{"id":21542,"date":"2025-07-08T11:26:10","date_gmt":"2025-07-08T15:26:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/?page_id=21542"},"modified":"2026-06-19T14:59:22","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T18:59:22","slug":"vin67","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/vintage-computing\/item\/vin67\/","title":{"rendered":"Apple Macintosh SE\/30"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<section class=\"w-screen px-6 cu-section cu-section--white ml-offset-center md:px-8 lg:px-14\">\n    <div class=\"space-y-6 cu-max-w-child-5xl  md:space-y-10 cu-prose-first-last\">\n\n            <div class=\"cu-textmedia flex flex-col lg:flex-row mx-auto gap-6 md:gap-10 my-6 md:my-12 first:mt-0 max-w-5xl\">\n        <div class=\"justify-start cu-textmedia-content cu-prose-first-last\" style=\"flex: 0 0 100%;\">\n            <header class=\"font-light prose-xl cu-pageheader md:prose-2xl cu-component-updated cu-prose-first-last\">\n                                    <h1 class=\"cu-prose-first-last font-semibold !mt-2 mb-4 md:mb-6 relative after:absolute after:h-px after:bottom-0 after:bg-cu-red after:left-px text-3xl md:text-4xl lg:text-5xl lg:leading-[3.5rem] pb-5 after:w-10 text-cu-black-700 not-prose\">\n                        Apple Macintosh SE\/30\n                    <\/h1>\n                \n                                \n                            <\/header>\n\n                    <\/div>\n\n            <\/div>\n\n    <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/vintage-computing\/item\">Vintage Computing Collection<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>[Vin67]<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Released in January 1989, the Macintosh SE\/30 squeezed the 32-bit Motorola 68030 CPU, 68882 FPU, and up to 32 MB of RAM into Apple\u2019s compact 9-inch all-in-one case, making it the fastest and most expandable \u201cclassic\u201d black-and-white Mac. Its claim to fame was delivering Macintosh II-class performance, including a hard drive, high-density SuperDrive and a Processor-Direct Slot for network or colour-video cards, in a portable footprint beloved by publishers and as small office servers; three prominent Mac commentators later crowned it \u201cthe best Mac ever\u201d. The model sold well for a niche machine (Apple kept it in the line until 1991 despite newer Classics) and was popular enough that logic-board upgrades let thousands of earlier SE owners convert their units<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><figure><a href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250708_181425538-scaled.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-large wp-image-21586\" src=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250708_181425538-400x300.jpg\" alt=\"Apple Macintosh SE\/30\" width=\"400\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250708_181425538-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250708_181425538-160x120.jpg 160w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250708_181425538-240x180.jpg 240w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250708_181425538-768x577.jpg 768w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250708_181425538-1536x1153.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250708_181425538-2048x1538.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250708_181425538-800x600.jpg 800w, https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/260\/PXL_20250708_181425538-360x270.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Manufacturer<\/strong>: Apple Computer Inc.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Released<\/strong>: 1989<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Type<\/strong>: Personal Desktop Computer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Cost at release<\/strong>: USD $4,369 (CAD ~$11,000 adjusted for inflation)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>MIPS<\/strong>: 2.5<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"hardware-specifications\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW169789978 BCX0\">Hardware Specifications<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>CPU<\/strong>: Motorola 68030, 16 MHz (32-bit CPU)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Floating-Point Unit<\/strong>: Motorola 68882, 16 MHz<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>RAM<\/strong>: 1 MB standard, expandable up to 32 MB (8 slots for 30-pin SIMMs, 120 ns)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>ROM<\/strong>: 256 KB<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Display<\/strong>: 9-inch built-in monochrome CRT, 512 x 342 pixels resolution<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Video Memory<\/strong>: 64 KB VRAM<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Storage<\/strong>: 40 MB or 80 MB internal SCSI hard drive (some models shipped without a hard drive)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Floppy Drive<\/strong>: 1.44 MB SuperDrive (auto-inject)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Expansion<\/strong>: 1 SE\/30 Processor Direct Slot (PDS)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Ports<\/strong>: 2 ADB, 2 serial, 1 SCSI (DB-25), external floppy (DB-19), audio out, built-in speaker<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Weight<\/strong>: 19.5 lbs (8.8 kg)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"operating-system-programming-languages\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"TextRun SCXW50331614 BCX0\" lang=\"EN-US\" xml:lang=\"EN-US\" data-contrast=\"auto\"><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW50331614 BCX0\">Operating System &amp; Programming Languages<\/span><\/span><span class=\"EOP SCXW50331614 BCX0\" data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;335559685&quot;:0}\">&nbsp;<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>O\/S<\/strong>: System 6.0.3 and officially supported classic Mac OS versions from System 6.0.3 up to System 7.5.5. With special modifications (such as a &#8220;32-bit clean&#8221; ROM upgrade), it could run Mac OS 7.6.1. The SE\/30 was also capable of running A\/UX, Apple&#8217;s Unix-based operating system, and alternative Unix variants like NetBSD<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Programming Languages<\/strong>:\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>C (THINK C, MPW C, Metrowerks CodeWarrior)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pascal (Mac Pascal, Turbo Pascal, MPW Pascal)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Assembly (Motorola 68k assembler)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>BASIC (Microsoft BASIC, True BASIC)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Modula-2 (Metrowerks Modula-2)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Fortran (MPW Fortran)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>HyperTalk (HyperCard scripting)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Logo<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>AppleScript (from System 7 onwards)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Perl, AWK, Shell scripting (under A\/UX or NetBSD)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Python (early versions such as MacPython 1.5.2 on System 7)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>C++ (later via Metrowerks CodeWarrior and Symantec C++)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"notables\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Notables<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Naming Quirk: Apple almost named it the \u201cMacintosh SEx\u201d (for 68030 CPU, following the IIx naming), but marketing wisely opted for SE\/30.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Upgradeable: Owners could upgrade a regular SE to SE\/30 specs via a logic board swap, a rare official Apple upgrade path.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>RAM Ceiling: Officially supported 32 MB RAM, but with software like MODE32, could address up to 128 MB\u2014an extraordinary amount for a compact Mac in 1989.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Color on a B&amp;W Mac: With a rare Micron Xceed video card, the SE\/30 could display grayscale or even color on an external monitor\u2014something not intended by Apple.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Museum Piece: The SE\/30 (and its sibling, the SE) was displayed at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, highlighting its design legacy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Pop Culture: Made cameo appearances in TV shows like \u201cSeinfeld\u201d as Jerry\u2019s computer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Apex of Classic Macs: Regarded as the most powerful and expandable of the original compact Mac line, blending small size with workstation performance<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\u00a0<strong>Donated By<\/strong>: Arlen Michaels<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/vintage-computing\/item\">Vintage Computing Collection<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[Vin67] Released in January 1989, the Macintosh SE\/30 squeezed the 32-bit Motorola 68030 CPU, 68882 FPU, and up to 32 MB of RAM into Apple\u2019s compact 9-inch all-in-one case, making it the fastest and most expandable \u201cclassic\u201d black-and-white Mac. Its claim to fame was delivering Macintosh II-class performance, including a hard drive, high-density SuperDrive and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":19704,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_cu_dining_location_slug":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"cu_page_type":[90,123],"class_list":["post-21542","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","cu_page_type-vintage-computing","cu_page_type-vintage-inventory"],"acf":{"cu_post_thumbnail":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21542","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21542"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21542\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24915,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21542\/revisions\/24915"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/19704"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21542"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"cu_page_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/scs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cu_page_type?post=21542"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}