---
title: Franklin ACE 100
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Professional Computer
origins:
- U.S.A.
years:
- '1981'
cpus:
- '6502'
params:
  name: ACE 100
  image: /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace100_system_s1.jpg
  logo: /media/museum/logos/franklin_ace100_logo_s2.gif
  company: /companies/franklin
  company_name: Franklin
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: ACE 100
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Franklin
  - label: TYPE
    value: Professional Computer
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: U.S.A.
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1981'
  - label: END OF PRODUCTION
    value: '1982'
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: AppleSoft BASIC
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: Typewriter style, 73 keys with numeric keypad
  - label: CPU
    value: '6502'
  - label: SPEED
    value: 1 MHz
  - label: RAM
    value: 48 KB - Allowed for a 16 KB Language card
  - label: ROM
    value: 12 KB
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 40 columns x 24 lines
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: 40 x 48 / 208 x 160 / 280 x 192 dots
  - label: COLORS
    value: Monochrome
  - label: SOUND
    value: 1 voice - Built-in speaker
  - label: SIZE / WEIGHT
    value: Unknown
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: Joystick, 8 Apple II compatible slots (No tape recorder jacks)
  - label: BUILT IN MEDIA
    value: None
  - label: OS
    value: Apple DOS
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: Built-in switching PSU with cooling fan
  - label: PERIPHERALS
    value: All Apple II cards and peripherals
  - label: PRICE
    value: $900
  tabs:
  - photos
  - adverts
  - links
  photos:
  - title: ANOTHER VIEW
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace100_system_3.jpg
  - title: COMPLETE SYSTEM
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      The **[Maine Computer Museum](http://www.mainecomputermuseum.org)** displayed this complete version at the Vintage Computer Festival exhibition.

      Thanks to **Vinal Applebee**
    image: /media/museum/photos/franklin_ace100_compsystem_s1.jpg
  adverts:
  - title: US ADVERT, 1981
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/pubs/franklin_ace100_pub_s1.jpg
  links:
  - title: Dave Dunfield ACE 100 page
    url: http://www.parse.com/~ddunfield/museum/franklin/index.htm
    text: More information and pictures
  oc_id: 1070
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230206185937/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1070
    date: '2023-02-06'
---

Four years after Apple introduced its computer, Franklin Computer Corporation thought to duplicate Apple’s achievement and released its first computer, the Franklin Ace 100.

The ACE 100 was a pure copy of the Apple II. The main board had quite the same design and the ROM content was also exactly identical, aside from the Apple copyright which was removed!

Nevertheless, it supported some features that were missing in the Apple II, lower-case letters, and a numeric keypad. The ACE 100 had a short life, hardly one year, and was soon replaced by the [ACE 1000](/museum/franklin-ace-1000/)

It found however one's place in computing history when Apple took legal action against Franklin for counterfeiting and the US Court of Appeals eventually decided in August 1983 that computer programs in ROMs could legally be copyrighted.

<table> <tr> <td></td> <td>We need more info about this computer ! If you designed, used, or have more info about this system, please send us pictures or anything you might find useful.</td> <td></td> </tr> </table>