---
title: APPLE IIgs
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Professional Computer
origins:
- U.S.A.
years:
- '1986'
cpus:
- Western Design Center 65C816
params:
  name: APPLE IIgs
  image: /media/museum/photos/apple_iigs.jpg
  company: /companies/apple
  company_name: Apple
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: APPLE IIgs
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Apple
  - label: TYPE
    value: Professional Computer
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: U.S.A.
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1986'
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: Detached 80-key full stroke with 10-key numeric pad and mouse connector
  - label: CPU
    value: Western Design Center 65C816 (16 bit)
  - label: SPEED
    value: 2.8 MHz, switchable to 1 MHz
  - label: RAM
    value: 128 KB expandable to 8 MB
  - label: ROM
    value: 128 KB expandable to 1 MB
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 40 or 80 chars x 25 lines
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: 320 x 200 / 640 x 200 + Apple II graphic modes (see below)
  - label: COLORS
    value: '4096'
  - label: SOUND
    value: Ensoniq 32 with 16 stereo voices (+ 64 KB on chip RAM to store sound data), one voice is reserved for the system beep
  - label: SIZE / WEIGHT
    value: 28.5 (W) x 34.3 (D) x 10.1 (H) cm.
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: 7 slots, ram card, RS422c (2), analogue RGB, Apple Desktop Bus (mouse & keyboard), Composite video, joystick, audio, disk port, AppleTalk
  - label: BUILT IN MEDIA
    value: Built-in 3.5'' 800 KB floppy drive
  - label: OS
    value: GS / OS, ProDOS 8 & 16, DOS 3.3, Pascal UCSD, CP/M (with Z80 card)
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: Built-in switching power supply unit
  - label: PRICE
    value: $999 when launched. RGB monitor $499, Monochrome monitor $129, 3.5'' FDD unit $399, 5.25'' FDD unit $299, 256 KB RAM card $129, 20 MB HDD $1299, SCSI controller card $129
  tabs:
  - photos
  - adverts
  - hardware
  - emulators
  - links
  - docs
  forum_thread: 86
  photos:
  - title: MONO AND COLOUR SYSTEMS
    subtitle: ''
    text: The major external difference between the monochrome **(1)** and colour **(2)** monitors is in the display adjustments on the side of both monitors. One adjustment (bright) for the mono version, two (bright, contrast) for the colour one.
    image: /media/museum/photos/apple_iigs_systems_1.jpg
  - title: BACK SIDES
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      **(1)** Monochrome version\
      **(2)** Colour version
    image: /media/museum/photos/apple_iigs_back_1.jpg
  - title: KEYBOARD
    subtitle: ''
    text: The keyboard design was quite close to that of the future Macintosh series.
    image: /media/museum/photos/apple_iigs_keyboard_1.jpg
  - title: MOTHERBOARD
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      **(1)** Standard 128 KB RAM - 4 x 41464 chips (64K x 4)\
      **(2)** 64 KB Sound RAM - 2 x 41464 chips\
      **(3)** Ensoniq sound synthesizer chip\
      **(4)** Western Digital 16-bit 65816 microprocessor\
      **(5)** 128 KB system ROM chip\
      **(6)** Clock chip and back-up battery\
      **(7)** Joystick connector\
      **(8)** 7 x Apple II compatible expansion slots\
      **(9)** Expansion slot management chip\
      **(10)** 128 KB Fast RAM - 4 x 41464 chips\
      **(11)** Memory expansion connector (up to 8 MB)
    image: /media/museum/photos/apple_iigs_motherboard_1.jpg
  - title: INSIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      **(1)** Hard-disk controller card\
      **(2)** Memory expansion card\
      **(3)** Apple II floppy-disk controller card\
      **(4)** Stereo sound card\
      **(5)** Switching power supply
    image: /media/museum/photos/apple_iigs_inside_1.jpg
  - title: REAR CONNECTORS
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      **(1)** Headphone jack\
      **(2)** Apple II F.D. unit (cable path)\
      **(3)** Serial port #1 (Modem)\
      **(4)** Serial port #2 (Printer)\
      **(5)** Hard-disk unit DB25 connector\
      **(6)** Joystick DB9 connector\
      **(7)** Sound card output jack and switch\
      **(8)** 3.5" and/or 5.25 F.D. unit DB19 connector\
      **(9)** Video RGB out (DB15 connector)\
      **(10)** Monochrome video composite cinch plug\
      **(11)** Keyboard mini-din plug\
      **(12)** Mains plug and On/Off switch\
      **(13)** Security cable plug
    image: /media/museum/photos/apple_iigs_connect_1.jpg
  - title: WOZ EDITION
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      The first 10,000 Apple IIGS computers had the signature of "Woz" in honor of Steve Wozniak, the creator of the Apple II line of computers.

      Special thanks to **Bozhidar Stefanov** who donated us this computer.
    image: /media/museum/photos/apple_iigs_woz_s1.jpg
  - title: WOZ LETTER
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      Letter and certificate of othenticity sent by Steve Wozniak to all the Apple IIGS limited edition owners.

      Thanks to **[Computers Forever](http://perso.wanadoo.fr/fabrice.montupet/)** for this picture
    image: /media/museum/photos/apple_iigs_wozletter_s1.jpg
  - title: WOZ CERTIFICATE
    subtitle: ''
    text: Thanks to **[Computers Forever](http://perso.wanadoo.fr/fabrice.montupet/)** for this picture
    image: /media/museum/photos/apple_iigs_wozcertif_s1.jpg
  adverts:
  - title: FRENCH ADVERT (1987)
    subtitle: ''
    text: '"Before being told about it, come hear it yourself."'
    image: /media/museum/pubs/apple_2gs_pub_entendre.jpg
  hardware:
  - title: HARRIS MEMORY CARD
    subtitle: ''
    text: 4 MB memory card, here fitted with 2 x 1 MB SIMM modules
    image: /media/museum/hardware/apple_iigs_memorycard_1.jpg
  emulators:
  - title: Free Tools Association
    url: http://www.freetoolsassociation.com/
    platform: Windows
    text: IIGS emulator, with a few Apple II games and gs/os for the apple IIGS
  - title: KEGS32
    url: http://www.geocities.com/akilgard/kegs32/
    platform: Windows
    text: Windows emulator based on the Kent Dickey's KEGS for UNIX
  - title: Bernie II the rescue
    url: http://www.bernie.gs/Bernie/
    platform: Apple
    text: The most fully featured IIGS emulator, available only on the MacOS for PowerPCs
  - title: iGS-Mac Information
    url: http://www.openprojects.rarcoa.com/~justmike/XGS-Mac/
    platform: Apple
    text: 'Based on XGS: An Apple IIgs emulator originally written for X11 which has now been ported to MacOS'
  - title: Virtual Apple
    url: http://www.virtualapple.com/
    platform: Other platform
    text: This web site uses an ActiveX application and Apple IIgs emulator to automatically download and play most Apple 2 disk images online.
  - title: Sweet16
    url: http://www.sheppyware.net/products/beos/sweet16/
    platform: BEOS
    text: The smaller alternative to Bernie.
  - title: Original KEGS emulator
    url: HTTP://KEGS.SOURCEFORGE.NET/
    platform: Multiplatform
    text: For Mac OS X, Win32, Linux, and Unix/X11
  - title: XGS
    url: http://www.inwards.com/xgs/
    platform: Multiplatform
    text: Multiplatform emulator (Windows, DOS, Mac, NeXT)
  links:
  - title: A2central.com
    url: http://WWW.A2CENTRAL.COM
    text: Very useful Apple II web site
  - title: Apple2.org
    url: http://www.apple2.org/
    text: A website with lots of Apple II photos and some Apple IIGS info.
  - title: Computers Forever 1970..80..90
    url: http://PERSO.WANADOO.FR/fabrice.montupet/
    text: Good information about Apple and the IIgs (french)
  - title: CSA2 Usenet Apple II FAQs and Links
    url: http://home.swbell.net/rubywand/A2FAQs1START.html
    text: A very complete FAQ for the Apple II and Apple II links.
  - title: GS WorldView
    url: http://www.grin.net/~cturley/gsezine/
    text: The on-line journal of Apple II computing
  - title: Marinetti
    url: http://www.apple2.org/marinetti/
    text: Marinetti is the only TCP/IP stack available for the Apple IIGS
  - title: Ninjaforce
    url: http://www.ninjaforce.com/
    text: Makers of demos for the Apple IIGS, including the Ninjaforce Mega Demo
  - title: What is the Apple IIgs?
    url: http://www.whatisthe2gs.apple2.org.za/
    text: Great resource of IIgs specific games, applications, utilities, and educational software along with screen shots and reviews.
  docs:
  - title: APPLE IIGS QUICK START GUIDE
    url: http://www.apple-iigs.info/doc/dociigs.htm
    cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/quickstartguide.jpg
    text: |-
      [**APPLE IIGS QUICK START GUIDE**](http://www.apple-iigs.info/doc/dociigs.htm)written by Apple

       compiled/archived by Arnaud Brossard\
       type of document : PDF\
       source : [www.apple-iigs.info](http://www.apple-iigs.info/)
  - title: SETTING UP YOUR APPLE IIGS
    url: http://www.apple-iigs.info/doc/dociigs.htm
    cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/settingup.jpg
    text: |-
      [**SETTING UP YOUR APPLE IIGS**](http://www.apple-iigs.info/doc/dociigs.htm)written by Apple

       compiled/archived by Arnaud Brossard\
       type of document : PDF\
       source : [www.apple-iigs.info](http://www.apple-iigs.info/home.htm)
  - title: APPLE IIGS OWNER'S GUIDE
    url: http://www.apple-iigs.info/doc/dociigs.htm
    cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/ownersguide.jpg
    text: |-
      [**APPLE IIGS OWNER'S GUIDE**](http://www.apple-iigs.info/doc/dociigs.htm)written by Apple

       compiled/archived by Arnaud Brossard\
       type of document : PDF\
       source : [www.apple-iigs.info](http://www.apple-iigs.info/home.htm)
  - title: EXPLORING THE APPLE IIGS
    url: http://www.apple-iigs.info/doc/dociigs.htm
    cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/exploring.jpg
    text: |-
      [**EXPLORING THE APPLE IIGS**](http://www.apple-iigs.info/doc/dociigs.htm)written by Apple

       compiled/archived by Arnaud Brossard\
       type of document : PDF\
       source : [www.apple-iigs.info](http://www.apple-iigs.info/home.htm)
  - title: FROM APPLE IIE TO APPLE IIGS - PERFORMANCE UPGRADE
    url: http://www.apple-iigs.info/doc/dociigs.htm
    cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/perfupgrade.jpg
    text: |-
      [**FROM APPLE IIE TO APPLE IIGS - PERFORMANCE UPGRADE**](http://www.apple-iigs.info/doc/dociigs.htm)written by Apple

       compiled/archived by Arnaud Brossard\
       type of document : PDF\
       source : [www.apple-iigs.info/](http://www.apple-iigs.info/home.htm)
  - title: PROGRAMMER'S INTRODUCTION TO THE APPLE IIGS
    url: http://www.apple-iigs.info/doc/docprog.htm
    cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/apple_2gs_programmers-introduction.jpg
    text: |-
      [**PROGRAMMER'S INTRODUCTION TO THE APPLE IIGS**](http://www.apple-iigs.info/doc/docprog.htm)written by Apple

       compiled/archived by Arnaud Brossard\
       type of document : PDF\
       source : [www.apple-iigs.info/](http://www.apple-iigs.info/home.htm)
  - title: APPLE IIGS SYSTEM DISK USER'S GUIDE
    url: http://www.apple-iigs.info/doc/docos.htm
    cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/apple2gs_system-disk-user-guide.jpg
    text: |-
      [**APPLE IIGS SYSTEM DISK USER'S GUIDE**](http://www.apple-iigs.info/doc/docos.htm)written by Apple

       compiled/archived by Arnaud Brossard\
       type of document : PDF\
       source : [www.apple-iigs.info](http://www.apple-iigs.info/home.htm)
  - title: APPLE IIGS SYSTEM 6 USER'S REFERENCE
    url: http://www.apple-iigs.info/doc/docos.htm
    cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/apple2gs_system6-user-reference.jpg
    text: |-
      [**APPLE IIGS SYSTEM 6 USER'S REFERENCE**](http://www.apple-iigs.info/doc/docos.htm)written by Apple

       compiled/archived by Arnaud Brossard\
       type of document : PDF\
       source : [www.apple-iigs.info](http://www.apple-iigs.info/home.htm)
  - title: APPLE IIGS - MEMORY EXPANSION CARD OWNER'S GUIDE
    url: http://www.apple-iigs.info/doc/docacc.htm
    cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/apple2gs_memory-expansion-card.jpg
    text: |-
      [**APPLE IIGS - MEMORY EXPANSION CARD OWNER'S GUIDE**](http://www.apple-iigs.info/doc/docacc.htm)written by Apple

       compiled/archived by Arnaud Brossard\
       type of document : PDF\
       source : [www.apple-iigs.info/](http://www.apple-iigs.info/home.htm)
  - title: GS-RAM III - USER'S MANUAL
    url: http://www.apple-iigs.info/doc/docacc.htm
    cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/apple2gs_gs-ram-iii.jpg
    text: |-
      [**GS-RAM III - USER'S MANUAL**](http://www.apple-iigs.info/doc/docacc.htm)written by Applied Engineering

       compiled/archived by Arnaud Brossard\
       type of document : PDF\
       source : [www.apple-iigs.info/](http://www.apple-iigs.info/home.htm)
  - title: VULCAN IIGS - USER'S MANUAL
    url: http://www.apple-iigs.info/doc/docacc.htm
    cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/apple2gs_vulcan.jpg
    text: |-
      [**VULCAN IIGS - USER'S MANUAL**](http://www.apple-iigs.info/doc/docacc.htm)written by Applied Engineering

       compiled/archived by Arnaud Brossard\
       type of document : PDF\
       source : [www.apple-iigs.info/](http://www.apple-iigs.info/home.htm)
  oc_id: 71
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230426111454/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=71
    date: '2023-04-26'
---

The Apple IIGS was designed in response to the [Amiga 1000](/museum/commodore-amiga-1000/) and [Atari 520ST](/museum/atari-520-st-st-stm/) computers & could be considered a cross between the [Macintosh](/museum/apple-macintosh/) & [Apple II](/museum/apple-iie/) (naturally, it can't use Macintosh programs). It was (and still is) a quantum leap for the Apple II line.

Sales were strong initially and the IIGS even outsold the black and white Macintosh units that were its contemporary. Sadly, Apple wanted Macintosh to be its future. The total number of advertisements and commercials for the IIGS could probably be counted on one hand. If the computer had been introduced a year or two earlier, things might have been different. The Apple IIGS disappeared from the market in 1992.

In one final gasp, the Apple II supporters at Apple designed the Apple IIGS Plus, code named "Mark Twain". It had an 8Mhz 65C816, a built in SuperDrive, 2MB on the motherboard, and a hard drive. Prototypes leaked out and a user group that has one and wrote a series of articles about it. Apple management vetoed this unit.

The Ensoniq chip in the Apple IIGS was a brilliant move by Apple, but it drew a lawsuit from Apple Records, the Beatles' record label. Apple never again put a synthesizer chip in any computer. Even today, the Macintosh does not have hardware synthesizers. The Macintosh works around this by using software-based synthesis.

It had a lot of graphic modes : All modes used a 12-bit palette for 4096 colors.\
\- 320x200 with 16 colors\
\- 320x200 with 256 colors: in this mode, the VGC is taking advantage of the fact that it has memory for 16 separate palettes. Each scan line can be assigned any one of these 16 palettes for a total of 256 possible colors. This mode requires no CPU assistance and is often used in games.\
\- 320x200 with 3200 colors: in this mode, the CPU is used to swap palettes into and out of video memory such that a separate 16 color palette can be used on each of the 200 scan lines for 3200 possible colors. This mode is often used for viewing graphics.\
\- 640x200 with 4 pure colors: this mode is bland and is not often used.\
\- 640x200 with 16 dithered colors: in this mode, the pixels in the graphic screen are grouped into even and odd columns. The even columns can have a palette of 4 pure colors out of a of a possible 4096. The odd columns can have a second palette of 4 pure colors. The GS dithers the adjacent colors for 4x4=16 dithered colors. This mode is widely used in productivity programs and also in Apple's Finder for the GS.\
\- Fill mode: for faster rendering of graphics, fill mode is a hardware mode in which an outline of a graphic can be drawn and the outline filled by a solid color without needing to draw in all the pixels.

Combinations and variations: the Apple IIGS supported scan line interrupts. Part of the screen could be in 640x200 mode while another part could be in 20x200 resolution. Such split modes were sometimes used in paint programs, where the menu bar was in 640x200 while the graphic was in 320x200.

SVGA modes with 24-bit color could be added with an additional video card (see the Second Sight SVGA card at Sequential Systems at [http://www.sequential.com/](http://www.sequential.com)).

The Apple IIGS also had all the graphics modes found on the [Apple IIc](/museum/apple-iic/).

\- Text mode: 40x24 and 80x24. Characters are formed by a 7x8 pixel matrix. Text mode is monochrome but can be set to a specific color. The background and border can each be set to different colors. Text mode is rarely used in GS programs since the OS, GS/OS, had a graphic desktop.\
\- Low Resolution: 40x48 pixels in 16 colors. Double Low Resolution: 80x48 pixels in 16 colors. High Resolution: 280x192 pixels in 6 colors Double High Resolution: 560x192 pixels in 16 colors.

Combinations/Variations: 4 lines of text mode could be mixed with a truncated Low Resolution or High Resolution mode graphic. The text in mixed mode could be either 40 column or 80 column. Double Low Res and Double High Res modes couldn't be mixed with text.

The "SmartPort" external drive port supports both Apple IIe/IIc UniDisks (3.5" and 5.25" models) and Apple IIGS daisy-chain 3.5" drives and Apple 5.25" disks. It was sold with a 3.5" floppy drive which not only worked on this computer, but on the Macintosh as well. It was also designed to support the Chinook CT-series 20MB to 100MB SmartPort hard drives, but Apple IIGS users usually added an SCSI card to the system for faster hard drive access.

The difference between a UniDisk and a IIGS 3.5" drive is that the IIGS drive is controlled directly by the computer while the UniDisk has a separate processor. The UniDisk is thus much slower (up to 4x slower) than a IIGS 3.5" drive.

The SmartPort can support two 800K 3.5" drives, two 140K 5.25" drives, and one 100MB CT100 hard drive simultaneously daisy-chained to each other.

The Apple IIGS often shipped with the Apple High Speed (DMA) SCSI controller in an expansion slot for controlling SCSI devices. Even 100MB Zip Drives and 1 GB Jazz Drives work on this SCSI port. A SuperDrive controller could be added for using 1.44MB high density floppy drives.