Macintosh SE/30

1998.03.04. Updated 2000.08

Looking like an SE, the SE/30 packed a 16 MHz 68030 CPU and 16 MHz 68882 FPU into the same compact case. It was destined to be the fastest compact b&w Mac ever - the later Classic II ran the same 16 MHz 68030 at a slower pace due to some compromises in memory access.

Rolled out in January 1989, the SE/30 was the first compact Mac to come standard with the FDHD 1.4 MB floppy drive (a.k.a. SuperDrive) and support more than 4 MB of RAM. It was essentially a IIx in an SE case. With a built-in 9" screen, it was a favorite network server.

Although advertised as a 32-bit computer, the SE/30 ROMs were not 32-bit clean. Running in 32-bit mode requires Mode32 from Connectix.

The SE/30 has color QuickDraw built in, although it requires a video card to take advantage of it.

The 16 MHz 68030 processor direct slot supports network cards, video cards, or accelerators, allowing the SE/30 to use faster 68030 or 68040 processors (most of which have since been discontinued).

Over the past few years, Apple has discontinued parts support, and the SE/30 won't run any version of the Mac OS later than System 7.5.5,* so demand has dropped slightly. Unfortunately, there's still something of a seller's market. Everyone seems to know what a sweetheart it was, so prices tend to remain on the high side. But if you shop around, you may be able to find one for US$50 or so. (Price will vary based on the amount of memory installed, the size of the hard drive, and any expansion card that may be present.)

* There are rumors that putting IIci or IIsi ROMs into an SE/30 makes it 32-bit clean, allowing use of OS 7.6 and 7.6.1. This should also allow use of Mac OS 8.1 with the Born Again installer. We hope to test this.

1 MB and 4 MB SIMMs are very inexpensive right now. You should have no problem finding four 4 MB SIMMs (120ns or faster) for under US$10 each - and even less on the used market. The higher capacity 16 MB SIMMs cover a broader range from $25 on up. With 16 MB SIMMs, you can boost the SE/30 to 128 MB. (Visit ramseeker, your guide to the latest memory pricing.)

<go to Best Buys index or SE/30 page>

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