Mac IIcx

code name: Aurora, Cobra, Atlantic

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"The Mac IIcx has more potential to be a breakout machine for Apple than even the original Mac II. The latter showed that Apple could slug it out, head-to-head, with the muscle machines of the DOS world. The IIcx shows that Apple has learned to fit that raw power into the world of the office." Jim Seymour, MacUser, August 1989.

Overview

Building on the success of the Mac IIx, the 1989 IIcx offered the same horsepower in a smaller case. This was made possible by eliminating 3 NuBus slots and using a smaller (90W) power supply. Although advertised as a 32-bit computer, the Mac IIx ROMs were "dirty," containing some 24-bit code. Running in 32-bit mode requires Mode32 from Connectix.

But the breakthrough here was that Apple designed the IIcx so it could be easily manufactured without using tools.

Upgrade Advice

Considering the cost of a used IIci motherboard, it's a very economical upgrade for the IIcx. Buying a used IIci and selling your IIcx can have an even lower net cost.

If you're content with performance but running out of memory, RAM is pretty affordable. Go to at least 8 MB -- and buy 80ns or faster in case you upgrade to a IIci motherboard later on.
Consider a used Mac IIci motherboard ($90 and up). This provides almost twice the performance and the option of built-in video (alas, slower than a separate video card). If you have 80ns or faster RAM, you can drop it right into the IIci's SIMM sockets.
LOW END MAC BEST BUY Buy a used Mac IIci ($150 and up). For a little more than buying just the motherboard, you'll usually get 8 MB RAM and an 80 MB hard drive. If you have more RAM in your IIcx and it's fast enough for the IIci, you can transfer it to the new computer. And you'll have the choice of keeping your IIcx, selling it, or donating it to the nonprofit organization of your choice.
Quadra 700 motherboards are very rare. For that level of performance, consider a IIci upgrade plus a 68040 accelerator (see IIci page for current options).
A newer hard drive will have a lot more capacity than the one Apple shipped. It will also be faster, but the 16 MHz design of the IIcx will limit performance.

Details

introduced March 1989 at $5,400; discontinued March 1991
requires System 6.0.3 to 7.5.5
CPU: 16 MHz 68030
FPU: 68882
performance: 2.9 (relative to SE); 4.2, Speedometer 3; 0.26, Speedometer 4; 3.9 MIPS
see Benchmarks: IIcx for more details
ROM: 256 KB
RAM: 1 MB, expandable to 128 MB using both 4-SIMM banks of 120ns 30-pin memory; uses only 256 KB, 1 MB, 4 MB, and 16 MB SIMMs (requires MODE 32 to go past 8 MB)
video: requires video card
ADB ports for keyboard and mouse
DIN-8 serial ports on back of computer
DB-25 SCSI connector on back of computer
three NuBus slots
size (HxWxD): 5.5" x 11.9" x 14.5"
weight: 13.6 lbs.
PRAM battery: 3.6V lithium
Gestalt ID: 8
addressing: 24-bit, 32-bit requires Mode32
upgrade path: IIci, Quadra 700 (case must be modified to make room for video port)

Accelerators & Upgrades

Apple Macintosh IIci motherboard (25 MHz 68030)
Apple Macintosh Quadra 700 motherboard (25 MHz 68040)
Daystar Turbo 040 (33 MHz, 40 MHz 68040), discontinued
MicroMac Diimo/030 (50 MHz 68030), 64 KB cache, optional 50 MHz 68882 FPU
MicroMac Carrera (33 MHz and 40 MHz 68040), optional 128 KB cache (40 MHz Carrera available from Outpost.com)
MicroMac 90 MHz Carrera (45 MHz 68040)

Discontinued accelerators (68030 unless otherwise noted) include the Applied Engineering TransWarp (25, 33 MHz 68040), DayStar Universal PowerCache (33, 40, 50 MHz), Radius Rocket (25, 33 MHz 68040), and TechWorks NuBus (33 MHz 68040).

Accelerator Reviews

Radius Rocket

Online Resources

System 6 for the Macintosh, Ruud Dingemans. If you have an older, slower, memory-limited Mac, System 6 is fast, stable, and still very usable.
30-pin SIMM memory pricing, RAMseeker
Then I got a Mac..., Macville
"Work gave me a Mac IIcx. Really they just gave it to me to shut me up, I think. Anyway, I love it. It runs system 7.5.5 and does everything that I need it to do and more, plus it's cool!"
Faster browsing on older Macs, Mac Online Technical Journal
Information on 32-bit addressing
Email lists: Classic Macs Digest, Vintage Macs
Memory upgrade guide
Links to System 6.0.8 and 7.0.1
Apple Specs Online for Mac IIcx
This Old Mac on Mac Addict
Learn about Mac286, the first DOS coprocessor card for the Mac II series.

Cautions

Mode32 or Apple's 32-bit Enabler required to access more than 8 MB RAM. (Mode32 v7.5 works with System 7.5; Apple's enabler does not.)
Serial port normally restricted to 57.6 kbps; use of a 56k modem may be limited. See 56k modem page. For more information on Mac serial ports, read Macintosh Serial Throughput on the Macintosh Online Technical Journal.
Internal video on the IIci and IIsi, and the Mac II mono and color video cards, will not work with multisync monitors, whether Apple or PC style. Griffin Technology makes a Mac II Series Adapter that works with Apple's Multiple Scan monitors and most Mac compatible monitors. There is also a version for using VGA-type monitors on older Macs.
Apple discontinued support and parts orders for the IIcx on 31 August 1998. You may be able to find dealers with parts inventory either locally or on our parts and service list.

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