Apple Power Macintosh 6500

Apple Power Macintosh 6500 was introduced in 17 February 1997. It accelerated the 6400 consumer tower and offered faster graphics, larger disks and processor speeds eventually reaching 300MHz. It combined PowerPC 603e at 225 MHz with 32MB; expandable to 128MB.

The 6500 was one of the final PowerPC 603e desktops before Apple's product line contracted around G3 systems.

Notable Features

• It accelerated the 6400 consumer tower and offered faster graphics, larger disks and processor speeds eventually reaching 300MHz.
• Its PowerPC 603e at 225 MHz and 32MB; expandable to 128MB configuration defined this model within Apple's changing product range.
• The 6500 was one of the final PowerPC 603e desktops before Apple's product line contracted around G3 systems.

Historical Significance

• The 6500 was one of the final PowerPC 603e desktops before Apple's product line contracted around G3 systems.
• The model records a distinct hardware, enclosure or market stage rather than a storage-only configuration.

Collector’s Notes

• Processor speed, display type, regional branding and original model label should be checked when identifying a surviving system.
• Original power supplies, keyboards, media and expansion accessories add useful historical context.

Specifications

Technical Information
Name	Apple Power Macintosh 6500
Manufacturer	Apple
Launched	Monday, February 17, 1997
Country	United States
CPU	PowerPC 603e at 225 MHz
Units Sold
Operating System	System 7.5.5 through Mac OS 9.1
I/O	Video, SCSI, serial, ADB, audio, Ethernet/communications and two PCI slots
Keyboard	External ADB keyboard and mouse
Storage	1.44MB floppy, IDE hard disk and CD-ROM
Sound	16-bit stereo sound with built-in subwoofer
Graphics	Integrated accelerated colour graphics
Display	Built-in video for external colour monitor
ROM	4MB ROM
RAM	32MB; expandable to 128MB
CPU Speed	225 MHz