Schmoburger
Well-known member
Hands down, I must choose the SE, specifically the FDHD amd SuperDrive models as they are realistically the most useful, having an internal hard drive and ROM support for the HD FDD out of the box. I choose the SE by virtue of reliability and good engineering alone... in most other respects they are the same as any other 8MHz compact. Unlike the Plus however, the SE has active cooling, rather than convection cooling and the associated shortening of lifespans on the AB componentry as suffered by the Plus, and also 128k and 512K. There are still no SMD electrolytics in sight on the SE, so logic board rot or cap failure an almost a non-issue. The implementation of ADB is also very much a positive in favour of the SE, rather than that ridiculous RJ11/DB9 serial combination of input device sockets, and of course, the PDS slot, unique to the SE and SE/30. They also have the nicest looking case in my opinion. Whilst I do enjoy the Classic, it really is operationally just a cheapened SE, without any expansion slot, and with terrible surface mount electrolytic capacitors on the logic board that claim many a Classic... So realistically it can hardly be rated as the best as it performs the same, has no processor direct expandability, and breaks more readily. The Classic isnt an intrinsically bad machine in concept, being a little faster and better, and just as sexy, but unfortunately it is let down by the same issues that let down the Classic so it is a bit of a vote of little confidence also.
The SE/30 is definitely worthy of second place by virtue of the huge amount of power and potential it packed into that tiny little SE case, however it is very much let down by the rubbish logic board capacitors also, having some of the absolute worst of cap rot issues. For this reason, it will oonly ever get second place in my books.
So yes, all things taken into account, the SE FDHD and SE SuperDrive are the winners for me.
The SE/30 is definitely worthy of second place by virtue of the huge amount of power and potential it packed into that tiny little SE case, however it is very much let down by the rubbish logic board capacitors also, having some of the absolute worst of cap rot issues. For this reason, it will oonly ever get second place in my books.
So yes, all things taken into account, the SE FDHD and SE SuperDrive are the winners for me.