First Macintosh Computer (1984): Specs, Price and the 1984 Ad

The first Macintosh computer was launched by Apple on 24 January 1984. We wrote this post in January 2009 to celebrate 25 years of the Mac; in January 2024 the Mac turned 40. Here is a look at the original Macintosh 128K, its specs and price, the famous “1984” Super Bowl ad, Steve Jobs’s first Mac demo, and how the Mac has changed since.

Quick answer: The first Macintosh computer, later called the Macintosh 128K, went on sale on 24 January 1984 for US$2,495. It had a 9-inch black-and-white screen, an 8 MHz Motorola 68000 processor, 128 KB of RAM, a 3.5-inch floppy drive, a keyboard and a one-button mouse. It was the first mass-market personal computer with a graphical interface and mouse.

First Macintosh computer specs

The “1984” Super Bowl ad

Apple’s famous “1984” television commercial (external site), directed by Ridley Scott and starring Anya Major, introduced the Macintosh. It aired nationally just once, on 22 January 1984, during the third quarter of Super Bowl XVIII, and became one of the most famous ads ever made.

Steve Jobs’s first Macintosh demo

On 24 January 1984, Steve Jobs unveiled the Macintosh at Apple’s shareholder meeting. He pulled it out of a bag, and the Mac famously said “Hello” to the audience in its own voice. This demo shows what made the Mac different from the text-based computers of the time.

Why the first Mac mattered

• Graphical interface: windows, icons, menus and a pointer made computers usable without typing commands.
• The mouse: the Mac popularised the mouse for everyday users.
• Desktop publishing: fonts, MacPaint and later laser printers made the Mac a favourite of designers.
• All-in-one design: screen, computer and drive in one compact case.

How the Mac has changed in 40+ years

• 1998: the colourful iMac G3 helped revive Apple after Steve Jobs returned.
• 2006: Macs moved from PowerPC to Intel processors.
• 2008: the thin MacBook Air arrived.
• 2020: Apple silicon began with the M1 chip, bringing big gains in speed and battery life.
• 2024: the Mac celebrated its 40th anniversary, with M-series Macs across the whole line-up.

Using a Mac today? See how to download Google Chrome for Mac, or read the best Steve Jobs books.

FAQ

When was the first Macintosh released?

24 January 1984.

How much did the first Mac cost?

US$2,495 at launch, which is several times that amount in today’s money.

What was the first Mac called?

Simply “Macintosh”. It was later called the Macintosh 128K after the Macintosh 512K arrived.

Who directed the 1984 Apple ad?

Ridley Scott, the director of Alien and Blade Runner.