3 ms·

The Classic II is more or less just using the LC chipset in a compact Mac form factor, whereas the SE/30 was a repackaged IIcx and came out almost three years e

The Classic II is more or less just using the LC chipset in a compact Mac form factor, whereas the SE/30 was a repackaged IIcx and came out almost three years earlier. The initial price of a basic Classic II was US$1900, whereas the SE/30 cost a staggering US$6500. And don't remind me of the prices in Germany :). I remember seeing my first IIfx at our local Apple dealer, it cost about 35k German marks IIRC... a new VW Golf car was around 25k marks back then. More details on everymac.com: https://everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_classic/specs/mac_classic_ii.html https://everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_classic/specs/mac_cla... https://everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_classic/specs/mac_se30.html https://everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_classic/specs/mac_se3...

Maursault 4y ago
Apple's initial price for the SE/30 in the US was $4369, but price came down rapidly in the first year, ultimately costing less than a Mac II with greyscale card and monochrome monitor by the end of 1989. But that was 30 years ago. Today, there seems to be a Mac mafia buying up the lower priced auctions and then jacking up prices of these ancient machines on turnaround, but you can still find an untouched SE/30 within spitting distance of the cost of a Classic II. They're both attractive machines in the compact format, but I wouldn't accept a Classic II for free, where I'd be tempted to buy certain particular SE/30 models, depending on condition, for few to several hundreds of dollars.
- johndoe0815 4y ago
  Interesting, the SE/30 page on everymac gives the initial price of $6500 I quoted above - but maybe this was not the price for the basic configuration. I had an SE/30 many years ago (gave it to a friend in the late 90s) and used it to run A/UX. Good times :). Now I only have a Classic II which badly needs recapping...
  - bombcar 4y ago
    Back then initial price may have had nothing to do with actual out to door price - as initial price was often set before the machines even could ship at all, let alone in quantity.

Maursault 4y ago

Apple's initial price for the SE/30 in the US was $4369, but price came down rapidly in the first year, ultimately costing less than a Mac II with greyscale card and monochrome monitor by the end of 1989. But that was 30 years ago. Today, there seems to be a Mac mafia buying up the lower priced auctions and then jacking up prices of these ancient machines on turnaround, but you can still find an untouched SE/30 within spitting distance of the cost of a Classic II. They're both attractive machines in the compact format, but I wouldn't accept a Classic II for free, where I'd be tempted to buy certain particular SE/30 models, depending on condition, for few to several hundreds of dollars.

johndoe0815 4y ago
Interesting, the SE/30 page on everymac gives the initial price of $6500 I quoted above - but maybe this was not the price for the basic configuration. I had an SE/30 many years ago (gave it to a friend in the late 90s) and used it to run A/UX. Good times :). Now I only have a Classic II which badly needs recapping...
- bombcar 4y ago
  Back then initial price may have had nothing to do with actual out to door price - as initial price was often set before the machines even could ship at all, let alone in quantity.