Forty years ago today, one of the most iconic home computers ever was released and it helped cement Apple as the tech giant it is today.
On January 24, 1984, the Apple Macintosh 128K was introduced to the market — an all-in-one computer with a whopping 128 KB of RAM weighing in at 7.5KG. It ran Apple’s own System Software 1.0 OS and was equipped with a beefy Motorola 68000 CPU. In raw power, today’s cheapest M1 MacBook Air has about 62,500 times the amount of RAM found in the 128K.
It sold for $2,495, which equates to around $7,000 now — the price of an M3 Max MacBook, iPhone 15 Pro Max, M2 iPad Pro, AirPods Pro 2, and an Apple Watch Ultra 2 with enough change for some accessories
Iconic from the start
Just a few days prior to the 128K’s launch, Apple ran its iconic '1984’ homage trailer, directed by Ridley Scott, at the Superbowl XVIII. In it, Anya Major, an English athlete sprinted at a screen with a hammer, taking down a totalitarian force. That same trailer was then sardonically flipped on its head by Epic Games for its lawsuit against the Mac creator.
The Macintosh 128K is also iconic in its look due to the small box behind the display, that very chunky keyboard, and the rectangular singular-button mouse. It was even parodied just last year with a gorgeous USB-C hub. When you turned the 128K on, it simply displayed “Hello”, which was referenced in clothing just last November. From a great Steve Jobs-led keynote and a very convenient all-in-one design, the 128k shows many of the slick and stylish features that Apple became world famous for.
The 128K replaced the Apple Lisa and was succeeded by the Macintosh 512K just 8 months later, an equally iconic machine.
Today, Apple says the Mac continues to push the boundaries of computing, helping people to create their life's best work. The company has also made the graphic displayed above to celebrate.
