personal computer by Apple

Building on the success of the Mac IIcx , the IIci offers 56% more power in the same compact case. A new feature was integrated video. The big advantage: Users no longer needed to buy a separate video card. The big disadvantage: The built-in video uses system memory (this is sometimes called “vampire video” ).

Built-in video replaces the Macintosh II High Resolution Video Card (25 MHz motherboard video vs. a 10 MHz NuBus connection) and supports 8-bit color on a 640 x 480 screen as well as 4-bits on a 640 x 870 Portrait Display. Depending on bit depth, this uses between 32 KB and 320 KB of system memory. Also, Byte reports (Oct. 1989) that because the CPU and video share the same memory, the CPU is shut out of accessing RAM during video refresh, reducing performance by up to 8%.

Our own tests on a IIci show that although CPU performance does increase slightly when using a NuBus video card, video performance with an unaccelerated video card is about half as fast as the built-in video. Unless you need to support a larger screen or have an accelerated video card, overall performance may be worse with a video card than with internal video.

Specs (via Low End Mac)

• Cpu: 25 MHz 68030
• Fpu: 25 MHz 68882
• Ram: 1 MB, expandable to 128 MB using 4-SIMM banks of 80ns 30-pin memory; can use 256 KB, 512 KB, 1 MB, 2 MB, 4 MB, 8 MB, and 16 MB SIMMs
• Rom: 512 KB
• L2 Cache: optional, later 32 KB standard
• Hard Drive: 40 or 80 MB SCSI
• Floppy Drive: 1.4 MB double-sided
• Addressing: 24-bit or 32-bit
• Gestalt Id: 11
• Code Names: Pacific, Aurora II, Cobra II
• Upgrade Path: Quadra 700
• Adb Ports: 2
• Pram Battery: 3.6V half-AA
• Weight: 13.6 lbs.
• Video Port: DA-15
• Serial Ports: 2 DIN-8 RS-422 ports on back of computer
• Scsi Ports: DB-25 connector on back of computer
• Sound: 8-bit stereo
• Nubus Slots: 3
• Pds/Cache Slot: 1
• Power Supply: 159V
• See: Online resources and links for the Mac IIci