Macintosh Quadra 650

{{Infobox information appliance

| name = Centris 650 / Quadra 650

| family = Centris, Quadra

| developer = Apple Computer

| image = Macintosh Quadra 650.jpg

| caption =

| release date = {{start date|1993|2|10}}

| MSRP = {{USD|2699|1993}}

| CPU = Motorola 68LC040 or 68040

| CPUspeed = 25 or 33 MHz

| OS = System 7.1 to OS 8.1 or with PowerPC Upgrade OS 9.1, A/UX

| RAM = 4 or 8 MB onboard, expandable to 132 or 136 MB

| RAMtype = 80 ns 72-pin SIMM

| dimensions = Height: {{convert|6|in|cm}}
Width: {{convert|13|in|cm}}
Depth: {{convert|16.5|in|cm}}

| weight = {{convert|25|lb|kg}}

| discontinued = {{end date|1994|9|12}}

| predecessor = Macintosh IIci
Macintosh Quadra 700

| successor = Power Macintosh 7100
Power Macintosh 8100

| related = Macintosh Quadra 610

}}

The Macintosh Quadra 650, originally sold as the Macintosh Centris 650, is a personal computer designed, manufactured and sold by Apple Computer from February 1993 to September 1994. The Centris 650 was introduced alongside the smaller Centris 610 as the replacement for the Macintosh IIci and Quadra 700, and it was intended as the start of the new midrange Centris line of computers.{{Cite magazine |last=Gruman |first=Galen |date=April 1993 |title=Centris 610 & 650 - Two new midrange performers replace the venerable Mac II line |url=https://archive.org/stream/MacWorld_9304_April_1993#page/n109/mode/2up |magazine=Macworld |volume=10 |issue=4 |pages=106–113}} Later in 1993, Apple decided to follow an emerging industry trend of naming product families for their target customers – Quadra for business, LC for education, and Performa for home – and folded the Centris 650 into the Quadra family. The renamed Quadra 650 also received a speed bump from 25 MHz to 33 MHz for its 68040 CPU.{{Cite magazine |last=Sieter |first=Charles |date=December 1993 |title=New 040 Macs - We sort out the complex new lineup |url=https://archive.org/stream/MacWorld_9312_December_1993#page/n93/mode/2up/search/performa+410 |magazine=Macworld |volume=10 |issue=12 |pages=92–98}}

The Quadra 650 was discontinued without a direct replacement in September 1994, although the recently introduced Power Macintosh 7100, which has the same IIvx desktop case as the Quadra 650, had a similar target audience and was sold in the same price range.

Models

File:Quadra 650 rear.jpg

There are two versions of the Centris 650: One with 4 MB of RAM soldered to the logic board and an FPU-less Motorola 68LC040 CPU, and one with 8 MB of logic board RAM, a full Motorola 68040, and an onboard AAUI port for Ethernet. Each can be configured with an 80 MB, 230 MB, or 500 MB 3.5-inch hard drive. Standard equipment on all Centris 650 models includes onboard video (with VGA support via an adapter), 3 NuBus slots, a Processor Direct Slot, two ADB and two serial ports, an external SCSI connector, and a 5.25-inch drive bay. There are four SIMM slots that support 4, 8, 16, and 32 MB SIMMs, allowing for a maximum of 132 or 136 MB of RAM depending on the amount of soldered memory. System 7.1 was included as standard and is the minimum required version.{{cite book

| chapter-url = https://archive.org/details/macworldmacsecre00pogu/page/481

| chapter-url-access = registration

| title = MacWorld Mac Secrets, 5th Edition

| chapter = Chapter 12: From 128K to Quadra: Mac to Mac

| pages = [https://archive.org/details/macworldmacsecre00pogu/page/481 481-482]

| publisher = IDG Books

| date = 1999

| first1 = David

| last1 = Pogue

| author-link1 = David Pogue

| first2 = Joseph

| last2 = Schorr

| isbn = 0-7645-4040-8

}}

The higher-end model also came with 1MB VRAM installed, enabling 16-bit color at 640x480 resolution. The availability of 16-bit color was significant, as it was the standard bit depth of Apple's then-new QuickTime video standard. Compared to the Quadra 700, Quadra 900/950 and Quadra 840AV, the Centris/Quadra 650 cannot be expanded to 2MB VRAM and thus does not support 24-bit color unless a 24-bit video card is installed.https://archive.org/details/MacWorld_9306_June_1993/page/n129/mode/2up

As a way to promote the use of multimedia, Apple also sold a Centris 650 "CD-ROM bundle", which had 8 MB of RAM and 1 MB of video RAM, and included a microphone, an AppleCD 300i CD-ROM drive, and a System 7 install CD.

Introduced February 10, 1993:

Macintosh Centris 650:{{cite web

| url = https://support.apple.com/kb/SP230

| title = Centris 650: Technical Specifications

| publisher = Apple

}} Sold in five configurations:

25 MHz 68LC040, 4 MB RAM (on board), 512 KB VRAM, 80 MB HDD, no Ethernet
25 MHz 68040, 8 MB RAM (on board), 512 KB VRAM, 80 MB HDD, Ethernet
25 MHz 68040, 8 MB RAM (on board), 512 KB VRAM, 230 MB HDD, Ethernet
25 MHz 68040, 8 MB RAM (on board), 1 MB VRAM, 230 MB HDD, Ethernet, AppleCD 300i and microphone
25 MHz 68040, 24 MB RAM (including 8 MB on board), 1 MB VRAM, 500 MB HDD, Ethernet

Introduced October 21, 1993:

Macintosh Quadra 650:{{cite web

| url = https://support.apple.com/kb/SP232

| title = Macintosh Quadra 650: Technical Specifications

| publisher = Apple

}} 33 MHz 68040.

The Quadra 650 performed faster than the Quadra 630 and Quadra 950 but slower than the Quadra 800, despite all four models sharing the 33 MHz 68040.{{Citation |last=Heid |first=Jim |date=September 1994 |title=Multimedia Mac - A versatile new 68040 machine for small business, education, and the home |url=https://archive.org/stream/MacWorld_9409_Sept_1994#page/n103/mode/2up |magazine=Macworld |volume=11 |issue=9 |pages=98–103}}

As the Macintosh IIvx shares the same desktop form factor, it can be upgraded to the Centris/Quadra 650 by swapping the logic board.{{cite web

| url = https://support.apple.com/kb/SP340

| title = Power Macintosh 7100/80: Technical Specifications

| publisher = Apple

| access-date = September 16, 2017

| archive-date = August 13, 2012

| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120813192740/http://support.apple.com/kb/SP340

| url-status = live

}}

Timeline

References

External links

[http://apple-history.com/?page=gallery&model=c650 Centris 650] and [http://apple-history.com/?page=gallery&model=650 Quadra 650] at apple-history.com
[http://lowendmac.com/1993/centris-650/ Centris 650] and [http://lowendmac.com/1993/quadra-650/ Quadra 650] at Low End Mac
[http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_centris/stats/mac_centris_650.html Centris 650] and [http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_quadra/stats/mac_quadra_650.html Quadra 650] at EveryMac.com

650

Quadra 650

Category:Computer-related introductions in 1993

Category:Products and services discontinued in 1994