Macintosh Memory Configurations
The chart below gives details for each model of Mac. For each model it
lists how much RAM is soldered to the motherboard, how many slots are
available to hold more RAM, what size memory is available for those
slots, different possible RAM configurations, what type of memory is
used (30-pin SIMM, 72-pin SIMM, or card type,) the minimum speed of
the RAM you should use in that model, and how many SIMMs or cards need
to be replaced or added at the same time.
Available Physical RAM Minimum Upgrade
CPU Onboard Slots Sizes Configs (MB) Pins Speed in
Plus 0 4 256K,1M 1,2.5,4 30 150ns 2
SE 0 4 256K,1M 1,2,2.5,4 30 150ns 2
SE/30 0 8 256K,1M 1,2,4,5,8,16 30 120ns 4
4M,16M 17,20,32,64
65,68,80,128
Classic 1 3 256K,1M 1,2,2.5,4 30 120ns 2
Classic II 2 2 1M,2M,4M 2,4,6,10 30 120ns 2
Color Classic 4 2 1M,2M,4M 4,6,8,10 30 120ns 2
Mac II 0 8 256K,1M 1,2,4,5,8,17 30 120ns 4
4M,8M,16M 20,33,36,65,68
Mac IIx 0 8 256K,1M 1,2,4,5,8,16,17 30 120ns 4
4M,8M,16M 20,32,33,36,64
65,68,80,96,128
Mac IIcx 0 8 256K,1M 1,2,4,5,8,16,17 30 120ns 4
4M,8M,16M 20,32,33,36,64
65,68,80,96,128
Mac IIci 0 8 256K,512K 1,2,3,4,5,6,8 30 80ns 4
1M,4M,8M 16,17,18,20,32
16M 33,34,36,64,65
66,68,80,96,128
Mac IIsi 1 4 256K,512K 1,2,3,5,17,33 30 80ns 4
1M,4M,8M 65
16M
Mac IIvi 4 4 256K,512K 4,5,6,8,20,36 30 80ns 4
1M,4M,8M 36,68
16M
Mac IIvx 4 4 256K,512K 4,5,6,8,20,36 30 80ns 4
(Performa 600) 1M,4M,8M 36,68
16M
Mac IIfx 0 8 1M,4M,16M 4,8,16,20,32 64 80ns 4
64,68,80,128
LC 2 2 1M,2M,4M 2,4,6,8,10 30 120ns 2
LC II 4 2 1M,2M,4M 4,6,8,10 30 120ns 2
LC III 4 1 1M,2M,4M 4,5,6,8,12,20 72 80ns 1
8M,16M,32M 36
LC 520 4 1 1M,2M,4M 4,5,6,8,12,20 72 80ns 1
8M,16M,32M 36
LC 550 4 1 1M,2M,4M 4,5,6,8,12,20 72 80ns 1
8M,16M,32M 36
LC 575 4 1 1M,2M,4M 4,5,6,8,12,20 72 80ns 1
8M,16M,32M 36
LC 5200 4 2 4M,8M,16M 8,12,16,24,40 72 80ns 1
32M 64
Centris 610 4 2 4M,8M,16M 4,8,12,16,20,24 72 80ns 1
32M 28,36,52,68
Centris 650 8 4 4M,8M,16M 8,12,16,20,24 72 80ns 1
32M 32,40,68,72,132
Centris 660av 4 2 4M,8M,16M 4,8,12,16,20,24 72 70ns 1
32M 28,36,52,68
Quadra 605 4 1 4M,8M,16M 4,8,12,20,36 72 80ns 1
32M
Quadra 610 4 2 4M,8M,16M 4,8,12,16,20,24 72 80ns 1
32M 28,36,52,68
Quadra 630 4 1 4M,8M,16M 4,8,12,20,36 72 80ns 1
32M
Quadra 650 8 4 4M,8M,16M 8,12,16,20,24 72 80ns 1
32M 32,40,68,72,132
Quadra 660av 4 2 4M,8M,16M 4,8,12,16,20,24 72 70ns 1
32M 28,36,52,68
Quadra 700 4 4 1M,4M,16M 4,8,20,68 30 80ns 4
Quadra 800 8 4 4M,8M,16M 8,12,16,20,24 72 60ns 1
32M 28,32,36,40,44
48,52,56,60,64
68,72,80,84,88
104,108,112,120,132
Quadra 840av 0 4 4M,8M,16M 8,12,16,20,24 72 60ns 1
32M 28,32,36,40,44,48,52,56
60,64,68,72,76,80,84,88
96,100,104,112,128
Quadra 900 0 16 1M,4M,16M 4,8,12,16,20 30 80ns 4
24,28,32,36,40,48,52,64
64,68,72,76,80,84,88,96
100,112,128,132,136,144
148,160,192,196,208,256
Quadra 950 0 16 1M,4M,16M 4,8,12,16,20 30 80ns 4
24,28,32,36,40,48,52,64
64,68,72,76,80,84,88,96
100,112,128,132,136,144
148,160,192,196,208,256
PowerMac 6100 8 2 4M,8M,16M 8,16,24,40,68 72 80ns 2
32M
PowerMac 7100 8 4 4M,8M,16M 8,16,24,32,40 72 80ns 2
32M 48,56,72,80,88
104,132
PowerMac 7200 0 4 8M,16M,32M 8,16,24,32,40, 110 80ns 1
64M 48,56,64,72,80,
88,96,104,112,
120,128,136,144,152,160,168,
176,192,200,208,224,256
PowerMac 7500 0 8 8M,16M,32M 8,16,24,32,40, 110 80ns 1
64M 48,56,64,72,80,
88,96,104,112,120,
128,136,144,152,160,168,176,184,192,
200,208,216,224,232,240,248,256,264,
272,280,288,296,304,312,320,328,336,
344,352,360,368,376,384,392,400,408,
416,424,432,448,456,464,480,512
PowerMac 8100 8 8 4M,8M,16M 8,16,24,32,40 72 80ns 2
32M 48,56,64,72,80,
88,96,104,112,120,
128,136,144,152,
160,168,176,184,
208,216,232,264
PowerMac 8500 0 8 8M,16M,32M 8,16,24,32,40, 110 80ns 1
64M 48,56,64,72,80,
88,96,104,112,120,
128,136,144,152,160,168,176,184,192,
200,208,216,224,232,240,248,256,264,
272,280,288,296,304,312,320,328,336,
344,352,360,368,376,384,392,400,408,
416,424,432,448,456,464,480,512
PowerMac 9500 0 12 8M,16M,32M 8,16,24,32,40, 110 80ns 1
64M 48,56,64,72,80,
88,96,104,112,
120,128,136,144,152,160,168,176,
184,192,200,208,216,224,232,240,
248,256,264,272,280,288,296,304,
312,320,328,336,344,352,360,368,
376,384,392,400,408,416,424,432,
440,448,456,464,472,480,488,496,
504,512,520,528,536,544,552,560,
568,576,584,592,600,608,616,624,
632,640,648,656,664,672,680,688,
704,712,720,736,768
Portable 1 1 1M,2M,3M,4M 1,2,3,4,5 100ns 1
PowerBook 100 2 1 2M,4M,6M 2,4,6,8 TSOP 100ns 1
PowerBook 140 2 1 2M,4M,6M 2,4,6,8 TSOP 100ns 1
PowerBook 145 2 1 2M,4M,6M 2,4,6,8 TSOP 100ns 1
PowerBook 145b 4 1 2M,4M 4,6,8 TSOP 100ns 1
PowerBook 150 4 1 2M,4M 4,6,8 TSOP 100ns 1
PowerBook 160 4 1 4M,6M,8M 4,8,10,12 TSOP 85ns 1
10M 14
PowerBook 165c 4 1 4M,6M,8M 4,8,10,12 TSOP 85ns 1
10M 14
PowerBook 170 2 1 2M,4M,6M 2,4,6,8 TSOP 100ns 1
PowerBook 180 4 1 4M,6M,8M 4,8,10,12 TSOP 85ns 1
10M 14
PowerBook 180c 4 1 4M,6M,8M 4,8,10,12 TSOP 85ns 1
10M 14
PowerBook 520 4 1 4M,6M,8M 4,8,10,12 TSOP 70ns 1
10M,32M 14,36
PowerBook 520c 4 1 4M,6M,8M 4,8,10,12 TSOP 70ns 1
10M,32M 14,36
PowerBook 540 4 1 4M,6M,8M 4,8,10,12 TSOP 70ns 1
10M,32M 14,36
PowerBook 540c 4 1 4M,6M,8M 4,8,10,12 TSOP 70ns 1
10M,32M 14,36
PowerBook 5300 8 1 8M,24M,56M 8,16,32,64 ???? ???? 1
(all models)
Duo 210 4 1 4M,8M,10M 4,8,12,14,16 85ns 1
12M,14M 18,24,32
20M,28M
Duo 230 4 1 4M,8M,10M 4,8,12,14,16 85ns 1
12M,14M 18,24,32
20M,28M
Duo 250 4 1 4M,8M,10M 4,8,12,14,16 85ns 1
12M,14M 18,24,32
20M,28M
Duo 270c 4 1 4M,8M,10M 4,8,12,14,16 85ns 1
12M,14M 18,24,32
20M,28M
Duo 280 4 1 4M,8M,10M 4,8,12,14,16 70ns 1
12M,14M 18,24,32,40
20M,28M,36M
Duo 280c 4 1 4M,8M,10M 4,8,12,14,16 70ns 1
12M,14M, 18,24,32,40
20M,28M,36M
The Mac Classic requires an adapter card to expand the RAM from 1 MB.
This card includes 1 MB of extra memory and has two SIMM slots that
can either be left empty or filled with 256K or 1MB SIMMs. The slots
must be filled with the same size SIMM.
The Color Classic, LC, and LC II can only address 10 megabytes of real
RAM even if twelve megabytes of physical RAM are installed.
In the Mac II the first memory bank can only hold 256K or 1MB SIMMs
unless the FDHD upgrade is installed. Otherwise 4, 8, and 16 MB SIMMs
can to be installed only in Bank B. Furthermore both the Mac II and
IIx need an extra PAL chip on each four-megabyte or larger SIMM as
well as the normal eight DRAM chips. This is not the same as the
nine-chip SIMM used by PC's and workstations.
The Quadra 700 requires non-composite, low-profile 16 megabyte SIMMs
to fit under the internal hard drive. Composite SIMMs should also not
be used on 68040 AV Macs as they are practically guaranteed to cause
problems with the system due to the extra load and timing required.
Specifically you need to avoid 16MB SIMMs that use 32 4M-bit DRAMs
rather than 8 16M-bit DRAMs.
PowerBooks use pseudo-static thin small-outline package cards (TSOP's)
of varying capacities. Duo's use special low-power, self-refreshing
dynamic RAM cards. Be sure to specify the model you're ordering for
when buying PowerBook RAM.
CAN I USE PC SIMM'S IN MY MAC? (4.2)
-----------------------------------------
Yes. Nine chip PC and SUN workstation SIMM's work perfectly well in
any desktop Mac that can use the equivalent eight chip Macintosh
SIMM's; e.g. a IIci works with 1x9, 4x9, or 16x9 PC 80 ns PC SIMMs
just as it does with 1x8, 4x8, or 16x8 80ns Mac SIMMs. The extra chip
on each SIMM provides a brain dead type of error correction known as
parity checking. It is unused on the Mac. Since PC SIMM's are
manufactured in higher volume than Mac SIMM's, they are often cheaper
despite the extra chip per SIMM. They're also easier to resell.
Macintosh-related links of John Muccigrosso's Homepage
Last updated 30 September 1995