Apple Power Macintosh G4 Cube 15 in. (B5073LL/A) Mac Desktop
Out of stock |
Similar in Mac Desktops
- Form Factor: Tower
- Operating System: Apple MacOS 9.1
- HDD Size: 20 GB
- Installed Memory: 64 MB (SDRAM)
- Display: 15 in.
- Processor: PowerPC G4 450 MHz
- Overview
-
Reviews
-
Compare Prices
User ReviewRead All Reviews »
It's on my desk...
Pros
Silent, compact, very sophisticated design
Cons
Doesn't completely solve cable clutter
Recommended it?
Yes
A Desktop Computer that Belongs on a Desk Top
Normally, I would never let a computer CPU on my desk, much like I would never let a long-haired, slobbering collie on my sofa. I have a row of bulky, noisy tower computers, two Dells and a Mac G3, lined up on the floor next to my desk. Only a monitor, keyboard, mouse, and a switchbox that connects them get to live on my desk top.
However, after taking my new G4 Cube out of the box, I can't imagine hiding it away under my desk. First of all, the Cube is quiet; it is fanless. Secondly, as we have all read, it's cool-looking. Actually, it's gorgeous.
Touch Me...
But what has not widely been discussed is how its sleekness goes beyond just the visual. Apple's design team has made a machine that you actually want to, well, *fondle*. The polycarbonate enclosure is smooth to the touch. The vent on top invites you to run your fingers over it. Turning the computer on is even cool. Instead of a button, Apple just painted a subtle power symbol over an otherwise featureless part of the computer's top surface. Run your finger over this symbol and the spot below it begins to glow and the computer starts up. Touch it again and it puts the computer to sleep, indicating its mode by pulsing softly on and off. CD-ROM and DV-ROMs slide smoothly into a slot on the top; there is no fragile CD tray. I haven't yet had the guts to find out what happens if you insert a CD upside down.
Inside the Cube
There's another little bit of the user experience that Apple made gratuitously cool; opening the computer up is actually fun. Flush with the bottom of the computer is a rectangular metal bar. Press it once, and it pops up, turning into a handle. Lift this handle and the guts of the computer come out in one big block, looking a bit like a Borg ship from Star Trek TNG. The memory slots and video card AGP slot are easily accessible.
Cable Clutter Lives On
The Cube is not perfect. Like every other computer, it trails a tangle of cords. Even Apple couldn't escape the need for power, monitor, keyboard, speaker, and Ethernet (or modem) cables. There is an extra connector on the video card that can provide video, power, and USB to a monitor. It's an innovation that Apple has tried before. It didn't catch on then, and it probably won't catch on now, as it only works with Apple's new monitors. In any case, it doesn't really do that much to reduce cable clutter.
Other Extras
The speakers that come with the Cube sound pretty good, though the high level of white noise in my workplace prevents me from providing an adequate critique. They connect with a USB cable that goes to a small box, a little bigger than a cigarette lighter, that has two wires that go out to the small, spherical speakers. The box includes a single headphone jack. It's slick, but adds a bit to the clutter, lacks a volume control, and is too light to really stay in one place; it gets tugged around by its cables.
The Power supply is a separate little box, about the size of a hardback book. Though having an external power supply takes me back to the Commodore 64 days, the Cubes power supply is nicely designed and pretty unobtrusive.
The Cube comes with Apple's new keyboard and mouse. Unlike its predecessors, the keyboard does not have a power key. You won't miss it, with the Cube's own power "key" close at hand. (I'd be less pleased were I using this keyboard with a G4 tower.) I felt instantly comfortable with the mouse, even though it has no button (the top shell of the mouse clicks). I like the fact that it has no ball to get mucked up, and its optical sensor involves an LED that casts a cool red glow under the mouse as you move it around.
Software and Performance
There's not much to say here until we get OS X. MacOS 9 retains the Mac's elegance and ease of use, as well as its weak multitasking and memory protection. I did notice, however, that a full-size QuickTime movie ran considerably smoother on the Cube than it does on an iMac DV. The Cube comes with the new version of iMovie. I've used the original version of iMovie (and like it). A quick tour though the new version suggests that Apple added a number of worthwhile tweaks.
Summary
Some techies are going to point to the G4 Cube as more proof that Apple puts style over performance when designing hardware. I don't agree. Far more thought went into the engineering of the Cube then ever goes into the creation of a typical PC, and it pays off in a better experience for users. The engineering compromises made in designing the cube are made up for by the the result -- a small, silent, and powerful computer. And there is a place in hardware design for aesthetic considerations. I'm sure that the folks who denigrate Macs because they look cool would never buy a car that looked and felt as bad as their PCs, no matter how well it performed.
Normally, I would never let a computer CPU on my desk, much like I would never let a long-haired, slobbering collie on my sofa. I have a row of bulky, noisy tower computers, two Dells and a Mac G3, lined up on the floor next to my desk. Only a monitor, keyboard, mouse, and a switchbox that connects them get to live on my desk top.
However, after taking my new G4 Cube out of the box, I can't imagine hiding it away under my desk. First of all, the Cube is quiet; it is fanless. Secondly, as we have all read, it's cool-looking. Actually, it's gorgeous.
Touch Me...
But what has not widely been discussed is how its sleekness goes beyond just the visual. Apple's design team has made a machine that you actually want to, well, *fondle*. The polycarbonate enclosure is smooth to the touch. The vent on top invites you to run your fingers over it. Turning the computer on is even cool. Instead of a button, Apple just painted a subtle power symbol over an otherwise featureless part of the computer's top surface. Run your finger over this symbol and the spot below it begins to glow and the computer starts up. Touch it again and it puts the computer to sleep, indicating its mode by pulsing softly on and off. CD-ROM and DV-ROMs slide smoothly into a slot on the top; there is no fragile CD tray. I haven't yet had the guts to find out what happens if you insert a CD upside down.
Inside the Cube
There's another little bit of the user experience that Apple made gratuitously cool; opening the computer up is actually fun. Flush with the bottom of the computer is a rectangular metal bar. Press it once, and it pops up, turning into a handle. Lift this handle and the guts of the computer come out in one big block, looking a bit like a Borg ship from Star Trek TNG. The memory slots and video card AGP slot are easily accessible.
Cable Clutter Lives On
The Cube is not perfect. Like every other computer, it trails a tangle of cords. Even Apple couldn't escape the need for power, monitor, keyboard, speaker, and Ethernet (or modem) cables. There is an extra connector on the video card that can provide video, power, and USB to a monitor. It's an innovation that Apple has tried before. It didn't catch on then, and it probably won't catch on now, as it only works with Apple's new monitors. In any case, it doesn't really do that much to reduce cable clutter.
Other Extras
The speakers that come with the Cube sound pretty good, though the high level of white noise in my workplace prevents me from providing an adequate critique. They connect with a USB cable that goes to a small box, a little bigger than a cigarette lighter, that has two wires that go out to the small, spherical speakers. The box includes a single headphone jack. It's slick, but adds a bit to the clutter, lacks a volume control, and is too light to really stay in one place; it gets tugged around by its cables.
The Power supply is a separate little box, about the size of a hardback book. Though having an external power supply takes me back to the Commodore 64 days, the Cubes power supply is nicely designed and pretty unobtrusive.
The Cube comes with Apple's new keyboard and mouse. Unlike its predecessors, the keyboard does not have a power key. You won't miss it, with the Cube's own power "key" close at hand. (I'd be less pleased were I using this keyboard with a G4 tower.) I felt instantly comfortable with the mouse, even though it has no button (the top shell of the mouse clicks). I like the fact that it has no ball to get mucked up, and its optical sensor involves an LED that casts a cool red glow under the mouse as you move it around.
Software and Performance
There's not much to say here until we get OS X. MacOS 9 retains the Mac's elegance and ease of use, as well as its weak multitasking and memory protection. I did notice, however, that a full-size QuickTime movie ran considerably smoother on the Cube than it does on an iMac DV. The Cube comes with the new version of iMovie. I've used the original version of iMovie (and like it). A quick tour though the new version suggests that Apple added a number of worthwhile tweaks.
Summary
Some techies are going to point to the G4 Cube as more proof that Apple puts style over performance when designing hardware. I don't agree. Far more thought went into the engineering of the Cube then ever goes into the creation of a typical PC, and it pays off in a better experience for users. The engineering compromises made in designing the cube are made up for by the the result -- a small, silent, and powerful computer. And there is a place in hardware design for aesthetic considerations. I'm sure that the folks who denigrate Macs because they look cool would never buy a car that looked and felt as bad as their PCs, no matter how well it performed.
Recently Viewed
Most Popular In Mac Desktops
