RetroTechCollection

Macintosh Centris 610

Revision as of 15:14, 30 September 2026 by Josh (talk | contribs) (Add Apple 1993 product photo (was a Quadra 610 photo); 86 W is Apple's own figure for the 610 (dev note, tech specs) beside the Service Source's 112 W; cite dev note for RAM, SCSI, slot budget; remove uncited codename, heatsink and keyboard-power claims; parts table; dedupe)
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The Macintosh Centris 610 is a low-profile desktop Macintosh with a 20 MHz Motorola MC68LC040. Apple introduced it on 10 February 1993 and discontinued it on 21 October 1993.[1] Apple's developer note describes the Centris 610, Macintosh Centris 650 and Macintosh Quadra 800 as three models bringing the 68040 in at lower prices than the Quadra 700 and 950.[2] It was replaced by the 25 MHz Macintosh Quadra 610 in the same case.[3][4]

Macintosh Centris 610
Centris 610 with colour display, in Apple's 1993 product photograph
Specifications
ManufacturerApple Computer, Inc.
TypeDesktop personal computer
Released10 February 1993
Discontinued21 October 1993
Intro priceUS$1,860 and US$2,560 (two configurations)
CPUMotorola MC68LC040 @ 20 MHz (no FPU)
Memory4 MB on the logic board; two 72-pin SIMM slots; 68 MB maximum
Storage1.4 MB SuperDrive; 80–500 MB SCSI hard drive; optional internal CD-ROM
DisplayExternal monitor via DB-15; 512 KB VRAM, 1 MB maximum
Sound8-bit stereo output, mono input
ROM1 MB
ExpansionOne slot for a 7-inch NuBus card or a PDS card, via adapter
Power100–240 V AC
Dimensions85 × 415 × 397 mm (3.4 × 16.3 × 15.6 in) H × W × D
Weight6.4 kg (14.0 lb)
OS / FirmwareSystem 7.1 – Mac OS 8.1
SuccessorMacintosh Quadra 610
Model no.M1444

Configurations

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EveryMac lists three configurations: M1345LL/A with 4 MB of RAM, an 80 MB hard drive and no CD-ROM; M1397LL/A with 8 MB and a 230 MB drive; and M1398LL/A with 8 MB, a 230 MB drive and a double-speed CD-ROM. It gives the US prices as $1,860 and $2,560.[5] Ethernet was optional on the Centris 610.[4] The Workgroup Server 60 uses the same case with a 25 MHz 68040, 8 MB of RAM, a 230 or 500 MB drive and Ethernet as standard.[4]

Hardware

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Processor and memory

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The MC68LC040 has an integrated MMU but no floating-point unit. The Service Source states that Apple does not provide an FPU upgrade for the Centris 610.[4] The developer note adds that the MC68LC040 sits in a socket and can be replaced with a full MC68040.[6] Apple's CPU replacement procedure uses a PGA chip removal tool and warns that pressing down on the tool's handle can damage components on the board.[7]

The logic board carries 4 MB of RAM. The two 72-pin SIMM slots take 80 ns or faster SIMMs of 4, 8, 16 or 32 MB, for a maximum of 68 MB.[1][8] The ROM is 1 MB and the PRAM holds 256 bytes, backed by a lithium battery.[4]

Video

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Built-in video drives an external monitor from a DB-15 port. The logic board has 512 KB of VRAM; two 256 KB VRAM SIMMs raise it to 1 MB.[1] VGA monitors are supported at 640 × 480 only and SVGA at 800 × 600 only, with an adapter cable.[4]

Maximum colour depth by resolution[1]
Resolution 512 KB VRAM 1 MB VRAM
512 × 384 16-bit 16-bit
640 × 480 8-bit 16-bit
800 × 600 8-bit 16-bit
832 × 624 8-bit 16-bit
1024 × 768 4-bit 8-bit
1152 × 870 4-bit 8-bit

Storage

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The Centris 610 has an internal 1.4 MB Apple SuperDrive and room for two internal SCSI devices: one 3.5-inch hard drive and one 5.25-inch device such as a CD-ROM drive.[9] The external DB-25 SCSI port supports up to six external devices.[4] The drive at the end of the internal SCSI cable must carry terminators and other internal devices must not; the logic board terminates the external end of the bus automatically when nothing is plugged in.[10]

Ports and expansion

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Two ADB ports (500 mA maximum for all ADB devices), two mini DIN-8 serial ports, DB-25 SCSI, DB-15 video, stereo sound out and mono sound in, and on Ethernet-equipped models an AAUI-15 port.[4][1] The power button is on the front panel; the programmer's NMI and reset buttons and an unswitched AC outlet are on the back.[9]

The single expansion slot takes one card through an adapter: either a processor-direct slot (PDS) card or a NuBus card no more than 7 inches long.[9] The NuBus adapter was Apple part M1402LL/A.[5] A card may draw 10 W in total, split as follows:[11]

Centris 610 NuBus card power budget[11]
Supply Budget 1 Budget 2
+12 V 2.1 W 0.0 W
−12 V 1.8 W 0.0 W
+5 V 6.1 W 10.0 W

Power

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Line voltage is 100–240 V AC.[4] Apple's documents give two different power figures. The Service Source lists 112 W, not including the monitor.[4] The developer note says the Centris 610 power supply "provides 86 W total", and Apple's technical specifications page gives 86 W maximum, 1.7 A, at 47–63 Hz.[12][1] After the logic board and the expansion card, 1.5 A at +5 V and 1.5 A at +12 V remain for internal drives.[12]

The clock and PRAM are backed by a 3.6 V lithium battery.[1] Apple's battery check: measure across the cell with the meter on the 10 V DC range, and replace the battery if it reads below 3.2 V. The holder cover is released by prising the latch at one end with a small flat-blade screwdriver.[13] Apple warns that the lithium battery can explode if mishandled.[13]

Upgrades

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The Service Source documents a Centris 660AV logic board upgrade kit for the Centris 610 (logic board, product labels and I/O panel), and upgrades to the Power Macintosh 6100/60 or 6100/60AV. A Power Macintosh card for the PDS converts the machine to PowerPC.[14]

Service parts

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Selected part numbers from Apple's exploded view, which covers the Centris 610, Quadra 610 and Workgroup Server 60. The drawing does not say which logic board number belongs to which model.[15]

Centris 610 family service parts[15]
Part Apple part number
Logic board 661-0042 (no FPU), 661-0043 (FPU), 661-1681, 661-1682 (with Ethernet)
Power supply 661-1688
PDS adapter or NuBus adapter 661-1718
Floppy drive 661-0121, 661-0474
SCSI cable 922-0804
Speaker 922-0353
On/off actuator 922-0357

Maintenance and repair

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The Service Source's symptom charts cover video, floppy drive, hard drive, CD-ROM drive and peripherals. It has no error-chord table.[16]

Documentation

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References

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  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Macintosh Centris 610: Technical Specifications, Apple—link(accessed 2026-09-30)
  2. ↑ Apple Computer, Developer Note: Macintosh Centris 610, Macintosh Centris 650, and Macintosh Quadra 800 Computers (1993), Preface, p. ix (PDF p. 9). Hosted as File:Macintosh Centris 610 Centris 650 and Quadra 800 Developer Note.pdf; see Macintosh Centris 610 Centris 650 and Quadra 800 Developer Note.
  3. ↑ Centris 610, Low End Mac—link(accessed 2026-09-30) Replaced by the Quadra 610 on 21 October 1993; highest Mac OS without a PowerPC upgrade is 8.1.
  4. ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 Apple Computer, Macintosh Quadra 610/Centris 610/WS 60 Service Source, Specifications, pp. 1-13 (PDF pp. 5-17). Hosted as File:Quadra.centris_610.ws_60.pdf; see Macintosh Quadra 610/ Centris 610/WS 60 Service Source.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Apple Macintosh Centris 610 Specs, EveryMac.com—link(accessed 2026-09-30) Order numbers, model number M1444, Gestalt ID 52, prices, VRAM SIMMs, NuBus adapter M1402LL/A.
  6. ↑ Developer Note: Centris 610, Centris 650, Quadra 800, Table 1-1, p. 3 (PDF p. 15).
  7. ↑ Quadra 610/Centris 610/WS 60 Service Source, Additional Procedures, CPU Replacement, pp. 6-9 (PDF pp. 98-101).
  8. ↑ Developer Note: Centris 610, Centris 650, Quadra 800, "RAM", p. 21 (PDF p. 33).
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Developer Note: Centris 610, Centris 650, Quadra 800, "The Macintosh Centris 610 Design", p. 4 (PDF p. 16).
  10. ↑ Developer Note: Centris 610, Centris 650, Quadra 800, "SCSI Bus and Termination", pp. 18-19 (PDF pp. 30-31).
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Developer Note: Centris 610, Centris 650, Quadra 800, Table 3-2, p. 32 (PDF p. 44).
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Developer Note: Centris 610, Centris 650, Quadra 800, "Power Supplies", p. 9 (PDF p. 21).
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Quadra 610/Centris 610/WS 60 Service Source, Additional Procedures, Battery Verification and Battery Replacement, pp. 1-5 (PDF pp. 93-97).
  14. ↑ Quadra 610/Centris 610/WS 60 Service Source, Upgrades, pp. 13-27 (PDF pp. 77-91).
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Quadra 610/Centris 610/WS 60 Service Source, Exploded View (PDF p. 103).
  16. ↑ Quadra 610/Centris 610/WS 60 Service Source, Troubleshooting, pp. 1-11 (PDF pp. 19-29).
  17. ↑ Developer Note: Centris 610, Centris 650, Quadra 800, Table 1-2, p. 4 (PDF p. 16).


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