G4 Cube processor upgrade...what next?
Now that Cube owners have a way to keep their cool computers speedy and relevant for the immediate future, I was wondering about the other two main components that would help bring a year-old 450MHz Cube more into "2002 mode".
In other words, is the video/graphics system on these things able to be upgraded with a beefier, more powerful card?
Secondly, does someone (or ARE they) make third-party slot-loading CD-RW/DVD combo drives that a Cube owner can purchase and put into their Cube?
The Cube is pretty righteous, but Apple killed it RIGHT when it could've gotten interesting. But if someone's into the Cube look and style (and compact, clutter-free vibe), would've it be cool to have a 1GHz Cube, with a nice 32 or 64MB graphics card AND a Combo Drive?
Anything beyond the processor upgradeable in these things? What other things do Cube owners have to look forward to? Are the hard drives easy to swap out and replace with larger ones too?
If I didn't get an LCD iMac, I would've loved to have been able to get a G4 Cube with similar specs/features as my iMac.
In other words, is the video/graphics system on these things able to be upgraded with a beefier, more powerful card?
Secondly, does someone (or ARE they) make third-party slot-loading CD-RW/DVD combo drives that a Cube owner can purchase and put into their Cube?
The Cube is pretty righteous, but Apple killed it RIGHT when it could've gotten interesting. But if someone's into the Cube look and style (and compact, clutter-free vibe), would've it be cool to have a 1GHz Cube, with a nice 32 or 64MB graphics card AND a Combo Drive?
Anything beyond the processor upgradeable in these things? What other things do Cube owners have to look forward to? Are the hard drives easy to swap out and replace with larger ones too?
If I didn't get an LCD iMac, I would've loved to have been able to get a G4 Cube with similar specs/features as my iMac.
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<strong>Now that Cube owners have a way to keep their cool computers speedy and relevant for the immediate future, I was wondering about the other two main components that would help bring a year-old 450MHz Cube more into "2002 mode".
In other words, is the video/graphics system on these things able to be upgraded with a beefier, more powerful card?
Secondly, does someone (or ARE they) make third-party slot-loading CD-RW/DVD combo drives that a Cube owner can purchase and put into their Cube?
The Cube is pretty righteous, but Apple killed it RIGHT when it could've gotten interesting. But if someone's into the Cube look and style (and compact, clutter-free vibe), would've it be cool to have a 1GHz Cube, with a nice 32 or 64MB graphics card AND a Combo Drive?
Anything beyond the processor upgradeable in these things? What other things do Cube owners have to look forward to? Are the hard drives easy to swap out and replace with larger ones too?
If I didn't get an LCD iMac, I would've loved to have been able to get a G4 Cube with similar specs/features as my iMac.</strong><hr></blockquote>
hi pscates,
ain't it always the way...hours after ordering a 32MB nvidia card a 64 MB version gets announced. don't know about a combo drive retrofit. am looking forward to a 1 GHz Cube though, and Newer hasn't even announced their version yet. the hard drive's easy to replace, (Apple's illustration of access to one of three screws notwithstanding) it would have you believe there was no bracket in the way, but the torx driver gets at it easily enough.
<strong>Now that Cube owners have a way to keep their cool computers speedy and relevant for the immediate future, I was wondering about the other two main components that would help bring a year-old 450MHz Cube more into "2002 mode".
In other words, is the video/graphics system on these things able to be upgraded with a beefier, more powerful card?
Secondly, does someone (or ARE they) make third-party slot-loading CD-RW/DVD combo drives that a Cube owner can purchase and put into their Cube?
The Cube is pretty righteous, but Apple killed it RIGHT when it could've gotten interesting. But if someone's into the Cube look and style (and compact, clutter-free vibe), would've it be cool to have a 1GHz Cube, with a nice 32 or 64MB graphics card AND a Combo Drive?
Anything beyond the processor upgradeable in these things? What other things do Cube owners have to look forward to? Are the hard drives easy to swap out and replace with larger ones too?
If I didn't get an LCD iMac, I would've loved to have been able to get a G4 Cube with similar specs/features as my iMac.</strong><hr></blockquote>
hi~pscates:
The Cube's Ati rage pro 128 video card can be upgrade to either OEM radeon or GeForce2 MX, these two are sure to be fit into Cube while I'm personally looking for the possibility of upgrading the rage pro 128 to OEM radeon 7500, I've talked to a Mac hardware guy and he promise me he will try to see if OEM radeon 7500 can be put into Cube. Anyway, the OEM GeForce2 MX is the GPU and comes with 32 MB of ram and it meets the criteria of running Quartx Extreme, but I am concerning the 2D graphic display quality of GeForce2 MX, the nVidia's 2D sux so bad, that's the reason I am considering Radeon 7500, why not OEM Radeon? bc it is more expensive here than 7500.
As for the optical drive, I think it will be very difficult or impossible to find a combo CD_RW/DVD for Cube, since the space inside the cube for the optical drive is smaller than standard 5"25 drive, so even the Cube's optical drive is the special version of OEM drive bc it is designed very very thin to fit into cube.
video card = gf2mx, gf3 [64 megs]
optical drive = MIGHT be able to use that mcetech combo dvd/cd-r drive
I wish Apple would offer standalone video card upgrades again. They could offer the 32MB Radeon, with ADC, in a shorter size that would fit the Cube and also slot into the older 2X AGP towers to run Quartz Extreme.
I don't even remember why I did it, but I'm glad I ordered mine with the Radeon.
Do you think Sonnett upgrades are coming soon? <img src="confused.gif" border="0">
<strong>
As for the optical drive, I think it will be very difficult or impossible to find a combo CD_RW/DVD for Cube, since the space inside the cube for the optical drive is smaller than standard 5"25 drive, so even the Cube's optical drive is the special version of OEM drive bc it is designed very very thin to fit into cube.</strong><hr></blockquote>
If a Combo could fit in a 1-inch thich Powerbook don't you think one could fit in a Cube?