PowerBook 180
The fast 68030 PowerBook with the sharpest grayscale screen yet.
Overview
The PowerBook 180 was introduced together with the 145 and 160 in October 1992. At 33 MHz with a math coprocessor it was the quickest portable Apple sold, and its 640 by 480 active-matrix display showed 16 levels of gray with better contrast than earlier panels.
A 4 MB memory base and an 80 MB hard disk were standard, and the keyboard and trackball layout carried over from the original generation. The screen also gave much more room for working with the Mac OS desktop.
It stayed in the line until the 500 series arrived in 1994, a long run that made it a favorite among Mac loyalists who needed power on the move.
Why it mattered
The best-equipped 68k PowerBook, it offered desktop-class speed and a larger grayscale screen.
At a glance
- Announced
- October 19, 1992
- Released
- October 19, 1992
- Discontinued
- May 1, 1994
- Launch price
- Not available
- Chip / processor
- Motorola 68030, 33 MHz, with FPU
- Display
- 9.8"
- Storage
- 80 MB
- Status
- Vintage
Highlights
- 33 MHz 68030 with FPU
- 640 x 480 active-matrix grayscale
- Trackball layout carried over
- Long production run
- 4 MB RAM base
Tech specs
Specifications as published at launch. Some values (like battery life) are manufacturer estimates.
Display
- Size
- 9.8-inch
- Type
- Active-matrix LCD, grayscale
- Resolution
- 640 x 480
Chip
- Chip
- Motorola 68030, 33 MHz, with FPU
Memory
- RAM
- 4 MB, expandable to 14 MB
- Storage options
- 80 MB hard drive
Software
- Launch OS
- System 7.1
How it compares
More in the PowerBook family
PowerBook 100
A slim, light Mac that defined how laptops are laid out.
PowerBook 140
The mainstream PowerBook with a faster 68030 and a built-in floppy.
PowerBook 170
Top of the first PowerBook line with an active-matrix screen.
PowerBook Duo 230
An ultralight notebook that docked into a full desktop.
PowerBook 540c
A redesigned flagship with a trackpad and a color screen.
PowerBook 5300
The first PowerPC PowerBook, famous for lithium-ion woes.
PowerBook 1400
A rugged workhorse with a bay for a CD-ROM drive.
PowerBook 3400
Billed as the fastest notebook in the world when it launched.