Macintosh PowerBook 170 (1991)
PowerBook 170 (1991): the first high-end PowerBook: 68030 at 25 MHz with a 68882 FPU and an active-matrix display, for $4,600.
Specs
| Introduced | 1991-10-21 |
| Chip | 68030 · 25 MHz |
| RAM | 4 MB (2 MB onboard, 100 ns PSRAM) · up to 8 MB (1 slot) |
| Ports | 1 × ADB · SCSI HDI-30 |
| System | 7.0.1 → 7.6.1 |
| Weight | 3.1 kg |
| Dimensions | 57 × 286 × 236 mm |
| ROM | 1 MB |
| Storage (detail) | 40 MB SCSI hard drive · internal 1.44 MB FDHD floppy |
| Display | 10″ active-matrix monochrome, 640×400 |
| Expansion | Internal modem port |
| Battery | NiCad; 2–3 hours (EveryMac) |
Launch
Apple introduced it on October 21, 1991 at the COMDEX show, as the top model of the original PowerBook trio, and it was sold until October 19, 1992. It paired the trio’s fastest processor with the only active-matrix display of the launch. Dates and data: EveryMac; the introduction is recorded in contemporary press (Macworld) and Apple Support.
Marketing
The top of the portable range: for those who wanted the most capable Mac away from the desk: 68030 at 25 MHz with a 68882 FPU and active matrix for $4,600 in the US. (EveryMac.)
Flaws and fixes
Apple documents no model-specific defects in the sources consulted. Limits that do appear in its spec sheet: 2 MB of onboard RAM expandable only to 8 MB via a single PSRAM slot; monochrome display (no color); the internal modem port as the only expansion.
Indicative price
New (launch, US): $4,600 · EveryMac
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Updated: October 29, 2026 · Sources: Apple Soporte · Apple Tech Info Library · EveryMac · Compare this product