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How maxed out can the Cube be?

J

JupiterZen

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 17, 2002
247
0
Reality Maingrid 23 Subjunction 42A
Just wondering. What is the most maxed out Cube out there?

I was just thinking what a cool machine it would be with:

- 1.5GB of RAM
- 200GB Western Digital 7200rpm harddisk
- Geforce4 something
- Powerlogix dual 1Ghz upgradecard
- Superdrive

But I fear it's mostly dreaming. Because for one, you would have to murder a powerbook with superdrive to get one that fits (or isn't it a notebook drive in there? Sorry to say never seen a Cube in person). Second Powerlogix says that you can only put the dual 800 in the Cube. And third, I have no idea if you could fit any Geforce4 in there.

So tell me, how cool can it get for real.

:cool:
 
OK - the most maxed-out a Cube could theoretically be is:

* 1.5Gb Ram
* 23" LCD Monitor
* Powerlogix Dual-1.25Gb Processors (due out anytime soon) with 2Mb L3 Cache
* 250Gb Internal ATA Drive
* Slot-Loading SuperDrive (as seen in the new TiBooks)
* GeForce3 or ATI Radeon 7500 (fanless) Graphics card

What a kick-butt machine THAT'LL be...

Currently, Powerlogix have OK'd the Dual-Gig Processor upgrades. However, there is going to be a new chip design coming out in the next few months that has a lower power requirement, and give speeds in excess of 1.5Gb per chip...

Bear in mind, that for most upgrades it is recommended that a small fan be installed inside the Cube - Apple have been kind enough to supply a nice little area at the base of the inside chassis for such a unit - including a 12V supply. Perhaps it was to plan ahead for such contingencies as further upgradability to the Cube range.

How sad it didn't continue...

Now, if only the graphics card manufacturers were to make half-height (7") cards, then the Cube would be well and truly back in business...

:cool:
 
But, of course, you're still going to be limited by the 100MHz bus. However, most Cubes seem to do okay with a bus overclock to 133MHz, so things might not be as bas as it seems.

I've spent many an hour staring at my cube and pondering whether to upgrade it to a single gigger, ati 7500 and overclock the bus. But, by the time everything is said and done, it'll cost close to what a new, bottom of the line, PM would cost (minus the ~$1500 i can get for the cube) and still be slower. But, on the other hand, if I upgraded I would still own a cube ;) (albeit a noisy one)

Oh well, at least my finances force this to be a decision I don't have to make anytime soon.
 
If anyone hasinformation on overclocking the system bus to 133, PLEASE POST IT. I'd do this weekend!

Second, I would prefer to use an external DVD-R (MicroCenter this week has a 4X DVD-R/W for $199!) via firewire. I've pulled my internal CD/DVD drive from my Cube and replaced it with a second Hardrive. Using this you could get both a superdrive and 500gigs of space. the dual 1GHz from powerlogix is supposedly more reliable than the dual 800 from everything I've read. (xlr8yourmac)

So..
dual 1Ghz Powerlogix
500Gigs (dual harddrives internally)
External Superdrive
1.5gigs of ram

Again, someone please post a link on how to overclock system bus! :)
 
I do believe that the instructions for the sawtooth g4 work on the cube. They're at http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/G4ZONE/sawtooth/SawtoothCPUdesign.html

At least its heavily hinted at in the document where they discuss the timebase problem, and how the cube doesn't have it...

If not, the kind folks in the forums there should be able to direct you in the correct way. The main trick is to down clock your CPU before the bus, otherwise your cube won't even start up as the CPU will be trying to run at 600Mhz.

People have reported limited success for the 450s at 466 and virtually no success at 533 (to the point where, if you have a 500, you're better off going to 466).

If you have any success, post back and let us know.
 
Originally posted by kiwi_the_iwik
OK - the most maxed-out a Cube could theoretically be is:

* 1.5Gb Ram
* 23" LCD Monitor
* Powerlogix Dual-1.25Gb Processors (due out anytime soon) with 2Mb L3 Cache
* 250Gb Internal ATA Drive
* Slot-Loading SuperDrive (as seen in the new TiBooks)
* GeForce3 or ATI Radeon 7500 (fanless) Graphics card

What a kick-butt machine THAT'LL be...

Now, if only the graphics card manufacturers were to make half-height (7") cards, then the Cube would be well and truly back in business...

:cool:
Click to expand...

I must say it sound very promising ;) I have a dual 800 Quicksilver now, but would really like to get rid of the noise in my audio studio. So I've been looking at the new Powerbook 17", but it's way to expensive for me :(.

But getting a secondhand Cube and patching it up like this seems a good alternative because I already have the RAM, A 17" LCD, 80GB harddrive and a Geforce3.

Do you know if the Geforce3 that Apple shipped with the Quicksilvers fits inside the Cube?

:cool:
 
Originally posted by JupiterZen
But getting a secondhand Cube and patching it up like this seems a good alternative.
Click to expand...

I'm getting ready to ordering one of the 17" powerbooks at the end of the month. At that point I plan on getting rid of my 450cube, and I'd be willing to let it go pretty cheap. Let me know if you're interested, eh?
 
Originally posted by cr2sh


I'm getting ready to ordering one of the 17" powerbooks at the end of the month. At that point I plan on getting rid of my 450cube, and I'd be willing to let it go pretty cheap. Let me know if you're interested, eh?
Click to expand...

I would be quite interested ;) but I think we have one little problem. Because I happen to live in Europe.

So I have no idea if it would be worth it with shippingcosts and moneytransfercosts getting it all around the globe.
 
In that case, anyone else interested the offer stands.

Back to the subject at hand though....
 
Originally posted by JupiterZen
Do you know if the Geforce3 that Apple shipped with the Quicksilvers fits inside the Cube?
Click to expand...

Yes - it's the best nVidia card that fits in the Cube - otherwise, you could go for a Radeon 7500 (which has the added benefit of not having a fan, unlike the GeForce3). I've always got an eye open on eBay - there's a guy in the States who is always selling those cards for around $250-300. Otherwise, try going to www.cube-zone.com or www.cubeowner.com for links to second-hand dealers who stock them.

Good luck!

:)
 
Originally posted by kiwi_the_iwik


Yes - it's the best nVidia card that fits in the Cube - otherwise, you could go for a Radeon 7500 (which has the added benefit of not having a fan, unlike the GeForce3). I've always got an eye open on eBay - there's a guy in the States who is always selling those cards for around $250-300. Otherwise, try going to www.cube-zone.com or www.cubeowner.com for links to second-hand dealers who stock them.

Good luck!

:)
Click to expand...

Thanx for the info. The Radeon is a good idea, because it's actually the fan of the Geforce3 that a am hoping to escape.

The only problem is I would really like a card with ADC for my 17" LCD. So I'll have to check if the Radeon comes with that.

/me is om his way exploring Cube ownership ;)
 
Originally posted by cr2sh
In that case, anyone else interested the offer stands.

Back to the subject at hand though....
Click to expand...

I might be interested. I was thinking of upgrading a Cube to Dual 1Ghz or so, but I don't have one. How much would you let it go for?
 
Originally posted by IndyGopher
Am I missing something? How do you folks get drives bigger than 128gig to be recognized in the cube?
Click to expand...

Ummmm - yeah - well. Didn't know there was a problem...

Other Cube Forum sites haven't pointed out any problems regarding the installation of big hard drives. What have you heard?
 
Originally posted by kiwi_the_iwik


Ummmm - yeah - well. Didn't know there was a problem...

Other Cube Forum sites haven't pointed out any problems regarding the installation of big hard drives. What have you heard?
Click to expand...

The problem is with ATA100 and below. Up until recently with the release of the DDR powermacs the ATA100, ATA66, ATA33 etc. have a hardware limitation of I believe 136GB. With the release of the DDR powermacs Apple has a new ATA100 card with a new architecture that allows nearly unlimited size.
 
Originally posted by MacBandit


The problem is with ATA100 and below. Up until recently with the release of the DDR powermacs the ATA100, ATA66, ATA33 etc. have a hardware limitation of I believe 136GB. With the release of the DDR powermacs Apple has a new ATA100 card with a new architecture that allows nearly unlimited size.
Click to expand...

:( Damn. That sucks at least a little. I have 80GB now so it's not an immediate problem unless I run out of space and 120GB doesn't cut it.

Well, first I have to find a Cube. Here in Europe they go for about 1000 euro's secondhand. How does that compare to prices in the US?

<edit>
Just looked around ebay and in the US they come for 1000 dollars WITH monitor even 15" TFT. Damn, why are they so expensive here :(
</edit>
 
Originally posted by cr2sh


I'm getting ready to ordering one of the 17" powerbooks at the end of the month. At that point I plan on getting rid of my 450cube, and I'd be willing to let it go pretty cheap. Let me know if you're interested, eh?
Click to expand...

let me know how much you want for it.

m
 
Originally posted by JupiterZen


Thanx for the info. The Radeon is a good idea, because it's actually the fan of the Geforce3 that a am hoping to escape.

The only problem is I would really like a card with ADC for my 17" LCD. So I'll have to check if the Radeon comes with that.

/me is om his way exploring Cube ownership ;)
Click to expand...

check out xlr8yourmac.com they have info on a radeon 9000 in a cube
 
Originally posted by cr2sh


I'm getting ready to ordering one of the 17" powerbooks at the end of the month. At that point I plan on getting rid of my 450cube, and I'd be willing to let it go pretty cheap. Let me know if you're interested, eh?
Click to expand...
]

Very interested. How much? I'd love to get a Cube (okay so my boyfriend wants one too)!
 
I'm not sure how much I'd ask for it. I've been using it for the last 6months with dual harddrives and the case apart, so I'd have to reassemble it. I've done some customization on the case (had it powdercoated black) amongst other things and I'd prolly toss in the 15" apple lcd too. I was thinking $600 for both, maybe cheaper... When I do decide to sell it I'll post it in the forsale section but you guys get the first crack at (if you're even still interested.) What date are the 17" available?

the specs:
450 g4 / 1gig ram (1x512, 2x256) / 40gig 7200 maxtor / DVD
15" studio display (Digital)
 
Originally posted by übergeek
$600 for the modded g4 cube and a 15" studio display? sounds great...but hmmm...how much would shipping it to london cost? :D
Click to expand...


Not if I get it first.
grinning.gif



Oh, and I just recounted and I can pay the full $600.
 
Right now I'm not in the States...

You probably could mail it to my house in Cupertino.

Cash, check or plastic? Or do you prefer paypal?

I want the cube!!!!
 
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