Power Macintosh · The Translucent Revolution · 2000
Power Mac G4 Cube
A gorgeous commercial failure, now in MoMA’s collection. It cost more than a Power Mac while offering less, and hairline case cracks didn’t help. Discontinued in a year.
A fanless 8-inch cube suspended in clear acrylic.
Power Mac G5 (2003)
Power Mac G4 Cube: key facts
When was the Power Mac G4 Cube released?
The Power Mac G4 Cube arrived on July 19, 2000. Apple discontinued it in July 2001.
How much did the Power Mac G4 Cube cost?
The Power Mac G4 Cube launched at $1,799 in 2000, about $3,346 in today’s money (approximate, US CPI).
What specs stand out?
Key specs: PowerPC G4 at 450 MHz, 64 MB RAM, 19.5 GB storage, External display.
Why does the Power Mac G4 Cube matter?
A fanless 8-inch cube suspended in clear acrylic.
Full specifications
| CPU | PowerPC G4 · 450 MHz |
|---|---|
| Cores | 1 |
| Memory (RAM) | 64 MB (up to 1.5 GB) |
| Storage | 19.5 GB |
| Display | External |
| GPU | ATI Rage 128 Pro / GeForce2 MX |
| Ports | USB, FireWire |
| Weight | 6.5 kg |
| Dimensions | 20 cm cube suspended in acrylic |
| Operating system | Mac OS 9.0.4 |
| Released | July 19, 2000 |
| Discontinued | July 2001 |
| Launch price | $1,799 |
How the Power Mac G4 Cube compares to today
A 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro has about 256× more memory than this device shipped with.
At 450 MHz, the clock is roughly 7.1× slower than a single performance core of a 16 GB Apple Silicon MacBook Pro, and that is before counting cores, width and IPC.
This held about 5,000 modern phone photos, a respectable library even today.
Launched at $1,799 in 2000, about $3,346 in today’s money (approx., US CPI).
Method note: clock comparisons use frequency only; price conversions use US CPI.
Sources
Specs checked against Apple technical specifications archive, EveryMac, Mactracker, Wikimedia Commons image credits.
Did you know?
Possibly the only computer to flop commercially and succeed artistically at once.
Related Power Macintosh models
Open the Power Mac G4 Cube in the interactive archive →
Last updated: 2026-08-11