Macintosh (128K) was released on 24 January 1984, alongside 2 other products.
24 January 1984 · Mac
Macintosh (128K)
Compact
Why it mattered
The original Macintosh took Lisa's ideas and squeezed them into a compact, $2,495 box with a built-in 9-inch screen. It was introduced two days after the Ridley Scott-directed "1984" Super Bowl ad. Its 128 KB of memory was the main complaint, so Apple shipped the Macintosh 512K ("Fat Mac") later in 1984. The compact all-in-one shape it set lasted through the Classic line into the 1990s, and its name became the platform.
Models and prices
| Model / config | Released | Key specs | US launch price | In 2025 dollars (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macintosh (128K) | 24 Jan 1984 | Motorola 68000 @ ~8 MHz, 128 KB RAM, 9-inch mono display, 400 KB floppy | $2,495 | ≈ $7,730 |
Inflation-adjusted prices are estimates: launch price × (US CPI-U 2025 annual average 321.943 ÷ CPI-U annual average of the launch year), rounded to the nearest $10. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, series CUUR0000SA0. US list prices only; they ignore currency, taxes and carrier subsidies.
What came before and after
Before: Apple Lisa (1983). After: Macintosh 512K (September 1984), Macintosh Plus (1986).
Buying and collecting notes
Working 128Ks are collectible; check the analog board and the floppy drive. Signed case interiors (the team's signatures moulded inside) are a nice authenticity detail.
Questions
- When was the first Macintosh released?
- It was introduced on 24 January 1984.
- How much did the original Mac cost?
- $2,495, about $7,730 in 2025 dollars by a US CPI estimate.
- How much memory did the first Mac have?
- 128 KB of RAM.
- What replaced the Macintosh 128K?
- The Macintosh 512K, released in September 1984.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Macintosh 128K
- EveryMac.com: Macintosh 128K specs
- BLS CPI-U series CUUR0000SA0 (data.bls.gov/timeseries/CUUR0000SA0)