Back in the 90s, Apple debuted the Macintosh Classic, an entry-level option that sold for less than $1,000. Its widespread availability and price made it a favorite for consumers and classrooms in the early part of the decade.
Now, AppleInsider reports that a prototype version of the Macintosh Classic has shown up on Twitter. In a series of photos shared by user @DongleBookPro, we get an up-close-and-personal look at the retro computer.
Rather than the off-white exterior the Macintosh Classic shipped with, the prototype has a transparent casing. The clear plastic is reminiscent of Apple’s later releases, like the iMac G3, which adopted colorful translucent exteriors with colors named after fruit flavors.
The photos offer a good look at the Mac from the front, side, and back. There’s a classic rainbow Apple logo on the front as well as a bright orange sticker on the back. It warns that the unit is “for development purposes only” and wasn’t meant to be sold in the US.
It’s unclear how it exchanged hands and ended up on Twitter. Still it’s an interesting showcase of classic tech and Apple’s history. There currently aren’t any similar models up for grabs on eBay. It would be difficult to put a price on this version of the computer. Whoever owns it, whether @DongleBookPro or another individual, is lucky to have it.
