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| Released in 1995, the PowerBook 190 was one of the last Apple laptops to feature a Motorola 68LC040 processor, marking the end of the 68k era before Apple transitioned fully to PowerPC-based systems. It was designed as an affordable entry-level notebook and shared much of its design with the PowerBook 5300, though the 190 came with a grayscale passive-matrix display and lacked built-in networking in its base configuration. The casing was nearly identical to its more expensive sibling, giving it a modern appearance for the time. Though not a high-performance machine, the PowerBook 190 was popular in education and among budget-conscious users. It also offered an upgrade path—users could install a PowerPC upgrade card, extending the life of the machine. The 190 was the last Macintosh laptop to use a trackball before Apple moved exclusively to trackpads. It also featured a removable battery and expansion bay, providing flexibility that was appreciated by mobile users. | |||||