If You Invested $1000 In Apple When Macintosh Was Introduced 40 Years Ago, Here’s How Much You’d Have Today

The iconic Macintosh has turned 40. Launched on Jan. 24, 1984, the Mac would set the tone for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) future and change the much-wider personal computing industry forever.

The Macintosh was not Apple’s first personal computer; it was the fourth computer launched by the Steve Jobs-led company. However, it had the most significant impact on personal computing for two reasons: it was more affordable and brought a graphical user interface (GUI) to the masses.

The Apple I, Apple II, and the Lisa preceded the Macintosh’s launch. Despite critical acclaim, though, Apple did not manage to deliver an out-and-out hit.

But that was about the change, and there was more than just the Macintosh for Apple to thank for.

After Xerox granted Apple and its engineers a visit to Palo Alto Research Center’s facilities in 1980, Jobs understood that the future of computing was graphical. He and his team got down to work and started developing a GUI for a new computer called Apple Lisa, named after Jobs’ daughter.

However, infighting in the team led to Jobs being pushed out of the division, and that was perhaps a blessing in disguise for both him and Apple. Jobs began working on the Macintosh after his fellow co-founder Steve Wozniak stepped back from the project due to a plane crash earlier.

See Also: If You Invested $1000 In Apple When It Announced NeXT Acquisition To Bring Back Steve Jobs, Here’s How Much You’d Have

Remembering Apple’s Iconic ‘1984′ Super Bowl Ad

While the Macintosh team was busy preparing the computer for launch, Jobs teamed up with Ridley Scott for a massive push at the Super Bowl XVIII.

What followed was Apple’s iconic “1984” Super Bowl ad that was called everything, from a “watershed moment” for Apple to a “masterpiece.”

It has also been called the greatest TV advertisement of all time by TV Guide.

Apple marketing guru Regis McKenna called the ad “more successful than the Mac itself.”

Changing Personal Computing Forever

The original Macintosh seems absurd, with its diminutive display and slightly bulky appearance. However, that was a different time when 128 kilobytes of memory was insanely costly, at $1,269.

For context, you can buy the top-tier iPhone 15 Pro Max today with far, far more processing power, powerful cameras, a stunning display, and 8,192 times more memory…