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68k Accelerators, FPUs and other CPUs

Published June 7, 2022

Over the years I have been lucky enough to pick up some 68k systems that that had accelerators installed: two MacPlus machines with Novy Quik30 Plus accelerators and a SE FDHD with a Mobius 030 SE accelerator. As I dug around the internet looking for information I found a lot of of advertisements, reviews, and some manuals and drivers for various accelerators, I also found some contact names that I used to track down old employees through LinkedIn (with some success), so I decided to create this post to track what companies I’ve found information about. I plan to list all companies that made 68k accelerators and PowerPC accelerators for 68k machines, with the list linking to additional pages that provide details of the company and their products as I have time.

The first mention I found for an accelerators for 68k systems appear in MacWorld August 1986 with reviews of products by Novy, Quesse and LevCO, if you are aware of an earlier product please let me know.

NameYearSupportsCPUFPUMemoryComments
Apple Classic II UpgradeClassic16 MHz 68030NoNew logic board and case
Apple LC II UpgradeLC16 MHz 68030noNew logic board
Apple IIci UpgradeIIcx25 MHz 68030Inc–New logic board
Apple IIfx UpgradeII40 MHz 68030Inc–New logic board
Apple Quadra 700IIcx, IIci25 MHz 68040No–New logic board/ports
Applied Engineering TransWarpSE, Classic16, 40 MHz
68030		Opt–Clip on, Optional Extended Video
Applied Engineering TransWarp CIIIci50 MHz 68030(advertisement)
Applied Engineering TransWarp LCLC, LC II50 MHz 68030Opt–PDS slot
Applied Engineering TransWarp 030II, IIcx, IIsi, IIci, IIfx33MHz 68040Inc–NuBus slot
Applied Engineering TransWarp 040II, IIcx, IIsi, IIci, IIfx25, 33 MHz 68040Inc–NuBus slot (advertisement)
Beck-Tech MacMegabytes512k1MBHyperdrive Compatible, requires modification to case/board (review)
Brainstorm Accelerator PlusPlus16 MHz 68000––Motherboard modification
Dayna Communcations MacCharlie(review)
DayStar SE/30 PowerCacheSE/3050 MHz
68030		Opt–CPU socket
DayStart Universal PowerCacheSE/30, LC, LC II, II, IIcx, IIsi, IIci33, 40, 50 MHz
68030		Opt–PDS slot
Dove Marathon Racer 030 PlusPlus, SE, Classic16 MHz 68030Opt–Clip on, Optional Extended Video
Dove Marathon 030 Enhancement II32 MHz 68030No–CPU Socket
Dove Marathon Racer 030 IIII32 MHz 68030Yes–CPU socket
Extreme Systems VandalSE33, 50 MHz
68030		YesClip on, Extended Video
Extreme Systems ImpactLC, LC II33 MHz 68030OptPDS slot
Fusion Data TokaMac SX25 MHz
68040		YesPDS slot
Fusion Data TokaMac LCLC25 MHz 68040YesPDS slot
General Computer Company Hyperdrive 2000 1986128k, 512k, 512KE, Plus12 MHz 68000Opt1.5MBNo MMU. MW 1986.03, MW 1986.08, MW 1986.09, MW 1987.04
General Computer Company HyperCharger 020SE12, 16 MHz 68020Opt4MBNo MMU, Connector for the Big Picture monitor from E-machines (review, review)
Harris Peformer2SE16 MHz
68000		YesPDS slot, Extended Video
Levco MonsterMac512k2MBIncludes Fan, requires modification to case/board(review)
Levco Prodigy 41986128k, 512k, 512KE, Plus16 MHz 68020Opt4MBNo MMU, Connector for MegaScreen Plus from Micrographics Images, SCSI port, RAM disk. Includes fan and power supply. MW 1986.08, MW 1986.09
Levco Prodigy SESE16 MHz 68020Opt4MB, 32MBOptional MMU, Connector for MegaScreen II from Micrographics Images
According to the review the accelerator may support up to 32MB if the 68851 Paged Memory Management Unit (PMMU) is installed. (review, review)
Logica LogiCache IIsi, IIci50 MHz 68030OptCache-card slot (April 1993)
Mac Advance MacGusto II512KEnoneOpt2.5MBNo MMU, Adds SCSI
MacMemory TheMax128k, 512k1.5MBRequires modification to case/board (review)
MacMemory TheMax2128k, 512k2MB(advertisement)
MacMemory TurboMax1987512KE, Plus16 MHz 68000Opt4MBNo MMU, Connector for the Big Picture monitor from E-machines, SCSI port, RAM disk. Includes fan and power supply MW 1987.02, (review)
MacMemory Turbo SESE16 MHz 68000Opt4MBNo MMU, Connector for the Big Picture monitor from E-machines (review)
MacPeak Systems Orion
SE16 MHz 68020Opt8MB, 32MBOptional MMU, Galaxy Adapter option
According to the review the accelerator may support up to 32MB if the 68851 Paged Memory Management Unit (PMMU) is installed. (review)
MacPeak Systems Orion 25SE25 MHz 68020Opt8MBOptional MMU, Galaxy Adapter option
MacPeak Systems Orion SESE(review)
MacProducts RailgunPlus, SE33 MHz 68030OptClip on
MacProducts USA Magic 020Plus12.5 MHz 68020IncnoneNo MMU, Cpu can be upgraded to a 68030
MassTech FastMac512k2MB2MB requires a separate power supply, includes fan (review)
MicroCoversion 1 Meg Upgrade 512k1MBIncludes Fan, requires modification to case/board (advertisement, review)
MicroMac MultiSpeedPlus, SE25 MHz 68030OptClip on, Optional Extended Video
MicroMac Performer
MicroMac PerformerPro
MicroMac
Mobius 030SE, Classic25 MHz 68030OptClip on, Extended Video
Network Specialties Jump 020512KE, Plus12 MHz 68020Opt4MBNo MMU, StretchScreen and StretchProjector, Can also run at 16 and 24 MHz
NewLife Accelerator!SE16, 25 MHz
68030		OptPDS Slot, Optional Extended Video
NewLife Accelerator!SE33 MHz 68030YesPSD Slot
Novy Floating Point Accelerator1986128k, 512k, 512KE, PlusN/AYesClip on, requires special software. MW 1986.08, 1986.09
Novy Systems ImageProPlus, SE16, 25, 33 MHz 68030YesClip on, Extended Video
Novy Systems Mac20(review)
Novy Systems Mac20Mx 512KE, Plus, SE12, 16, 20 and 24 MHz 68020Opt4MBNo MMU, Includes fan and power supply, SCSI port is optional (review)
Novy Systems Quik 30Plus, SE
Radius Accelerator512KE, Plus, SE16 MHz 68020Opt32K cacheNo MMU, Full Page Display (SE only) (review, review)
Radius RocketII, IIcx, IIci25, 33 MHz 68040Yes–NuBus slot
Ryad Mac Engine GT128K, 512K, 512KE, Plus16 MHz 68000No4MBNo MMU, Includes fan and power supply, and SCSI port
Ryad MacEngine Turbo128K, 512K, 512KE, Plus16 MHz 68020Opt4MBNo MMU, Includes fan and power supply, and SCSI port
Spectra Micro Development MacAccelerator512KE, Plus, SE12 MHz 68020IncNoneNo MMU, Connector for the Big Picture monitor from E-machines
Sonnet AlegroLC, LC II, Color Classic, SE, II, IIx33 MHz 68030MacAddict 006
Sonnet Presto
Sonnet Quad Doubler
SuperMacTechnology Prodigy SESE16 MHz 68020Inc8MBNo MMU, Connector for the Big Picture monitor from E-machines, uses ZIPs for memory
TechWorks LCLC25 MHz 68040Inc–PDS slot
TechWorks NuBus 040II, IIcx, IIsi, IIci33 MHz 68040Yes–NuBus slot
Total Systems Enterprise 030LC, LC II32 MHz 68030Inc–PDS slot
Total Systems Gemini Integra50 MHz
Total Systems Gemini Ultra33, 50 MHz
Total Systems Gemini Ultra ClassicClassic20, 33, 50 MHz 68030OptClip-on, optional extended graphics
Total Systems Integration TSI-020512KE, Plus, SE12 MHz 68020Opt4MBNo MMU, Includes fan and power supply, and SCSI port
Total Systems Integration TSI-020512KE, Plus, SE16 MHz 68020Opt4MBNo MMU, Includes fan and power supply, SCSI port is optional
Total Systems MagellanSE/30, IIsi, IIci25 MHz 68040Yes–PDS slot
Total Systems Mercury 030SE16 MHz
68030		OptPDS slot, Optional Extended Video
Total Systems VoyagerII50 MHz 68030Opt–CPU socket
Quesse Maccelerator1986128k, 512k, 512KE, PlusN/AYesN/AClips on, includes QuickSANE that redirects SANE requests to the FPU.
MW 1986.08, MW 1986.09

References and Timeline

Published in Macintosh 68k

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