Best Buys in Used Macs

Macintosh LC III, III+, and Performa 450-467

1998.03.10. Updated 2000.08

We're sorry, but these are very old, very dated articles. Best buys in used Macs is such a moving target that we simply can't keep up to date and have given up even trying. Please read these in their historical context, as some of these articles were written in the early years of Low End Mac.

Apple had hobbled the LC and LC II with 16-bit data paths; the LC III broke through that bottleneck with a 32-bit data path. It also broke the 10 MB RAM barrier built into the earlier LCs, allowing expansion to 36 MB - which is still a good amount of memory.

The only drawbacks are related to expansion: the LC III has just one expansion slot, which can be used for a network card or an accelerator or a video card. (The LC III PDS is a superset of the LC PDS, providing compatibility with older 16-bit cards.)

With a 25 MHz CPU (33 MHz in the LC III+/Performa 460 series), 4-36 MB RAM,* support for a portrait or 17" monitor, and an expansion slot, the LC III can be an excellent value. However, the LC III and 460 series are rare on the used market - most owners realize they are still viable and aren't prepared to sell them. When available, they often go for under $20. Add about $10 for the faster LC III+/Performa 460 series.

* Using Born Again, you can install and run Mac OS 8.1 on an LC III or Performa 460 with at least 12 MB of memory.

Typical new memory prices at present are $5-8 for 4 MB SIMMs, $10-16 for 8 MB SIMMs, $21-32 for 16 MB SIMMs, and $40-60 for 32 MB SIMMs. (From ramseeker, the guide to the latest memory pricing.)

Upgrade options include the Quadra 605 (25MHZ 68LC040) motherboard and the MicroMac Diimo/030 (50 MHz 68030) accelerator.

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