 9.1
Ports
- Networking
- 10BASE-T and AAUI Ethernet
Availability
- Announced
- June 19, 1995
- Released
- June 19, 1995
- Discontinued
- February 17, 1997
- Launch price
- $4,699
Colors
- Finishes
- Platinum
