Vintage Macs: Mac II Series

Macintosh IIfx

code names: F-16, F-19, Stealth, Blackbird, Zone 5, Four Square, IIxi, Weed Whacker

Overview: Wicked Fast

Macintosh IIfx with RGB display

Six months after moving from 16 MHz to 25 MHz with the IIci, Apple introduced the "wicked fast" 40 MHz IIfx. This was the Mac of choice for graphic designers, offering nearly three times the performance of the IIx - thanks to a lightning fast CPU, a new type of RAM, and special SCSI DMA and I/O chips which relieved the CPU of much of its burden. A built-in 32 KB static RAM cache also helps boost performance.

The IIfx was built on a 40 MHz motherboard and had the fastest clocked CPU that Apple used until the Quadra 840av of 1993. NuBus cards still ran on a 10 MHz bus, which is one reason Apple announced its first accelerated video card, the 8•24GC, along with the IIfx. Regular video cards were simply overshadowed by the rest of the system.

With a nod to it's Apple II ancestors, the IIfx had two 6502 CPUs to manage the floppy drive(s), ADB port, and serial ports (see Technote HW 09 for more details). Unlike the 1 MHz Apple II computers, these CPUs ran at 10 MHz.

The IIfx introduced latched read/write RAM to the Apple lexicon. Using a 64-pin SIMM different from that in any other Macintosh, the IIfx could overlap read and write operations. (Byte, 4/90, p. 112)

The IIfx requires a special "black" SCSI terminator to accommodate its unusual architecture (see Technote DV 15 for more details).

There is a ROM SIMM slot on the Mac IIfx which must be filled with a IIfx ROM. Without this ROM, the computer will not function.

Although appearing identical to the Mac II and IIx, the IIfx power supply has a variable speed fan to better control noise and cooling.

Upgrade Advice

Accelerators are almost unknown for the IIfx, especially six years after it was discontinued.

  • IIfx RAM is relatively costly, but you should have at least 8 MB. When upgrading, consider putting as much in one bank as possible, leaving the other bank for future expansion.
  • An accelerated video card can make a world of difference, particularly if you use 16-bit or 24-bit modes or a monitor larger than 640 x 480 pixels. See our NuBus Video Card Guide for lots of information.
  • A newer hard drive will be larger and faster than the one Apple shipped with the computer, but you won't be able to take full advantage of that speed on the IIfx without a SCSI accelerator.
  • More RAM plus Speed Doubler equals improved hard drive performance through intelligent caching.

Because it uses oddball memory and has some unusual circuitry, we label the IIfx a Limited Mac.

Details

Mac OS

Core System

Performance

Graphics

Drives

Expansion

Physical

Upgrades

Discontinued accelerators (all are 68040) include the Applied Engineering TransWarp (25, 33 MHz 68040), Fusion Data TokaMac FX (33 MHz 68040), and Radius Rocket (25 MHz 68LC040 to 40 MHz 68040).

Online Resources

Cautions

Go to the Mac II index.

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