Mac transition to PowerPC processors: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 04:47, 7 July 2025

Latest revision as of 03:50, 21 July 2025

(17 intermediate revisions by 5 users not shown)

Line 1:

{{Short description|AppleChange Macintoshof transitionprocessors fromin MotorolaApple 68k to PowerPC processorscomputers}}

{{Infobox event

| title = Mac transition to PowerPC processors

Line 6 ⟶ 5:

| image_size = 200px

| caption = IBM [[PowerPC 601]] used in early [[Power Macintosh]] models (1994)

| date = [[1994]]–[[1996]]1994–1996

| participants = [[Apple Inc.]], [[IBM]], [[Motorola]] ([[AIM alliance]])

| outcome = All [[Macintosh]] models migrated to [[PowerPC]] CPUs

}}

{{macOS sidebar}}

{{macOSClassic Mac OS sidebar}}

The '''Mac transition to PowerPC processors''' was a major shift in [[Apple Inc.]]'s [[Macintosh]] line, in which the company replaced the [[Motorola 68000 series]] (68k) [[Complex instruction set computer|CISC]] processors with [[PowerPC]] [[Reduced instruction set computer|RISC]] processors co-developed with [[IBM]] and [[Motorola]] (the [[AIM alliance]]). The transition began in March 1994 with the launch of the [[Power Macintosh]] series and was largely completed by mid-1996, though Apple continued supporting 68k systems in its software until 1998.

The '''Mac transition to PowerPC processors''' was athe majorprocess shiftof inswitching the [[Applecentral Inc.processing unit]]'s (CPUs) of [[MacintoshApple Inc.|Apple]]'s line, inof which theMacintosh companycomputers replacedfrom the [[Motorola 68000 series]] (68k) [[Complex instruction set computer|CISC]] processors withto [[PowerPC]] [[Reduced instruction set computer|RISC]] processors co-developed with [[IBM]] and [[Motorola]] (the [[AIM alliance]]). The transition began in March 1994 with the launch of the [[Power Macintosh]] series and was largely completed by mid-1996, though Apple continued supporting 68k systems in its software until 1998.

== Background ==

SineSince their launch in 1984, Macintosh computers had used Motorola 68000-series CPUs. By the early 1990s, these processors were falling behind Intel’s[[Intel]]’s offerings, driving Apple to seek more efficient, higher-performing hardware.<ref name="macworld">{{cite web |title=Why today isn't like 1994 |website=Macworld |access-date=2025-07-06 |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/176280/augmacbeat.html }}</ref>

=== RISC exploration (1988–1990) ===

Line 137:

== Transition ==

The first public demonstration of the new Power Macintosh — specifically, a prototype of what would become the [[Power Macintosh 6100]] – was at an Apple Pacific sales meeting in Hawaii in October 1992.<ref name=pmbook/> The demo was a success, and in the following months, the product plan expanded to include three models: the entry-level 6100, a mid-range [[Power Macintosh 7100|7100]] housed in the [[Macintosh IIvx]]'s desktop case, and a high-end [[Power Macintosh 8100|8100]] based on the [[Macintosh Quadra 800|Quadra 800]]'s mini-tower case. A fourth project, the [[Macintosh Processor Upgrade Card]], was started in July 1993 to provide a straightforward upgrade path to owners of Centris- and Quadra-based Macintosh computers.{{r|pmbook|p=23}} The importance of this was especially significant for the [[Macintosh Quadra 700|Quadra 700]], [[Macintosh Quadra 900|900]], and [[Macintosh Quadra 950|950]], which were not going to receive full logic board replacements. Computers upgraded in this fashion received new names such as "Power Macintosh Q650" and "Power Macintosh 900".

Apple unveiled the first Power Macintosh models—the [[Power Macintosh 6100|6100]], [[Power Macintosh 7100|7100]], and [[Power Macintosh 8100|8100]]—on March 14, 1994.<ref>{{cite web |title=The PowerPC Macintosh Book (1994) |access-date=2025-07-06 |url=https://vintageapple.org/macbooks/pdf/The_PowerPC_Macintosh_Book_1994.pdf }}</ref> These used the 32-bit [[PowerPC 601]] CPU, manufactured by IBM/Motorola.

The original plan was to release the first Power Macintosh machine on January 24, 1994, exactly ten years after the release of the [[Macintosh 128K|first Macintosh]].{{r|pmbook|p=26}} Ian Diery, who was EVP and general manager of the Personal Computer Division at the time, moved the release date back to March 14 in order to give manufacturing enough time to build enough machines to fill the sales channels and to ensure that the Macintosh Processor Upgrade Card would be available at the same time. This was a departure from prior practice at Apple; they had typically released upgrade packages months after the introduction of new Macintoshes.

PowerPC Macs shipped with [[Mac 68k emulator|a built-in emulator]] that ran unmodified 68k code at about 60–70% of native 68040 performance.

Apple unveiled the first Power Macintosh models on March 14, 1994.<ref name=pmbook/> These used the 32-bit [[PowerPC 601]] CPU, manufactured by IBM/Motorola. The first portable Mac models to use PowerPC processors were the [[PowerBook 5300]] series, released on August 25, 1995, and featuring the [[PowerPC 603e]] chip.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Macintosh PowerBook 5300ce/117: Technical Specifications |url=https://support.apple.com/kb/SP180 |publisher=Apple |access-date=February 1, 2021 |archive-date=July 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120729131941/http://support.apple.com/kb/SP180 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Developers distributed [[Fat_binary#Apple's_fat_binary|fat binaries]] containing both 68k and PowerPC code, allowing a single application package to run on both architectures. Development tools and documentation from Apple enabled rapid developer adoption. By late 1995, most major Mac software had PowerPC-native versions.

All PowerPC Macs shipped with [[Mac 68k emulator|a built-in emulator]] that ran unmodified 68k code, including much of the system software, at about 60–70% of native 68040 performance.

Developers distributed [[Fat_binaryFat binary#Apple's_fat_binarys fat binary|fat binaries]] containing both 68k and PowerPC code, allowing a single application package to run on both architectures. Development tools and documentation from Apple enabled rapid developer adoption. By late 1995, most major Mac software had PowerPC-native versions.

== Aftermath ==

Apple continued selling some 68k-based Macs into 1996 but ended production of new 68k models by mid‑1996 with the discontinuation of the [[PowerBook 190]]. The Mac system software continued supporting 68k through [[Mac OS 8.1]], (released in January 1998); [[Mac OS 8.5]] (October 1998) dropped 68k support entirely and required a PowerPC processor.

The PowerPC transition restored Apple’s performance competitiveness, especially in multimedia and graphics-intensive markets.<ref name="macworld"/> The successful use of emulation and fat binaries influenced two later Apple transitions: [[Mac transition to Intel processors|to Intel x86 in 2006]] and [[Mac transition to Apple silicon|to Apple silicon (ARM) in 2020]].

However, Apple's [[classic Mac OS]] left little room for modern OS features, prompting a later shift to the [[NeXTSTEP]]-derived [[macOS]] platform. Eventually, PowerPC lost competitiveness in power efficiency, leading to a the Intel transition in 2006. The final PowerPC-based Mac model released was the [[Power Mac G5]] in November 2005,<ref>{{Citation |title=Apple Power Macintosh G5 Quad Core (2.5 gHz) |date=2012-09-30 |url=http://www.forevermac.com/2005/10/apple-power-macintosh-g5-quad-core-2-5-ghz |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120930005749/http://www.forevermac.com/2005/10/apple-power-macintosh-g5-quad-core-2-5-ghz |access-date=2022-05-25 |archive-date=2012-09-30 |via=Forevermac.com}}</ref> and [[Mac OS X Snow Leopard]] removes support for PowerPC-based Macs.

== See also ==

* [[List of Mac models grouped by CPU type]]

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

{{Classic Mac OS}}

[[Category:Macintosh platform]]

[[Category:Macintosh platform]]

{{stub}}