Where’s Apple In The Top 25 PCs Of All Time?

We love a good list. If it’s not the top grossing movie of the week it’s the top car, top TV show, hottest new gadget.

If you had to name the 25 greatest PCs of all time, what would they be?

Where would Apple’s computers rank on your list? After all, the company is nearly 30 years old.

After that many years of putting out personal computers and shaking up the industry, Apple should rank.

Depending on your perspective, computer history, and taste, the Official 25 Greats PCs of All Time list is rank, for sure.

Fear not, Apple fares well—much better than small market share might demand.

The Canada version of PC World polled their very own editors for nominations to the list.

Then, they reviewed the basic criteria and rated the nominated computers for overall market impact, and other items.

Criteria included innovation, industrial design, and a host of intangibles, such as, “Oh, I remember that computer.” That one made the list.

Or, “I don’t remember that? Did anyone buy one of those?”

The list of 25 Greatest PCs Of All Time is an arbitrary, objective list. It’s the kind you won’t agree with but can’t stop looking at.

Yes, Mac lovers, fear not. Apple is well represented in both the Top 25 and the Top 5.

What’s interesting about this list is how ancient the computers are. That says something about the average age of the judges, right?

For example, who remembers the Kaypro II? It ran CP/M back in the early days of PCs and sold well.

If you liked sewing machine designs, they were all the rage in the early 1980s.

The list seems to have a little of everything for everyone, except there’s no modern day computers to speak of.

Do you remember the Toshiba Qosmio G35-AV650? What is it with Japanese manufacturers and their product names?

The Qosmio was tiny. Tinier than tiny.

Everyone’s favorite PC laptop is the IBM ThinkPad. They made it to the Top 5.

Also on the list is one of my favorite computers that never sold well, the Commodore Amiga 1000. Talk about advanced everything.

Dating beyond my time is the MITS Altair 8800, what many considered one of the truly first personal computers. It wasn’t.

Hewlett-Packards on the list, as you’d expect. So is Tandy, the Radio Shack folks. There’s Atari, and Gateway, and Compaq.

But there’s also Xerox. Go figure. One man’s list of computers is another man’s Hamburger Helper. So to speak.

Enough of the sensation, PC World just took a huge list and made it a small list and sprinkled a little of everything into it, right?

That’s what I think. It’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Apple did well in what is obviously an historical look at ancient PCs that captured the imagination of computer users.

Coming in at #23 is Apple’s eMate? What? You never heard of it? Ever hear of anyone who had one?

The second generation iMac comes up in the Top 20, at #19. Who can forget all those candy colors. That alone would make the Top 25 list.

One of the absolute best ever laptops was the original Mac PowerBook series circa 1991, 1992. The PowerBook 100 made the list at #10.

See? Apple did very well. Forgettable must the PowerMacs be as they didn’t score a spot on the list. There’s not a Quadra to be found, either.

You might think that any list of memorable personal computers would include the original Mac, right?

You’d be wrong, but you’d be close.

The Mac Plus from 1986 made it to #4 on the PC World list.

Remarkable, that noteworthy computer is just behind the Xerox 8010 Information System.

The what? My thoughts precisely.

Making up for past sins of omitting so many great Macs, the editors managed to find room at the top for Apple.

The 1977 Apple II was voted the greatest PC of all time.

Why? Total cutting edge innovation, expandability, compact design. This, as the editors said, is “The Machine That Changed Everything.”

PC World is not my favorite trade rag, but lists such as this are an enjoyable diversion, especially when Apple comes out on top.

We could also do a Top 25 Greatest PC Applications list. Or, Top 25 Greatest Printers list. You get the idea. Click Here for the full list.

Time for a little nostaligia, retroflection, and imagination. What did PC World miss?