Which B&W Compact Mac is the BEST?!?

[MultiFinder]

*The Classic II has a 512k ROM versus the 256k ROM of the SE/30.

So? the se/30 can run a wider range of OSs

The SE/30 can run as far back as 6.0.3. The Classic II can still run System 6 (6.0.8L). So fine, the SE/30 can run further back, and probably a bit farther foward with more RAM. But why wouldn't you want to run 6.0.8? It's generally agreed upon to be the most stable version of System 6

Not just early versions of system 6, but A/UX, Linux, and netBSD, and with some hackery, 8.1

Touché. I yield this battle to the SE/30.

 

[Scott Baret]

Don't forget the data bus path...this is why an SE/30 runs faster.

To be fair though, the SE/30 is 32 bit dirty.

Moving away from our army's Civil War, I have this to say: For the looks factor, I like a Mac Plus that was upgraded from a 128K/512K. It has the look of the original Mac (and also the keyboard) with the power and expansion (SCSI) of a Plus. The illusion of running System 7.5.5 and Excel 4 on what looks to be the original Mac brings a bigger coolness factor to mind than does running that same combo on a platinum colored (not beige) SE/30, Classic II, or even a platinum Plus (though Platinum Pluses look cool).

 

[003]

I like the Classic II. Fastest of the 1-Bit compacts, in a darned nice case.

The SE/30 is still faster, because the classic II is limited by a 16-bit system bus, the SE/30 is full 32-bit. Not to mention, it has an FPU standard. The classic II does support one, but they go in the expansion slot and are somewhat hard to find -- and even with one the se/30 is still faster

To be fair though, the SE/30 is 32 bit dirty.

Mine's not
And even the ones without a ROM upgrade, the software patch MODE32 fixes it.

 

[Unknown_K]

How much more expensive was an LC3 and monitor compared to a comperable compact back then?

 

[Scott Baret]

When the Classic II came out it was $1900. I'm sure it dropped quite a bit in 1993 when the Color Classic came out for $1400--I'd say a black and white Classic was roughly $1100-$1200.

An LC III with no monitor was $1350. Add the cost of your favorite monitor and you have that total. As a bonus, the LC III+ was $50 cheaper and a bit faster...but the Classic II was discontinued right around that time so it doesn't count.

The only comparable "compact" is the LC 520, which sold for $2000 and had the same guts as the LC III.

 

[MultiFinder]

I like the Classic II. Fastest of the 1-Bit compacts, in a darned nice case.

The SE/30 is still faster, because the classic II is limited by a 16-bit system bus, the SE/30 is full 32-bit. Not to mention, it has an FPU standard. The classic II does support one, but they go in the expansion slot and are somewhat hard to find -- and even with one the se/30 is still faster

Yeah, the SE/30 is faster. But the Classic II is the second fastest.

To be fair though, the SE/30 is 32 bit dirty.

Mine's not
And even the ones without a ROM upgrade, the software patch MODE32 fixes it.

MODE32 fixes the Classic II too. I use it on mine.

 

[Bunsen]

Here's my little rundown of the Classic II vs. the SE/30:

Is it only the first Classic (ie not the II) that can boot from ROM?

 

[Kallikak]

Yes - the 1st Classic is the only macintosh model with that capability unfortunately.

 

[Applemeister]

Looks like I'm the only one to vote for the SE. Like most other peeps, I voted for the one I own. I'm sure the SE/30 pwnz the SE, but I like my SE FDHD lol!!

I'd like to get my mitts on something pre-SE or a colour compact Mac, like a Colour Classic.

LCs/Performas may be faster than Compacts, but they don't look so cute

 

[QuadSix50]

For me, it's the SE/30 hands down. However, many of the previous posts now have me curious for the first runner up, the Classic II. I haven't ever played with the Classic II so I can't really say (I have played with the Classic I and you can keep it ), but I do remember the SE/30 being quite fast for a compact Mac.

 

[Maniacintosh]

SE/30. So much SPEED in System 6! I wish I had one...

The Plus...well, mine does nothing more than run the "Mandelbrot" AD screensaver since it doesn't have a KB or mouse ;-)

 

[II2II]

SE/30. I just have something with FPUs.

Runner up would be the SE, with it's internal hard drive and 68000. It should be pretty compatible with archaic Mac software.

 

[Scott Baret]

You can also add an FPU to a Classic II. That internal expansion slot is perfect for them. I have one with this card, they apparently are rare.

 

[Quadraman]

I found it hard to choose between the SE/30 and the Classic II. They each have slight advantages in certain areas, but are more or less equal. I don't recall any upgrades being avalable for the Classic II, though, so in that regard I had to give the advantage to the SE/30.

I have three Pluses, btw. One platinum, one beige, and one that looks like a 128 or 512 that was converted using an Apple upgrade kit.

 

[puckman]

SE/30 always get the most votes which aint fair. The plus is the OLDEST you can do almost everything with.

 

[tomlee59]

Re: Classic II vs. SE/30. The SE/30 is faster. Not just a little bit faster; much faster. The Classic II crippled the bus; unforgivable, to my taste. Add to that the fact that the FPU is built-in (don't have to hunt for a rare and expensive add-on card), and the amazing 128MB ram ceiling, the SE/30 stands head and shoulders (er, crt and disk drives?) above the Classic II.

The SE/30 remains a quite usable Mac -- it can surf ok, it supports CD burners, and has that terrific form factor. Love it, love it, love it.

But yes, I still have a great fondness for the Plus. Although it can't do nearly as many things as its far more capable younger brother, it has a certain retro charm that is difficult to resist.

 

[bluekatt]

I judge by my assessment of a machine's contribution to the "Macintosh phenomenon"
Plus is therefore my choice.

Surely the original is the one that contributed the most to the "Macintosh phenomenon"?

Except it wasn't successful.

what do you mean it wasnt succesfull ?

it was succesfull enough to release the fatmac in 85 succesful enough to release the plus

it was succesfull enough to release the whole macintosh line with out the orginal you woudl not be here saying it was not succesfull and i woudl not be typing this on imac G5

sounds very succesfull to me

 

[Kallikak]

I mean it didn't sell anything like what they'd hoped, and was pretty much unusable because of the memory and other limitations. You seem to be claiming it was successful just because it had successful progeny. Not much of a criterion to employ when trying to choose between them.

 

[Quadraman]

I judge by my assessment of a machine's contribution to the "Macintosh phenomenon"
Plus is therefore my choice.

Surely the original is the one that contributed the most to the "Macintosh phenomenon"?

Except it wasn't successful.

what do you mean it wasnt succesfull ?

it was succesfull enough to release the fatmac in 85 succesful enough to release the plus

it was succesfull enough to release the whole macintosh line with out the orginal you woudl not be here saying it was not succesfull and i woudl not be typing this on imac G5

sounds very succesfull to me

The 512 was released to address deficiencies in the 128 that were holding it back from being more successful, like the low memory and the super slow hard drive port that accessed at floppy drive speeds. The Plus was released to fix further deficiencies found in the 512. The original 128 wasn't even outselling the Apple II line and the early Macs were losing money for Apple. They may have been selling, but they were still negatively impacting Apple's profits, so from that perspective, they weren't successful until after enough improvements were made to call it the Plus. You only have to look at how long the 128 and 512 models were on the market and compare them to how long the Plus was. The Plus was their longest running Mac model, ever. They wouldn't have kept selling it in the numbers they did if it was losing money, so by measures of both sales and profits, the Plus was the first really successful Mac.

 

[funkytoad]

I voted Classic II, because I have two of them, I use them all the time.

And they never let me down!