Apple Expected to Introduce Scaled-Down Version of Mac II

Apple Computer Inc. is expected today to introduce a scaled-down but powerful addition to its Macintosh personal computer line, analysts said Monday.

The new model, called the Macintosh IIcx, will be based on the Motorola Inc. 68030 microprocessor but will be somewhat smaller than the current Mac II’s, they said. The machine is smaller because it has just three slots for expansion boards, as opposed to six for the standard Mac II.

Analysts expect the computer to be priced between $4,000 and $7,000, depending on configuration.

Macweek, an industry trade magazine, reported last week that the IIcx will have at least one megabyte of random access memory and will feature a sophisticated disk drive. One analyst said the top-end version will probably have four megabytes of RAM and an 80-megabyte disk drive.

Apple would not confirm price, features, or even the existence of the machine.