Apple Power Macintosh 8600

Apple Power Macintosh 8600 was introduced in 17 February 1997. It replaced the difficult Quadra-style 8500 case with a far more accessible tower while retaining professional video facilities. It combined PowerPC 604e at 200 MHz with 32MB; expandable to 1GB.

The 8600 combined strong 604e performance, PCI expansion and excellent service access for creative professionals.

Notable Features

• It replaced the difficult Quadra-style 8500 case with a far more accessible tower while retaining professional video facilities.
• Its PowerPC 604e at 200 MHz and 32MB; expandable to 1GB configuration defined this model within Apple's changing product range.
• The 8600 combined strong 604e performance, PCI expansion and excellent service access for creative professionals.

Historical Significance

• The 8600 combined strong 604e performance, PCI expansion and excellent service access for creative professionals.
• 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 8600
Manufacturer	Apple
Launched	Monday, February 17, 1997
Country	United States
CPU	PowerPC 604e at 200 MHz
Units Sold
Operating System	System 7.5.5 through Mac OS 9.1
I/O	Composite/S-video in/out, SCSI, serial, ADB, audio, Ethernet and three PCI slots
Keyboard	External ADB keyboard and mouse
Storage	1.44MB floppy, SCSI hard disk and CD-ROM
Sound	16-bit stereo input and output
Graphics	Accelerated colour graphics with video input/output
Display	Built-in video for external colour monitor
ROM	4MB ROM
RAM	32MB; expandable to 1GB
CPU Speed	200 MHz