The Friendly 500 Series
- 2001.05.18
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When the Colour Classic was
introduced in 1993, it became a success for users who needed a
small computer for a small space. The
cute, compact design and 10" Trinitron colour screen capable of
displaying "thousands of colours" now make it a collectable item
for Macheads everywhere.
After the Colour Classic was released, its designers were asked
to make something with a larger screen, CD-ROM, and stereo
speakers. They came up with the Macintosh LC 520 (a.k.a. Performa 520),
which was basically an LC III, 14"
Apple Colour Display, Apple 300e CD-ROM, and a pair of stereo
speakers - all in one case. The result was to be one of the most
popular consumer and education models produced.
The LC 520 featured the same 25 MHz 68030 processor as the LC
III, an 80 or 160 MB hard disk, and an optional 1x or 2x Apple
internal caddy-loading CD-ROM drive. A
later version came with a tray loading CD-ROM and a manual-inject
floppy drive. The LC 520 shipped with System 7.1.
After the LC 520 came the LC 550
(a.k.a. Performa 550). The 550 featured a 33 MHz 68030 processor,
like the LC III+, 5 MB of RAM, a
160 MB hard drive, and a 2x tray loading CD-ROM drive. The LC 550
shipped with System 7.1; the Performa 550 shipped with System
Software 7.1P6.
At the top of the line came the LC
575 (a.k.a. Performa 575). The Performa 575 featured a 33 MHz
68LC040 processor, 5 MB of RAM, a 2x CD-ROM drive, and a 250
MB hard drive. The 575 was also available to schools with no CD-ROM
drive and 4 MB of RAM. Early versions of the LC 575 shipped
with System 7.1, while later versions shipped with 7.5. Early
versions of the Performa 575 shipped with System 7.1P6, later
versions shipped with 7.5.
Later on, Apple used a similar case for the LC 580. The LC 580 was essentially a
Quadra 630 in an all-in-one case.
The 580 featured the Communications slot, video board slots, and
two RAM slots instead of one (if you look at the 575 logic board,
there is a place for a second RAM slot). The 580 used a less
expensive, non-Trinitron screen, which was rounded and prone to
glare. The 580 was offered with 8 MB of RAM, a 2x CD-ROM
drive, and a 500 or 800 MB hard drive. There was also a version
without the CD-ROM. The LC 580 shipped with System Software
7.5.
I first got into these 500 series Macs when I got an LC 520 from
a thrift store a couple years ago. I consider the design of the 500
series Macs to be one of the best looking designs Apple has come up
with, although I understand the original designers weren't real
crazy about it.
After getting that LC 520 and upgrading it to 12 MB of RAM,
installing a 160 MB hard disk, and upgrading to Mac OS 7.6.1, I got
a Performa 550. Recently I ended up with a 575 as well.
When these 500 series models were introduced, they were meant to
bring families into the Internet age, so they were fully Internet
capable. The 575 still does a decent job on the Internet.
Load it up with Internet Explorer 4.0 or Netscape Navigator 3.02
(4.08 if you have more than 20 MB of RAM), FreePPP, and you are
ready to use the Internet. For a more detailed description, visit
my other article "Getting on the Net with an older Mac".
500 series Macs make good machines for kids. They are all in one
- they don't confuse kids by having many different parts to them.
They have good colour screens, a CD-ROM drive, and, most
importantly, they will run many kids games without a problem. For
example, you can play Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?
(remember the TV show?), SimCity 2000, and Civilization (the last
two I have and enjoy playing myself).
You can often find a 500 series Mac on eBay
for less than $75, and occasionally one may turn up at your local
thrift shop or garage sale (I got my 520 from a thrift shop, and
the 575 from a garage sale). You can also check newspaper
classified ads.
These Macs make great second or third computers for the family,
as well as great computers for younger child to play games or do
research and writing for school. They don't cost much, but give you
a lot of computer for your money.
As a side note, you may have noticed my "Xcitement" (bad pun)
about OS X, and I have been writing about that quite a bit
recently. Since this is Apple Archive on
Low End Mac, I thought that taking a
break to write about an actual low end Mac was appropriate.
Further Reading
- The reliable all-in-one 500
series, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 2001.06.04.
For inexpensive, reliable word processing and email, these older
Macs are great.
Recent Apple Archive articles- iPods, notebooks, and other modern electronics more readily replaced than repaired, 12.07.
Whether it's an intermittent failure or a broken display cable, more often than not it's cheaper to replace a broken electronics device than repair it.
- Options for replacing your older iPod, 11.19.
Whether you've run out of space on your old iPod or want features it doesn't have, here are your options in new and used iPods.
- Could the $200 'green' PC with gOS Linux become a threat to Apple?, 11.14.
The low cost, low power Everex desktop comes with a customized version of Ubuntu Linux, has a Mac-like Dock, and sells for $400 less than the Mac mini.
- Leopard different, a bit buggy, but worth the upgrade, 11.02.
Leopard on a Power Mac G4 and a MacBook Pro: It runs well on both computers, but each has some odd bugs, and some of the changes are a step backwards.
- More in the Apple Archive index.
Links for the Day- Mac of the Day: iMac Core2, Sep. 2006 - Apple introduced the biggest screen ever in an iMac with a 24" Core2 Duo model at 2.16 GHz.
- List of the Day: MacBook List for those using a MacBook or MacBook Pro.
- September 6 in LEM history: 99: G4 vs. Pentium III - 00: Setting up a server - 02: Norton Utilities warning - 10 greatest computer annoyances - 06: iMac Core2 Duo - Mac mini Core Duo - The iMac Core2 value equation - 07: Apple seduction - Why I really want an iPod touch - iPod history, 2005 to present - Upgrading a Power Mac G - Apple intros iPod touch, classic, and video nano
Recent Content on Low End Mac- Anticipation: New iPods Now, New Macs Later, Kev Kitchens, Kitchens Sync, 09.05.
The season of new iPods is at hand, but new Macs may wait until 2009.
- Listen to Just the Music with the V-Moda Vibe Earbuds, Tommy Thomas, Welcome to Macintosh, 09.05.
Well built, the noise canceling earbuds will let you hear all the nuances of your music without letting through background noise.
- Buy a MacBook Now or Wait?, MacBook touch Patents, Samsung X360 Takes on MBA, and More, The 'Book Review, 09.05.
Also 20 years of portable Macs, data backup and preservation, universal U-Charge battery charger for Mac 'Books, bargain 'Books from $150 to $2,699, and more.
- Source of iPhone 3G Problems, Army Uses iPods as Field Translators, Gains with Business, and More, iNews Review, 09.05.
Also UK bans iPhone ad as 'misleading', iPhone password easy to bypass, GM to offer radios with USB in 2009 models, weather tracking software, and more.
- Macs Gain Ground in August, Consumers Most Likely to Buy Macs, LaCie USB Speakers, and More, Mac News Review, 09.05.
Also migrating Time Machine to a new drive and two new keyboards from Logitech.
- Best 15" MacBook Pro Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 09.05.
Used 1.83 GHz Core Duo, $999; 2.16, $1,125; new, 2.2, $1,450 after rebate; refurb 2.4, $1,699; 2.5, $1,999; 2.6 Santa Rosa, $1,849; rebates on new.
- Best iPod touch Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 09.05.
Refurb 8 GB, $199; new, $284; refurb 16 GB, $299; new, $370; refurb 32 GB, $399; new, $453.
- Best iMac G4 Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 09.05.
Used 15" 700 MHz CD-RW, $279; 800 Combo, $300; 1 GHz $390; 17" 800 MHz SD, $439; 1.25 GHz, $449; 20", $569.
- Overclocking a Mac mini Got Me Hooked on Souping Up Macs, Adam Geller, My First Mac, 09.04.
Stories of hot rodding iBooks, G3 iMacs, and PCI Power Macs on the cheap.
- Apple Will Not Abandon Optical Drives, the Mac Drought, Purposeful Mac Acquisition, and More, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 09.04.
Also Mac OS X 10.5 on a G4-upgraded Blue & White G3 and problems using a flat panel display with a Quadra 700.
- Only Leopard Runs Routine Maintenance Tasks after Startup or Waking from Sleep, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 09.04.
Mac OS X 10.5 runs routine system maintenance scripts as soon as possible after starting up or waking up your Mac. Earlier versions of OS X do not do this.
- Tomorrow's Solid State Drives and Notebooks, Dan Knight, Mac Musings, 09.04.
Flash drives are great but have some shortcomings. Some thoughts on building better SSDs and notebooks to use them.
- Best 12" PowerBook G4 Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 09.04.
Used 867 MHz Combo, no APX, $490; 1 GHz, $550; SuperDrive, $625; 1.5 GHz w/o APX, $660; w/APX, $675.
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Used 1.25 GHz G4 SD, $549; 1.42 Combo, $409; new 1.83 Core2 Combo, $569 after rebate; 2.0 SD, $769 after rebate.
- Best 17" PowerBook G4 Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 09.04.
Used 1 GHz, $779; 1.33 GHz, $799; 1.5 GHz, $859; 1.67 GHz, $910.
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The latest versions of Internet Explorer, Opera, Safari, Shiira, iCab, Radon, Firefox, Netscape Navigator, SeaMonkey, Flock, and Camino tested in Leopard.
- Save Internet Radio, USB and Hard Drives, Hardware Manufacturers vs. Linux, and More, Dan Knight, Low End Mac Mailbag, 09.03.
Also Mac won't book after cleaning, newer versions of OS X improve wake from sleep, downgrading to OS 8.6, unreadable pages on Low End Mac, and more.
- Another Free POP3 Provider, Recharging a Dead PRAM Battery, Current Kanga Value, and More, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 09.03.
GMX email now available in US, Panasonic UJ-841S drive won't burn discs, restoring a dead PRAM battery in a Pismo, and thoughts on Kanga value today.
- Best eMac Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 09.03.
Used 700 MHz Combo, $120; 1.25 GHz SuperDrive, $150; 1.42 GHz, $349.
- Best Mac OS X 10.5 'Leopard' Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 09.03.
Mac OS X 10.5, single user, $99; 5 users, $140; 10.5 Server, 10 users, $395; unlimited, $850.
- Best MacBook Air Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 09.03.
Refurb 1.6 HD, $1,499; new, $1,690 after rebate; refurb 1.8, $1,699; new, $1,919 a/r; refurb 1.6 SSD, $2,099; new, $2,294 a/r; refurb 1.8, $2,299; new, $2,400 a/r.
- Psystar Strikes Back, Countersues Apple, Frank Fox, Stop the Noiz, 09.03.
Psystar is trying to paint Apple as a monopoly and force it to license the Mac OS.
- More links in our archive.
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