Macintosh Quadra 610
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| Centris 610 | |
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| CPU: | 20 MHz Motorola MC68LC040 |
| RAM Type: | 72-pin SIMM |
| Maximum RAM: | 68 MiB |
| Expansion slots: | 040-PDS 1 (with PDS adapter) NuBus |
| Supported OS: | System 7.1 - Mac OS 8.1 |
| Introduced: | February 10 1993 |
| Discontinued: | July 18 1994 |
| MSRP: | $1859 |
| Full Specifications | |
Initially released as the Centris 610, the low-profile machine was granted full Quadra status and a speed bump just eight months after it was originally launched.
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History
The Macintosh II had proved that the Mac could survive not only as an all-in-one (AIO) machine but also as a more conventional desktop machine. In one guise or another the Macintosh II had been around for six years and had relied heavily on the Motorola 68030 CPU which, in its day, had been a great processor. Nevertheless, time waits for no man or machine and the imminent arrival of the new 68040 was tempting for all concerned. The only problem was that concerning money.
The 68040 was a powerful processor that was not only fast in its own right but also included a high level of integrated cache memory and a dedicated floating point unit (FPU). In the past, Apple had been able to offer the 68030 as a standalone processor and then add the optional 68882 FPU as a way to boost performance, and cut costs in the process — in the 68040 they didn't have that option and it was going to be expensive for buyers. The solution came in the form of the 68LC040: a 68040 which lacked the FPU. It wouldn't offer users the same power as the full-blown chip but was considerably cheaper.
Centris
Before the release of the Quadra line (based on the 68040), Apple opted to release the Centris series which would use the low cost 68LC040 — some saw it as a clever solution; some saw it as a half-way house; others saw it as a con. The Centris line, however, was something new and was well placed as Apple's mid-range machine (aimed at sitting beneath the high-end Quadras and the low-end LCs) and it was still about twice as fast as the ageing IIci. As if all of this wasn't enough to confuse buyers, the machine also came in a range of configurations to seemingly suit every budget, with the lowest spec machines eliminating even on board Ethernet and having just 4 MiB of RAM and an 80 MiB hard drive.
Released in February 1993, the Centris 610 came in a very fetching low-profile case that may have taken up very little in the way of desk space but did, as way of a pay-off, restrict expansion. A single 5.25" drive bay allowed an optional CD-ROM drive to be fitted. The single NuBus slot gave some hope, and the two 72-pin DIMM slots did allow memory to be increased to a healthy 68 MiB — each slot would accept a 32 MiB module which, when added to the on board 4 MiB added up to 68 MiB. There was also one other drawback to the new case. By having the power switch located next to the floppy drive, many users (specifically those from a Windows/DOS background) mistakenly pressed the power button to eject the drive - a mistake that they quickly learned to avoid. The other side effect of this arrangement was that the machine couldn't be switched on/off via the keyboard.
Quadra
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| Quadra 610 | |
|---|---|
| CPU: | 25 MHz Motorola MC68040 |
| RAM Type: | 72-pin SIMM |
| Maximum RAM: | 68 MiB |
| Expansion slots: | 040-PDS 1 (with PDS adapter) NuBus |
| Supported OS: | System 7.1 - Mac OS 8.1 |
| Introduced: | February 10 1993 |
| Discontinued: | July 18 1994 |
| MSRP: | $1439 (US) |
| Full Specifications | |
Despite being a big hit with buyers, the Centris 610 was given an overhaul just eight months after it was released. Rebranded as the Quadra 610, the machine now boasted a full blown 68040 and was clocked at 25 MHz instead of the original 20 MHz (N.B. The original Centris machines can have their processor upgraded simply by replacing the 68LC040 with a 68040 — no other modifications are needed). Otherwise it was business as usual as the two machines were identical.
Full Specifications
| Centris | Quadra |
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