Macintosh Performa 5200CD
The Macintosh Performa 5200CD is an all-in-one Macintosh personal computer introduced by Apple Computer on May 1, 1995.[1] It was the first PowerPC-based all-in-one Mac and the consumer version of the Power Macintosh 5200/75 LC.[2]
 | |
| Macintosh Performa 5200CD | |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Apple Computer, Inc. |
| Type | All-in-one Personal Computer |
| Released | May 1, 1995 |
| Discontinued | February 1, 1996 |
| Intro price | US$1,900–$2,300 |
| CPU | PowerPC 603 @ 75 MHz |
| Memory | 8 MB RAM (expandable to 64 MB) |
| Storage | 790 MB or 1 GB IDE hard drive, 2X or 4X CD-ROM, 1.44 MB floppy |
| Display | 15" shadow mask CRT (640×480 @ 16-bit, 832×624 @ 8-bit) |
| Sound | 16-bit stereo output, mono input |
| Dimensions | 17.5" H × 16.0" W × 15.1" D (44.5 × 40.6 × 38.4 cm) |
| Weight | 47 lbs (21.3 kg) |
| OS / Firmware | System 7.5.1 – Mac OS 9.1 |
| Predecessor | LC 575 |
| Successor | Performa 5260CD |
| Codename | Bongo, Transformer |
| Model no. | M3046 |
The 5200CD features a 75 MHz PowerPC 603 processor, 8 MB of RAM, and an integrated 15" shadow mask color display. It shipped with either a 790 MB or 1 GB IDE hard drive and either a 2X or 4X CD-ROM drive depending on configuration.[3]
The Performa 5200 series shares the same chassis and logic board design with several variants:
- Performa 5200 – Base model without CD-ROM (not widely sold)
- Performa 5200CD – Primary North American consumer model
- Performa 5210CD – Asia/Europe model with 500 MB hard drive
- Performa 5215CD – North American model with different software bundle
- Performa 5220CD – Asia/Europe model with 500 MB hard drive
Model Variants
| Model | Release Date | Hard Drive | CD-ROM | Region | Price (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performa 5200 | April 1995 | 500 MB | None | North America | N/A |
| Performa 5200CD | May 1, 1995 | 790 MB / 1 GB | 2X / 4X | North America | $1,900–$2,300 |
| Performa 5210CD | May 1, 1995 | 500 MB | 4X | Asia/Europe | N/A |
| Performa 5215CD | July 14, 1995 | 1 GB | 4X | North America | $2,300 |
| Performa 5220CD | July 14, 1995 | 500 MB | 4X | Asia/Europe | N/A |
The education-market equivalent is the Power Macintosh 5200/75 LC, which shipped with a 500 MB hard drive. All variants share the same M3046 model number and Gestalt ID 41.
Architecture and Processor
The Performa 5200CD uses a 75 MHz PowerPC 603 processor with a 37.5 MHz system bus. The 603 is a 32-bit processor with a 64-bit data path.[4]
The logic board architecture derives from the Quadra 630, using a 32-bit memory bus despite the PowerPC 603's 64-bit capability. This design choice, along with an 8-bit IDE controller, limits performance to approximately that of a 66 MHz Power Macintosh 6100.[5]
Processor Specifications
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| CPU | PowerPC 603 @ 75 MHz |
| L1 Cache | 16 KB (8 KB instruction, 8 KB data) |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB |
| System Bus | 37.5 MHz |
| FPU | Integrated |
Memory and Storage
RAM Configuration
The Performa 5200CD ships with 8 MB of RAM and supports up to 64 MB using 72-pin SIMMs.[6] The system has two SIMM slots, each accepting 4, 8, 16, or 32 MB modules. RAM speed must be 80 ns or faster.
Note: 1 MB of system RAM is permanently allocated to video, reducing available memory by 1 MB regardless of installed capacity.
ROM and System Software
The system contains a 4 MB ROM and originally shipped with System 7.5.1. Supported operating systems range from System 7.5.1 through Mac OS 9.1 (excluding System 7.5.2).
Storage Systems
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| Hard Drive | 790 MB or 1 GB IDE |
| CD-ROM | 2X or 4X (configuration dependent) |
| Floppy Drive | 1.44 MB 3.5" (manual inject) |
| HD Interface | IDE (PIO Mode 3, 11.1 MB/s max) |
The IDE interface does not provide SCSI termination power; external SCSI devices must supply their own termination power.
Display and Graphics
The integrated 15" shadow mask CRT has a 12.8" viewable diagonal. Video memory consists of 1 MB allocated from system RAM.
Supported Resolutions:
- 640×480 at 16-bit color (thousands of colors) @ 60/66.7 Hz
- 800×600 at 8-bit color (256 colors) @ 60/72 Hz
- 832×624 at 8-bit color (256 colors) @ 75 Hz
A second display can be added via an LC PDS video card.
Audio Capabilities
The Performa 5200CD provides 16-bit stereo sound output and 16-bit mono sound input via a standard 3.5mm minijack compatible with Apple's PlainTalk microphone.
Note: Some early units have 8-bit sound hardware. The presence of capacitor C255 on the logic board indicates 8-bit audio; units without C255 have 16-bit audio.
Input/Output and Expansion
Port Configuration
| Port | Connector | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ADB | Mini-DIN 4 | Keyboard and mouse |
| Serial (Printer) | Mini-DIN 8 | Disabled when comm slot Ethernet installed |
| Serial (Modem) | Mini-DIN 8 | Disabled when comm slot modem installed |
| SCSI | DB-25 | External SCSI devices |
| Audio Out | 3.5mm stereo | 16-bit stereo |
| Audio In | 3.5mm mono | 16-bit mono (or 8-bit on some units) |
| Video Out | DB-15 | Optional, requires expansion card |
Serial ports do not support hardware handshaking on most board revisions. The final board revision added hardware handshaking support.
Expansion Slots
- 1× LC PDS (Processor Direct Slot)
- 1× Communications slot
- 1× TV tuner slot
- 1× Video input slot
- 1× Video output slot
The M3941LL/A configuration shipped with video input and TV tuner cards pre-installed.
Known Issues
The Performa 5200 series experienced several documented problems:
- System freezes and color shifts – Apple established a Repair Extension Program in 1996 for affected units
- Network instability – Installing a 25-pin SCSI terminator (with no devices attached) can improve stability
- Serial port limitations – Hardware handshaking not supported on most board revisions
- Performance constraints – 32-bit memory bus limits PowerPC 603 performance
Apple released a "Revision B" design during production that addressed some issues, featuring an updated power supply, speakers, analog board, EMI shield, and housing.[7]
General Maintenance
For detailed maintenance practices including cleaning, PRAM battery management, connector corrosion prevention, and voltage adjustments, refer to the dedicated Macintosh Performa 5200CD General Maintenance page.
Capacitor Replacement Guide
Detailed capacitor replacement guidelines for both analog and logic boards can be found on the Macintosh Performa 5200CD Capacitor Replacement Guide page.
Retrobrite
To address plastic yellowing, detailed instructions can be found on the Retrobrite page.
Troubleshooting
A comprehensive troubleshooting guide addressing no power, chime but no video, intermittent operation, and other common problems is available on the Macintosh Performa 5200CD Troubleshooting page.
Technical Details
System Architecture at a Glance
| Sub-system | Specification (Macintosh Performa 5200CD, 1995) |
|---|---|
| CPU | PowerPC 603 @ 75 MHz |
| Bus width | 32-bit data • 32-bit address |
| ROM | 4 MB |
| RAM | 8 MB standard (expandable to 64 MB) |
| VRAM | 1 MB (shared from system RAM) |
| Video | 640×480 @ 16-bit, 832×624 @ 8-bit |
| Sound | 16-bit stereo DAC |
| Disks | IDE hard drive, CD-ROM, 1.44 MB floppy |
| Ports | ADB, Serial × 2, SCSI, Audio in/out |
See Also
References
- ↑ Macintosh Performa 5200CD: Technical Specifications, Apple—link(accessed 2026-02-10)
- ↑ Macintosh Performa 5200CD Specs, EveryMac.com—link(accessed 2026-02-10)
- ↑ Performa 5200, Low End Mac—link(accessed 2026-02-10)
- ↑ Macintosh Performa 5200CD: Technical Specifications, Apple—link(accessed 2026-02-10)
- ↑ Performa 5200, Low End Mac—link(accessed 2026-02-10)
- ↑ Macintosh Performa 5200CD Specs, EveryMac.com—link(accessed 2026-02-10)
- ↑ Power Macintosh 5200 LC, Wikipedia—link(accessed 2026-02-10)