PowerMac G4 Cube
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| Developer | Apple Inc. |
|---|---|
| Product family | Power Mac |
| Type | Desktop computer |
| Release date | July 19, 2000 |
| Introductory price | US $1,799 |
| Discontinued | July 3, 2001 |
| Media | 5x DVD-ROM; CD-RW |
| CPU | 450 or 500 MHz PowerPC G4 |
| Memory | 64, 128 or 256 MB PC100 SDRAM; supports up to 1.5 GB |
| Storage | 20, 40 or 60 GB hard drive |
| Graphics |
ATI Rage 128 Pro with 16 MB of SDRAM Nvidia GeForce2 MX with 32 MB of SDRAM (both cards use an AGP 2x slot) |
| Connectivity | 2 USB 1.1 (dual-channel), 2 FireWire 400, 10/100 Ethernet, 56k v.90 modem, VGA and ADC ports |
| Dimensions | Height: 9.8 inches (25 cm) Width: 7.7 inches (20 cm) Depth: 7.7 inches (20 cm) |
| Weight | 14 lb (6.4 kg) |
| Related articles | Power Mac G4 |
The Power Mac G4 Cube is a small form factor Macintosh personal computer from Apple Inc., sold between 2000 and 2001. Designed by Jonathan Ive, its cube shape is reminiscent of the NeXTcube from NeXT, acquired by Apple in 1996. The New York Museum of Modern Art holds a G4 Cube, along with its distinctive Harman Kardon transparent speakers, as part of its collection.
The small 7×7×7 in (18×18×18 cm) cube, suspended in a 7.65×7.65×10 in (19.4×19.4×25.4 cm) acrylic glass enclosure, housed a PowerPC G4 processor running at 450 or 500 MHz, and had a unique, slot-loading, low-profile DVD-ROM or CD-RW drive. A separate monitor, with either an ADC or a VGA connection, was required for the Cube, in contrast to the all-in-one iMac series. Also unlike the iMacs, it had a video card in a standard AGP slot. However, there was not enough space for full-length cards. The Cube also featured two FireWire 400 ports and two USB 1.1 ports for connecting peripherals. The Cube is exceptional as the only Macintosh without a built-in speaker (as of 2016). Sound was provided by an external USB amplifier and a pair of Harman Kardon speakers. Although the USB amplifier had a standard mini-plug headphone output, it lacked any audio input. The Cube also used a silent, fanless, convection-based cooling system like the iMacs of the time.
Apple targeted the Cube at the market between the iMac G3 and the Power Mac G4, and was the first desktop configuration offering since the discontinued Power Macintosh G3 almost two years earlier. Despite its innovative design, critics complained it was too expensive—it was initially priced US $200 higher than the similarly equipped Power Mac G4 (450 MHz CPU, 64 MB RAM, 20 GB hard drive) and did not include a monitor, thus leading to slow sales. Additionally, early Cubes suffered from a manufacturing issue that led to faint lines (referred to as "cracks" or "mold lines") in the acrylic case. This was often considered damaging to the aesthetic quality of the computer.
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