Collection › Macintosh PowerBook 520c

D028 · Apple Heritage Museum · Lugano

Macintosh PowerBook 520c

1994 · Mac era PowerBook

Introduced

1994

Original price

$ 2900

Processor

Motorola 68LC040

Original OS

System 7.1.1

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1984

1998

2001

2007

2020

2026

Pre-Mac

Mac era

iMac era

iPod era

iPhone era

Silicon

Processor

ProcessorMotorola 68LC040

Speed25 MHz

Architecture32-bit

Memory & graphics

Standard RAM4 MB

Max RAM36 MB

VRAM512 KB VRAM

Display9.5" color dual-scan passive matrix display

Resolutions640x480; external video 512x384, 640x480, 800x600, 832x624 with adapter

Video outVID-14 external video port (with adapter)

Storage

Storage160 MB, 240 MB, or 320 MB hard drive

BaysDual swappable bays for batteries or PCMCIA adapter

Connectivity

SCSIHDI-30 SCSI port

Software

Original OSSystem 7.1.1

KeyboardLight-touch keyboard with trackpad

Power

Weight7.1 lb. with both batteries, 6.4 lb. with one battery

BatteryNiMH (dual swappable bays)

Battery life2-3.5 hours

Identifiers

Model IDPowerBook 520c

Model N°M4880

Lifecycle

Introduced1994

Discontinued1995

History

Introduced in May 1994, the PowerBook 520 was the first PowerBook equipped with a '040 processor. A trackpad replaced the trackball found in previous PowerBooks, and the 520 featured an integrated microphone and stereo speaker. The 520 was priced at $2,270 USD with a passive 4-bit grayscale display, while the 520c, with a dual-scan 256-color display (the 520c was the first PowerBook to include it), cost $2,900 USD.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PowerBook_500_series · Wikipedia

Trivia

• The PowerBook 520, launched in May 1994, was the first PowerBook equipped with the powerful '040 processor, marking a generational leap in the performance of Apple portable computers. • This model introduced the trackpad, replacing the traditional rotating ball of previous PowerBooks, an innovation that became the standard for modern laptops. • The PowerBook 520c was the first PowerBook to include a dual-scan screen with 256 colors, representing a huge advancement in visual quality compared to the black and white displays of previous models.

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D028 · APPLE HERITAGE MUSEUM · LUGANO

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