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Rebirth of the Cube?

kiwi_the_iwik

kiwi_the_iwik

macrumors 65816
Oct 30, 2001
1,110
1
London, UK
Originally posted by tjwett:
it would be great to have a Cube again, especially running at 1ghz but the 100mhz bus is sounding really old right now, compared to what we will (may, who knows?) see at MWNY. if only we could get DDR and all those goodies into the Cube...


The bottom line is...

You've got a Cube, you invest in the 1Ghz processor, but you've still only got a 100Mhz bus.

Big deal.

Does it really matter that you're waiting around that extra 2 milliseconds for a computation to be completed, just because you don't have a 133Mhz bus?

I don't know about you folks, but I'll just sit here being thankful that I've got a G4 processor, and not a candy-coloured iMac - or late model iBook with a G3 - in the first place...;)
 
wsteineker

wsteineker

macrumors 6502a
Jul 17, 2001
727
0
Montgomery, AL
Right on, kiwi. I can't fathom why people are getting so worried about the system bus issue. Bottom line is that by Christmas my cube will be a beast, and for a cost that's a lot less than a new Mac. It's a damn good looking machine, too.

1GHz G4, 1.5 GB RAM, 60 GB HD, GeForce3, 17" Apple Studio LCD

Those specs are GREAT, DDR or no, especially when you fit it all into an 8" cube. I for one won't be complaining. No way. :)
 
dobbin

dobbin

macrumors 6502a
Jan 28, 2002
587
5
England
Yeah Baby! Bring back the cube!!!

I don't see why Apple would hint "there is a small chance it will reintroduce an upgraded model of the unique computer in the future" if they didn't mean it.

How about launching a G5 cube before a G5 tower - that would be a sure way to make it sell better than last time!!!

Seriously though, it was easily the best looking computer ever, and they should bring it back for that reason alone, even if it doesn't compete in sales volumes with iMacs or Towers.
 
skunk

skunk

macrumors G4
Jun 29, 2002
11,758
6,107
Republic of Ukistan
Yes, I am guilty of extreme extravagance – but God it's beautiful! It's "only" the 22" but it's pixel-perfect. I really think they should keep the 22" as part of the line-up, as it's much better value than the 23".
 
edesignuk

edesignuk

Moderator emeritus
Mar 25, 2002
19,232
2
London, England
Originally posted by skunk
Yes, I am guilty of extreme extravagance – but God it's beautiful! It's "only" the 22" but it's pixel-perfect. I really think they should keep the 22" as part of the line-up, as it's much better value than the 23".
Click to expand...
I wouldn't mind them canning the 22" if the 23" took its place in terms of price - price cut to around £2,000. That would be sweet!
 
tjwett

tjwett

macrumors 68000
May 6, 2002
1,880
0
Brooklyn, NYC
Re: Re: question...

Originally posted by wsteineker


Ok, here's the deal. The processor in the Cube (as well as the whole of the G4 series) is on a processor daughtercard. The upgrade replaces the current 450 or 500 MHz daughtercard with a new 800 MHz or 1 GHz daughtercard, complete with onboard cooling (a really sweet looking fan). As for the system bus, there's no way that I know of to increase the bus speed safely. We're locked into a 100 MHz FSB and the requisite PC 100 RAM. It's unfortunate, but that's the way it is. Still, it's pretty impressive to get even that into an 8 inch cube. I for one won't be giving mine up any time soon. Hell, by the time I can afford the upgrade (around Christmas) who's to say that dual 800s won't be an option. Now THAT would be a monster of a Cube! :D
Click to expand...

thanks for the info. i thought, because of it's size, the Cube had the processor right on the board, like the TiBook. well, good to know. i think i may bite the bullett and eBay up myself a new(used)Cube. it should do pretty well with all the available upgrades. i'm psyched.
 
C

cubist

macrumors 68020
Jul 4, 2002
2,075
0
Muncie, Indiana
http://www.cubeowner.com

... is where to go to get information on upgrades e.g. combo drive, CPU upgrade, video card upgrade. I've upgraded my ram and video card, and am hoping to get a combo-/super-drive upgrade and, if it's cheap enough, a CPU upgrade.
 
kiwi_the_iwik

kiwi_the_iwik

macrumors 65816
Oct 30, 2001
1,110
1
London, UK
It's so nice to see that the little fella is still so popular.

If only Steve Jobs and his many little wizards got to read this forum, then they would truly understand how valued the wee beastie really is...


;)
 
W

Wry Cooter

macrumors 6502
Mar 10, 2002
418
0
Mm, no. Don't think so. The entire G4 line does not have a removable upgradable g4. Sorry. I truly wish it were so. But do you think people would be buying enitre quicksilver towers when they could merely have upgraded the chip in a Sawtooth? I don't think so. I wish so perhaps.
 
C

Catfish

macrumors newbie
Jun 3, 2002
27
0
Memphis, TN
Originally posted by kiwi_the_iwik
It's so nice to see that the little fella is still so popular.

If only Steve Jobs and his many little wizards got to read this forum, then they would truly understand how valued the wee beastie really is...
Click to expand...

yes yes yes.

I switched too late. If only I could buy a cube now...
 
K

King Cobra

macrumors 603
Mar 2, 2002
5,403
0
If I am not mistaken, Apple retired the Cube exactly on this date last year, according to an old MacOSrumors article.

Everyone wants a Cube, but I am not giving anyone mine yet...muhahahahaha! :D
 
K

King Cobra

macrumors 603
Mar 2, 2002
5,403
0

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wsteineker

wsteineker

macrumors 6502a
Jul 17, 2001
727
0
Montgomery, AL
Originally posted by Wry Cooter
Mm, no. Don't think so. The entire G4 line does not have a removable upgradable g4. Sorry. I truly wish it were so. But do you think people would be buying enitre quicksilver towers when they could merely have upgraded the chip in a Sawtooth? I don't think so. I wish so perhaps.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty damn sure about this one, man. I know for a fact that processor upgrades are available for the Sawtooth. Sonnet manufactures a dual 500 upgrade for the Sawtooth tower, and the PowerLogix upgrades that are soon to be available for the Cube are also available in Sawtooth models. XLR8 also offers an upgrade for Sawtooth models, I'm just not sure what the specs are. I believe it's a 550 MHz upgrade. I know this because the Cube uses Sawtooth parts for most of its internals, including the logic board and the processor daughter card. :)
 
Neodym

Neodym

macrumors 68020
Jul 5, 2002
2,433
1,069
Is it really not possible ...

... to have DDR-Ram? I remember the old Amiga CPU boards. They had fast 32bit memory on the CPU board itself, which was locally connected to the CPU and used prior to the slow motherboard ram.

Heck, those boards even had SCSI hostadapters onboard (admitted: The CPU slot was designed with the required signals ;-)

But the ram issue should be able on the Cube also. Just imagine: A G4@1GHz with 512MB DDR-Ram locally connected to the PPC. No need at all to use or redesign the motherboard for the memory, as the access is done with bypassing the motherboard memory controller.

I am no techie, but maybe people just can't imagine such solutions on the MAC?!
 
W

Wry Cooter

macrumors 6502
Mar 10, 2002
418
0
Originally posted by wsteineker


I'm pretty damn sure about this one, man. I know for a fact that processor upgrades are available for the Sawtooth. Sonnet manufactures a dual 500 upgrade for the Sawtooth tower, and the PowerLogix upgrades that are soon to be available for the Cube are also available in Sawtooth models.
Click to expand...

Only after a certain point in production. The first Sawtooths out the gate can't accept Sonnet upgrades

http://www.sonnettech.com/support/errata/duet_errata.html

And all that would be available to you if your sawtooth COULD accept an upgrade, would be a dual 500.

But if you know of any other solutions... let me know.
 
J

jaykk

macrumors 6502a
Jan 5, 2002
854
5
CA
Click here for today's other news


Get a new Cube for $1299

I found this at powerbookcentral.com -
PowerMax has new 450MHz Cubes (G4/450, 128 MB of RAM, 20 GB internal drive, internal CD-RW, internal 56k modem, includes keyboard) available for $1299. Just in case you missed out the first time.
PowerMax

I think CUBE is coming back..or at least a brand new CUBE is still around if anyone is intested
 
K

King Cobra

macrumors 603
Mar 2, 2002
5,403
0
jaykk, I think you are getting ripped off with that price tag! A week or two before the Cube was put to rest SmallDog had an exact same model of that Cube, except it had 64MB RAM and a DVD-ROM drive. And that model cost under $1100. I realize that the CD-RW and extra 64MB RAM bring the price up a little, but I don't think it would jack up the price by over $200. In fact, I wouldn't even pay $1000 for the model you are showing.

My 0.5GHz Cube has 1GB RAM and a DVD-ROM. I would sell THAT for $1299, but I don't want to give away my precious supercomputer...muhahahahaha! :D
 
Sun Baked

Sun Baked

macrumors G5
May 19, 2002
14,937
157
That price is way too close to the price of a new tower, with the current rebates.

Granted a new cube is quieter and more stylish, but is it worth that much more than a new tower, when upgraded?

And in a couple weeks, the cube may spontaneously sprout a few more gray hairs.
 
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