PowerBook 3400c

For a few months in 1997 Apple sold the fastest laptop in the world, which the company needed rather badly at the time. The 3400c ran a PowerPC 603ev between 180 and 240MHz under Mac OS 7.6.1 and beat comparably priced Pentium and Pentium MMX portables from Toshiba, IBM and Compaq at launch. Given where the 5300 had left Apple's reputation, that was a considerable recovery. It fixed the 5300 point by point. Sturdier case, batteries that behaved, an active-matrix color screen and a PCI internal architecture, plus a swappable bay taking batteries, floppy drives or CD-ROM modules. It cost a lot. This was among the most expensive laptops on sale, and the angular businesslike styling made clear Apple wanted corporate buyers rather than only the creative professionals who had stayed loyal. The timing mattered more than the machine. Apple in early 1997 was absorbing NeXT and running on interim leadership, and having the fastest laptop on earth was something the marketing department could actually use. The engineering fed directly into the PowerBook G3 Wallstreet a year later.