Apple IIe

1983 · Pre-Mac Pre-Macintosh

Introduced

1983

Original price

$ 1400

Processor

MOS Technology/SynerTek 6502

Original OS

DOS 3.3 (later ProDOS in 1984)

Colors

Beige (Platinum/grey from 1987)

1976

1984

1998

2001

2007

2020

2026

Pre-Mac

Mac era

iMac era

iPod era

iPhone era

Silicon

Processor

ProcessorMOS Technology/SynerTek 6502

Speed1.02 MHz

Architecture8-bit

System bus1 MHz

Memory & graphics

Standard RAM64 kB

Max RAM128 kB (with Extended 80 Columns Card)

Resolutions40/80 x 24 text; 280 x 192 (6 color); 560 x 192 (1-bit); Double-Hi-Res 16 colors with Rev. B board

Storage

StorageOptional 5.25" Floppy Drive

Connectivity

Audio outMono speaker

Software

Original OSDOS 3.3 (later ProDOS in 1984)

Power

Expansion slotsEight proprietary expansion slots

Lifecycle

Introduced1983

Discontinued1993

History

The Apple II Plus was followed in 1983 by the Apple IIe, a less expensive but more powerful machine that used newer chips to reduce the number of components and add new features, such as the display of uppercase and lowercase letters and a standard RAM of 64 KB. The IIe's RAM was configured as if it were an Apple II Plus with a language card; the machine had no slot 0, but in its place had an auxiliary slot that for most practical purposes replaced slot 3, the most commonly used slot for 80-column cards in the II Plus. The Apple IIe was the most popular Apple II ever built and was widely considered the "workhorse" of the line. It also has the distinction of being the longest-lived Apple computer of all time – it was manufactured and marketed with only minor modifications for almost 11 years. During this period, starting from the original, two major variants were introduced known as Apple IIe Enhanced (four new replacement chips that gave it some of the features of the subsequent Apple IIc model, including an updated processor called the 65C02) and Apple IIe Platinum (a new modernized appearance for the case color to match other Apple products of the era, along with the addition of an integrated numeric keypad). An IIe Enhanced with 128 KB of RAM can be considered the minimum requirement for running most Apple II software released after around 1988. The IIe models were distinguished from the standard IIe model by the presence of 128 KB of memory, DHGR graphics mode, and a 65C02 processor.

Trivia

• The Apple IIe was the longest-lived Apple computer of all time, remaining in production for nearly 11 years with only minor changes, becoming the "workhorse" of the Apple II line. • The Apple IIe Enhanced introduced the 65C02 processor and other advanced features, while the Platinum version distinguished itself with a modernized case design that matched other Apple products of the era and an integrated numeric keypad. • An Apple IIe Enhanced with 128 KB of RAM was considered the minimum requirement necessary to run most Apple II software released after 1988.

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D101 · APPLE HERITAGE MUSEUM · LUGANO

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