I tried to BTO a cube w/ 500 MHz processor and RADEON, but forget it. The only way to get the 500 MHz cube is to pay a premium for extra memory and a hard drive. Even with this, you cannot BTO a RADEON. If you wan to buy a 500MHz cube w/RADEON, you have to pay for even more memory and HD capacity (a full $1000 extra)!

Interestingly, you can BTO the 450MHz cube with RADEON alone, only $99 extra. I BTO'd a PMG4 with dual 450 and RADEON for 2299--$500 cheaper than the 500 MHz cube w/RADEON.

The cube (in all forms) such a scam it makes me sick. That cube is already overpriced, and for Apple to gouge people who want a 500MHz cube w/RADEON is totally uncalled for. I have no respect Apple as company anymore.

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[This message has been edited by Phaedrus (edited 09-13-2000).]

[MiniMan]

Then why are you trying to BTO one if you don't want to buy it...??
If you want one, buy it. If you don't, stop complaining about it. It's simple.

They charge more for the Cube because people will always pay more for different design. They still make the tower casing for people who must have PCI slots or four internal drive bays or whatever. Why should they loose your respect for expanding the range...?? Sheesh...!

This isn't about expanding the range. Read my post again--my problem is that it's impossible to order a 500MHz cube with a RADEON unless you spend $1000 extra. Why would I want to waste money on RAM and HD at the Apple store? This is where they have mondo profit margins, and they force you to buy that crap if you want the RADEON. How can you miss the ruthlessness of this?

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[scottiB]

Actually, it's $600 more. I chose the 'faster' (instead of 'fastest') from the Apple Store and configured a 500/128/30 GB with Radeon for $2399.

While $600 might seem excessive, it's capitalistic not criminal, and Apple is not the only company that prices memory and hard drive upgrades in this vein.

I'm suprised that Apple doesn't charge more for the Radeon upgrade, quite frankly.

Let me get this straight--You think its reasonable to charge $600 for a RADEON?!?!? The retail card is less than half that, and it has TV-out as an added feature! What are you smoking?

Is that your best defense, that other companies do it to? First of all, that doesn't make it right, and most importantly, it is NOT true. What other company charges twice the price of a retail video card, and then changes the BTO video card to force you to buy the BTO version?

A: None.

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[mac freak]

No, no... $600 for...

�an extra 50 MHz
�an extra 64 MB RAM
�an extra 10 GB of HD space
�an ATI RADEON

Yes, it's not a good deal per se, but hardly unreasonable. The base Cube/450/64 MB/20 GB/Rage 128 Pro is $1799, and scottib's example is, as said, $600 more for all I listed.

------------------
Be Happy.

[MiniMan]

Originally posted by Phaedrus:
I tried to BTO a cube w/ 500 MHz processor and RADEON
<snip>
The cube (in all forms) such a scam it makes me sick. That cube is already overpriced, and for Apple to gouge people who want a 500MHz cube w/RADEON is totally uncalled for. I have no respect Apple as company anymore.

Read my post again--my problem is that it's impossible to order a 500MHz cube with a RADEON unless you spend $1000 extra.

yes... I read your post again... You're problem seems to be that you object to buying a Cube in any form as it makes you ill, so why do care *what* the spec is...???
If Apple doesn't make profits, they don't develop products and they go out of business. If that's what you want, fine go back to PCs. If Apple's way of maximizing profits is to only sell the 500MHz machine in certain configurations through their own web site and charge more for it - fine... Vote with your wallet and buy the 450Mhz machine from a local reseller. Do you really *need* that extra 50Mhz...?? In six month's time that will be as outdated as a 450Mhz machine so what does it really matter..?

[babble]

Minimam -"In six month's time that will be as outdated as a 450Mhz machine so what does it really matter..?"

I don't think a 450Mhz G4 will be outdated in six months... But we get the idea...

Start your own company then you will be able to wright the computer off on tax.
get the $ back from the tax man.
As the majority of high end systems belong to companys, Apple knows this and they know that a company will pay more for a faster machine, as time is money.

Think different Work smarter.

[MiniMan]

Let's hope not...!
Mind you if it was, that would mean that Motorola had sorted out how to make 900MHz+ chips and then we could all get upgrades..!

[sehix]

Originally posted by Phaedrus:
I tried to BTO a cube w/ 500 MHz processor and RADEON, but forget it. The only way to get the 500 MHz cube is to pay a premium for extra memory and a hard drive.

(Checks Apple Store...) OK so far. Makes sense, though: who'd want a faster CPU only to shave memory/storage to bare bones levels?

[/B] Even with this, you cannot BTO a RADEON. If you wan to buy a 500MHz cube w/RADEON, you have to pay for even more memory and HD capacity (a full $1000 extra)! [/B]

No, just $100 over the base 500MHz Cube price. Which is $500 over the base 450MHz Cube price (and you have double the RAM, and 150% of the disk space in the bargain). Where on earth are you getting this "$1000 extra cost"?

Interestingly, you can BTO the 450MHz cube with RADEON alone, only $99 extra. I BTO'd a PMG4 with dual 450 and RADEON for 2299--$500 cheaper than the 500 MHz cube w/RADEON.

Sure...but it takes up more room and produces a good deal more heat and noise.

The cube (in all forms) such a scam it makes me sick. That cube is already overpriced, and for Apple to gouge people who want a 500MHz cube w/RADEON is totally uncalled for.

You don't want to pay for one? Fine.
TDBO. Simple.

A lot of other people like them a lot...you're obviously not part of that group.

I have no respect Apple as company anymore.

OK. Anything else?

[schwei]

This thread is dwarfed by what happened today: Apple losing half its value.

Not in so many words, but Fred Anderson as much as said: "Looks like we goofed with the cube . . ."

Isn't it interesting that Apple fixed the mouse form factor problem only to (apparently) create a CPU form factor problem?

[Sting]

See my post. Loose the worry.

[videoalex]

The cube was ment to be the long-awaited monitorless iMac. think of it as the first imac with a G4. Notr ment to be upgradede much after purchase, beyond memory or airport. It's everything people wanted.....EXCEPT IT COSTS TOO MUCH! If what I wanted was a cool looking iMac replacememtn, why would I pay so darn much for so little more? kinda like the current problem with the proximity of the Powerbook/iBook lines. right now you'll pay $1000 more for a larger screen and different color scheme. The problem is that Apple went after the sony market, not the headless iMac market.


---Alex Johnson