Thinking about buying a G4 Cube of Ebay...

wolfeye155wolfeye155
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Is this a bad idea? I was interested in buying an iMac because it doesn't take up much space but I don't like that fact that you are stuck with the 15" monitor. I like the Cube because it's small, quiet, and I can hook up any monitor that I want. Also it's much cheaper (between $700-800) then a tower or the iMac for that matter. Do you think this is a bad move? Also do any Cube owners have any complaints?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 18
    applenutapplenut Posts: 5,768member
    I haven't seen any quality cubes on ebay with the 700-800 dollar range and I have been looking.



    but add 599 for 15 inch Apple LCd and you are at or easily above the lowend imac which is a lot better than the cube.



    iMac is just too damn good as long as you can deal with the screen size
  • Reply 2 of 18
    wolfeye155wolfeye155 Posts: 425member
    I've been bidding on this one and it went up to $810. It's a 450Mhz G4 with CD-RW drive (I prefer that to that DVD drive because I already have a real DVD player and also because I can burn CDs and back up my data. Btw the only reason I thought it was worth it was because it comes with a 15" Apple flat panel.
  • Reply 3 of 18
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    I have a feeling that Apple will let you upgrade that LCD screen on the new iMac's sooner rather than later. It's just a hunch.
  • Reply 4 of 18
    xiaxinxiaxin Posts: 44member
    hi, I have a PowerMac G4 Cube and I've been using this for 16 months or so. I suggestion is that buying a mini-tower PowerMac G4/550 might be the better choice, since the parts of Cube are extremely expensive, for example, my cube DVD-ROM is dead now, however, I didn't have the extended warrant, so it will cost me lots of money to repair the Cube DVD-ROM. The mini-tower PowerMac G4 machines, on the other hand, you can replace the parts with these can be easily found in PC store.

    Just my 2 cents.
  • Reply 5 of 18
    wolfeye155wolfeye155 Posts: 425member
    While that is true, I figure that by the time it breaks, I'll have a new computer anyway. I need a computer that's small, cheap, quiet, and affordable. While the new iMac is all that, I would like to be able to use different monitors. Besides the Cube is just to cool . <img src="graemlins/smokin.gif" border="0" alt="[Chilling]" />
  • Reply 6 of 18
    macsrockmacsrock Posts: 53member
    [quote] I've been bidding on this one and it went up to $810. It's a 450Mhz G4 with CD-RW drive (I prefer that to that DVD drive because I already have a real DVD player and also because I can burn CDs and back up my data. Btw the only reason I thought it was worth it was because it comes with a 15" Apple flat panel <hr></blockquote>



    i have the exact same thing, just add another 512mb of ram and/or up the hdd to at least 40gig



    IT RAWKS
  • Reply 7 of 18
    stepsonstepson Posts: 95member
    I have a CDRW 450mhz cube ... upgraded it with a geforce2mx, 1.5GB ram, and an 80gig seagate ... its faster, and amazingly, quieter then when I bought it. Its an awesome computer, although there are times when i wish it was faster ... (I know its in vain to believe the rumor sites, but i keep hoping someone comes out with a chip upgrade .. I realize you can fit the duet card from sonnet in a cube, but i'm holding out for something supported by a company, and maybe cheaper ).
  • Reply 8 of 18
    this1guythis1guy Posts: 23member
    [quote]Besides the Cube is just to cool . <hr></blockquote>



    Oh is that why it got discontinued so soon? In my opinion, it seemed like a troublesome computer with an array of bugs (power button failure, overheating, etc.) which is probably why a lot of these Cube's are already being put up on eBay(Cube's still are pretty new...despite no longer being in production).



    I say, either go for an '02 model G4, even the low-end one probably has double the MHz more or less than the 450 Cube. Or the iMac, but you don't seem too crazy about that.



    Let us know what you decide,



    --Daniel



    [ 02-28-2002: Message edited by: This1Guy ]</p>
  • Reply 9 of 18
    wolfeye155wolfeye155 Posts: 425member
    I think that they discontinued them because they weren't as upgradeable as the towers but still very expensive. Of course there where some units with bugs in them. As with every computer there's a chance. For what I want to do (internet related stuff, word processing, photoshop, play games) the Cube has more then enough power. As of now, I'm the high bidder on a different Cube without a monitor that is basically the same as the one above but only has 190 MB of RAM and is running OS 9. If I deck that thing out with RAM and maybe a GeForce 2 MX it will be smokin (not literally ).
  • Reply 10 of 18
    torifiletorifile Posts: 4,024member
    [quote]Originally posted by wolfeye155:

    <strong>I think that they discontinued them because they weren't as upgradeable as the towers but still very expensive. Of course there where some units with bugs in them. As with every computer there's a chance. For what I want to do (internet related stuff, word processing, photoshop, play games) the Cube has more then enough power. As of now, I'm the high bidder on a different Cube without a monitor that is basically the same as the one above but only has 190 MB of RAM and is running OS 9. If I deck that thing out with RAM and maybe a GeForce 2 MX it will be smokin (not literally ). </strong><hr></blockquote>



    190 megs of RAM? I'm always wary when I see a computer from someone who doesn't know anything about them. There's no way it has 190 megs of ram. I'd be skeptical about the other specs as well. Buyer beware.
  • Reply 11 of 18
    gamringamrin Posts: 114member
    I apologize in advance for the plug, but: I've got a 500 MHz cube with 768 MB RAM, 17" monitor, and 12x FW CD burner in good condition and lovingly cared for. If you're looking for a cube, and you want to make sure it's not a lemon, e-mail me and make an offer. I, too, want to wait for a cube upgrade, but I've found that I need a tower's expandability.



    Later,

    Gamrin

    brianvf19 @ yahoo.com (spaces added to avoid web crawlers)
  • Reply 12 of 18
    jambojambo Posts: 3,036member
    [quote]Originally posted by wolfeye155:

    <strong>Is this a bad idea?</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Just be careful of things like <a href="http://forums.appleinsider.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=6&t=000777"; target="_blank">this</a>.



    J :cool:
  • Reply 13 of 18
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    4 ounces in an album package. I wonder how much they could get into a cube enclosure? Who knows, that might be a pretty good deal.
  • Reply 14 of 18
    jambojambo Posts: 3,036member
    [quote]Originally posted by Matsu:

    <strong>4 ounces in an album package. I wonder how much they could get into a cube enclosure? Who knows, that might be a pretty good deal.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    I'll check it out with my dealer



    J :cool:
  • Reply 15 of 18
    satchmosatchmo Posts: 2,699member
    It may also be an issue of aesthetics.



    Some prefer the simple shape of a Cube over a sphere attached to an arm attached to a screen.



    However, I think in terms of value, the iMac is the better deal.
  • Reply 16 of 18
    wolfeye155wolfeye155 Posts: 425member
    torifile...It can have 190 (192 to be exact) MBs of RAM if they put in a 128 MB stick and a 64 MB stick...
  • Reply 17 of 18
    torifiletorifile Posts: 4,024member
    [quote]Originally posted by wolfeye155:

    <strong>torifile...It can have 190 (192 to be exact) MBs of RAM if they put in a 128 MB stick and a 64 MB stick... </strong><hr></blockquote>



    Ah, there's the rub. I thought you were being exact. 192 is possible. 190 is not. First thing you do if you get that cube is stick a 512 stick in there.
  • Reply 18 of 18
    newnew Posts: 3,244member
    I'm on a 450 CDRW cube now, 512 MB RAM, and a brand new 80 Gig, and even though its a beauty, it's getting dated. I tried the new imac out in a store, and the snappiness it had in aqua blew me away...



    maybe the 25th aniversery mac (if there is such a thing) will be the designmac for us cubelovers....?
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