PSPINC CEO Kenichi Uchikura's Blog

On March 1, 1985, Apple released a groundbreaking printer called the LaserWriter. At the time, it was priced at an astonishing $6,995—equivalent to about $20,450 in today’s money (2024).

 

The LaserWriter changed the world of office printing. It was one of the first printers to adopt laser technology, powered by a Motorola 68000 processor (12 MHz) with 1.5 MB of memory. With a resolution of 300 dpi and a speed of 8 pages per minute, its performance was revolutionary for the mid-1980s.

 

What truly set the LaserWriter apart was its networking capability. With AppleTalk and LocalTalk support, multiple Macintosh computers could print to the same device over a network. This was a game-changer, since most printers at the time could only connect directly to a single computer. The LaserWriter dramatically improved office workflow and played a pivotal role in the rise of desktop publishing (DTP).

 

Of course, this innovation came with trade-offs. The machine weighed a hefty 35 kg (77 lbs), consumed 760 watts of power, and was far too expensive for home users. Instead, it found its place in businesses, design studios, and publishing houses where its speed and print quality justified the cost.

 

Though discontinued on February 1, 1988, the LaserWriter remains a symbol of a turning point in personal computing history. It transformed printers from simple peripherals into essential business tools and paved the way for the modern desktop publishing revolution.

 

When we compare it to today’s compact, affordable, and feature-packed printers, it’s hard not to marvel at how far technology has come in just a few decades.

 

 

 

Today, I unpacked and install Canon GX 6120 ... It costed 1/15 of the price of LaserWriter.