Apple II Buyer's Guide!

Опубликовано: 24 Июнь 2026
на канале: Modern Classic
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In this video, I return to one of my favorite subjects - the computers of my youth - to bring you a buyer's guide for anyone who's interested in retro-buying their first Apple II. The Apple II's still a really fun system with a lot going on for any computer enthusiast. Apple was a very different company in those days, and IBM even took a lot of inspiration from the Apple II for its later PC. So the II line doesn't really feel like a dead end, but in many ways a spiritual predecessor to the desktops - Mac or PC - that many of us still have.

There are various Apple II models to choose from, and here I help you decide which is best for you. (Spoiler alert: there's one machine I think is probably right for about 99% of all Apple II buyers.) I also go through the most common peripherals you'll want for your system.

One clarification on the IIc/IIc Plus and the Floppy Emu: You actually SHOULD be able to boot in 3.5" mode on the Floppy Emu on a IIc Plus. It works with the Unidisk, so probably works with the Floppy Emu too. Let me know if you have a IIc Plus and a Floppy Emu and can confirm this. You also can boot in 5.25" mode on a IIc if using ProDOS disk images, but that rules out most games.

Find an Apple II on Ebay: http://ebay.to/2E8IYJR

Floppy emulator links:
Floppy Emu: https://www.bigmessowires.com/floppy-...
CFFA3000: https://shop.dreher.net/
(Fill out the "contact us" form to get on the waiting list.)

The link to that unfortunate IIGS battery disaster: http://www.classic-computers.org.nz/b...

A few image attributions - contact me if I've forgotten any:

Apple IIC Plus Users SCEhardt, Apple2gs on en.wikipedia

Apple Monitor II: Mystère Martin

Amdek Monitor 300A: Apple Rescue of Denver http://www.applerescueofdenver.com/ap...

Apple II duodisk: Blake Patterson https://www.flickr.com/photos/blakesp...

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