PowerBook 165c
History
Introduced: February 10, 1993
Discontinued: December 13, 1993
Original Retail Price: $3,400
Model #: M6498
Tech Specs
Display: 8.9" passive-matrix color LCD
Processor: 33 MHz Motorola 68030
RAM: 12 MB (upgraded)
Hard Drive: 16 GB SSD (upgraded)
Floppy Drive: 1.44 MB
OS: System 7.1
Condition & Notes
This unit is in mint condition, and was inherited from a family member (the original owner) who used it for a number of years in the 1990s as an administrative assistant at Tandem Computer. It has the original power adapter, an extra battery, and an external battery charger, as well as a Kensington-branded carrying case. This unit is equipped with the optional modem card, as well as an aftermarket 4MB expansion module.
This was the first Mac laptop with a color screen! The PowerBook 165c has a similar outward appearance to other PowerBooks of the time, such as the 160 and the 165, but is notable in that it supports 8-bit color on both the internal LCD as well as through external video output (hence the ‘c’ appended to the nameplate).
In 2024 I replaced the original 120 MB hard disk drive with a BlueSCSI v2 solid-state device. In addition to the benefits of greater storage capacity, speed, quietness, and reliability, the BlueSCSI uses a micro SD card which enables much easier transferral of software and files between modern computers and the vintage Mac.
It is functionally and cosmetically flawless with all-original parts, and is currently running System 7.1.
Case & Accessories
PowerBook
System Specs
BlueSCSI v2 SSD
This is the PowerBook version of the BlueSCSI v2 solid-state hard drive device. It slots right in where the original 120 MB HDD was originally installed.
In addition to the benefits of greater storage capacity, speed, quietness, and reliability, the BlueSCSI uses a micro SD card which enables much easier transferral of software and files between modern computers and the vintage Mac.
Teardown/Disassembly Photos
Top view of lower chassis, with selected components outlined and labeled - note presence of aftermarket 4MB memory expansion
Daughterboard containing factory 8MB RAM (left) and ROMs (right)
Close-up of modem card; these were an optional upgrade on the PowerBook 165c
Oblique view of lower chassis, showing rear ports (including video port, which protrudes from the processor board above the audio jacks)
Aftermarket RAM expansion daughterboard, here populated with 4MB
Close-up of processor daughterboard, with RAM/ROM and RAM upgrade daughterboards removed
Top view of upper chassis, with selected components labeled
