'A complete disaster': The 11 worst Apple gadgets of the past 50 years, according to you
From a 1980s computer disaster to its modern-day gaffes
· TechRadarFeatures By Darren Allan published 28 March 2026
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An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter 50 years of Apple
We're celebrating Apple's 50th birthday with a week of content about the tech giant. It covers everything from personal recollections from our writers to the greatest — and worst — Apple gadgets as voted by you, and you can read it all on our 50 years of Apple page.
Apple is celebrating its 50 birthday in a few days on April 1 — but as we all know, it's not all been smooth sailing over the last half century.
The company has certainly had its big wins and defining moments with game-changing hardware releases, and we'll be celebrating those too. But on its 50th anniversary, we also need to look back and reminisce about Apple innovation that went badly off the rails.
From suede-like phone cases to bin-like computers and not-so-magic mice, Apple has stumbled a number of times in its long history. We picked out some of the biggest hardware flops from the company, but we wanted to let you have your say — so this ranking of the top 11 worst Apple gadgets is based on your votes (from a poll on the TechRadar WhatsApp channel).
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Take a moment to consider: what's the worst product Apple has ever made in your opinion? Then read on to see the verdict from TechRadar readers, which, we've got to say, we fully agree with when it comes to the main offender.
We'll go through the rankings in reverse order, from number 11 down to the top spot. Also, note that we have a poll running for the best Apple gadgets ever if you want to celebrate its more successful attempts at innovation — and please do let us know in the comments below if we've missed any notable clangers...
11. 'Trash Can' Mac Pro (2013)
- What they said in 2013: "Can't innovate anymore, my ass" (Apple's Phil Schiller at WWDC 2013)
Apple considered all sorts of nuances with the design of the Mac Pro that arrived in 2013. This pro-targeted computer was way more compact than its predecessor, much lighter, and yet packed a whole heap of performance, with a nifty cooling setup to ensure it ran commendably (even spookily) quietly.
There was just one small detail Apple overlooked, and this was that the redesigned Mac Pro looked like a wastepaper bin. Not a little like a bin – a lot like one, and so the device was informally known as the 'Trash Can' Mac. Doubtless that's not a nickname Apple was particularly pleased to see attached to its high-powered, shiny new piece of very expensive hardware.
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