Macintosh II series

The Macintosh II series (or sometimes simply Mac II series) was a series of personal computers in the Apple Macintosh line.

Features

The Macintosh II models were "modular" systems which did not include built-in monitors and were intended for business use. Beginning with the Macintosh II and culminating in the Macintosh IIfx, the Mac II series was Apple Computer's high-end line from 1987 until the introduction of the Motorola 68040-based Macintosh Quadra computers in 1991.

Notably, the II series introduced NuBus expansion slot technology would become the staple expansion slot for the entire Macintosh line for over a decade.

The Mac II series models were the first not to use the Motorola 68000 microprocessor. Except for the original Mac II which launched the line with the faster 68020, they used exclusively the Motorola 68030 microprocessor, even after the Motorola 68040 was introduced.

To augment the computing power of these machines, dedicated math co-processors and DSP chips optimized for sound and video were often incorporated into their architecture.

Legacy

During the Macintosh II series' lifespan, it rose to become the most powerful personal computer on any platform, only to lose this distinction to the more powerful Macintosh Quadra series, and ultimately to being relegated to Apple's consumer entry-level modular Mac before finally being replaced by the Macintosh LC and Performa lines, which continued the II's 68030 technology long after the 68040 was introduced and well into the Power Macintosh era.

Models

*Macintosh II
*Macintosh IIx
*Macintosh IIcx
*Macintosh IIci
*Macintosh IIvx
*Macintosh IIvi
*Macintosh IIsi
*Macintosh IIfx

References

* [http://www.lowendmac.com/ Low End Mac]