Great Hierophant
Veteran Member
I have a tough choice to make. I only have room for one retro computer in my house, and it has come down to these two. My primary purpose is to use the machine as a retrogaming system. Lets go over them:
Apple vs. IBM CGA Graphics
40 Column Text / 40 or 80 Column Text
140x192x6, 280x192x2 / 160x200x16, 320x200x4, 640x200x2
Composite Monitor / Composite or RGB Monitor
Advantage: IBM (Much better options)
Apple vs. IBM Sound
CPU Driven Speaker / Timer or CPU Driven Speaker
Mockingboard / Adlib, Game Blaster, Roland MT-32
Advantage: None (Not alot of Adlib or Game Blaster software would run at an acceptable speed on a 5150. Not alot of Apple software used the Mockingboard.)
Apple / IBM Input
53 Keys / 83 Keys
Integrated Keyboard / Detached Keyboard
Uppercase / Uppercase and Lowercase
Mouse Card / Serial Mouse
Advantage: IBM (much easier to type on the detached keyboard, easier to repair keyboard, no hacks required for lowercase letters.)
Apple / IBM Storage
140KB / 360KB
One Sided Drive / Two Sided Drive
GCR / MFM
Advantage: IBM (who wants to flip disks, also its easier to get software from a more modern computer to an older one.)
Apple / IBM Memory
64KB / 640KB
Advantage: IBM (but you have to sacrifice an expansion slot for more than 256KB)
Apple / IBM Joystick
3 Buttons / 4 Buttons
Advantage: IBM (but you need an expansion slot)
Apple / IBM Expansion
7 General Purpose Slots / 5 General Purpose Slots
Advantage: Apple (especially as it includes video and game input hardware on motherboard)
Apple / IBM Software
1,000s of games / ~200 games
Advantage: Apple
Apple vs. IBM CGA Graphics
40 Column Text / 40 or 80 Column Text
140x192x6, 280x192x2 / 160x200x16, 320x200x4, 640x200x2
Composite Monitor / Composite or RGB Monitor
Advantage: IBM (Much better options)
Apple vs. IBM Sound
CPU Driven Speaker / Timer or CPU Driven Speaker
Mockingboard / Adlib, Game Blaster, Roland MT-32
Advantage: None (Not alot of Adlib or Game Blaster software would run at an acceptable speed on a 5150. Not alot of Apple software used the Mockingboard.)
Apple / IBM Input
53 Keys / 83 Keys
Integrated Keyboard / Detached Keyboard
Uppercase / Uppercase and Lowercase
Mouse Card / Serial Mouse
Advantage: IBM (much easier to type on the detached keyboard, easier to repair keyboard, no hacks required for lowercase letters.)
Apple / IBM Storage
140KB / 360KB
One Sided Drive / Two Sided Drive
GCR / MFM
Advantage: IBM (who wants to flip disks, also its easier to get software from a more modern computer to an older one.)
Apple / IBM Memory
64KB / 640KB
Advantage: IBM (but you have to sacrifice an expansion slot for more than 256KB)
Apple / IBM Joystick
3 Buttons / 4 Buttons
Advantage: IBM (but you need an expansion slot)
Apple / IBM Expansion
7 General Purpose Slots / 5 General Purpose Slots
Advantage: Apple (especially as it includes video and game input hardware on motherboard)
Apple / IBM Software
1,000s of games / ~200 games
Advantage: Apple