The Ages of the Desktop Macintosh (DM)
The easiest way to assess Macintosh design is by processor. However, it's also the most likely to lead you astray, because much of the time, differences in machine performance are a result of cache architecture, expansion ports, and graphics capabilities. Nevertheless, here, going from newest to oldest, are the three major processor ages of desktop Macintosh:
Modern Macs.
The CPUs compatible with Mac OS X, spanning the Power Mac G3 (Blue and White) and Power Mac G4 series (as well as a couple of strays).
RISC Pioneers.
Macs that used the first generations of the PowerPC processor.
The Golden Age.
Machines that ran a Motorola 680X0 processor (starting with the original Mac).
Aside from the colorful industrial ...
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