Faster versions of the 65C816 processor were readily available, with speeds of between 5 and 14 MHz, but Apple kept the machine at 2.8 MHz throughout its production run. This decision had a critical effect on the IIGS's success the original 65C816 processor used in the IIGS was certified to run at up to 4 MHz. The 2.8 MHz clock was a deliberate decision to limit the IIGS's performance to less than that of the Macintosh. The 65C816 allows the IIGS to address considerably more RAM. The processor runs at 2.8 MHz, which is faster than the 8-bit processors used in the earlier Apple II models. It emulates its predecessors via a custom chip called the Mega II and uses the then-new WDC 65C816 16-bit microprocessor. The Apple IIGS made significant improvements over the Apple IIe and Apple IIc. 7.5 Third firmware release ("ROM version 3") 1 MB of RAM.7.3 Second firmware release ("ROM version 01").
The "GS" in the name stands for "Graphics and Sound," referring to its enhanced multimedia hardware, especially its state-of-the-art audio. While featuring the Macintosh look and feel, and resolution and color similar to the Amiga and Atari ST, it remains compatible with earlier Apple II models. The Apple IIGS (styled as II GS), the fifth and most powerful of the Apple II family, is a 16-bit personal computer produced by Apple Computer. US$999 (equivalent to $2,360 in 2020), excluding monitorĮnsoniq ES5503 DOC 8-bit wavetable synthesis sound chip,