Apple PowerBook 170

Apple PowerBook 170 was introduced in 21 October 1991 as the high-performance member of the original PowerBook trio. It used a Motorola 68030 at 25 MHz with 2MB standard; expandable to 8MB. 25MHz 68030 significantly exceeded the PowerBook 140.

A faster 68030 and crisp active-matrix display made the 170 a premium portable workstation and helped redefine expectations for laptop design.

Notable Features

• 25MHz 68030 significantly exceeded the PowerBook 140.
• Active-matrix display offered faster response and stronger contrast.
• Optional 68882 floating-point unit supported technical applications.

Historical Significance

• A faster 68030 and crisp active-matrix display made the 170 a premium portable workstation and helped redefine expectations for laptop design.
• Its place in the range reflects Apple's progression from the original compact Macintosh toward broader professional, educational and portable markets.

Collector’s Notes

• Working active-matrix displays and uncracked hinge plastics are especially valued
• Original keyboards, mice, storage devices and model-specific accessories help document a complete period configuration.

Specifications

Technical Information
Name	Apple PowerBook 170
Manufacturer	Apple
Launched	Monday, October 21, 1991
Country	United States
CPU	Motorola 68030 at 25 MHz
Units Sold
Operating System	System 7.0.1 through System 7.6.1
I/O	SCSI, two serial, modem and audio
Keyboard	Integrated keyboard and central trackball
Storage	Internal 1.44MB floppy and SCSI hard disk
Sound	Eight-bit mono sound
Graphics	640 x 400 one-bit graphics
Display	Built-in 9.8-inch 640 x 400 monochrome active-matrix LCD
ROM	1MB ROM
RAM	2MB standard; expandable to 8MB
CPU Speed	25 MHz