[yuhui]

Hi

Prior to the Cube's launch, there was talk that it was designed to be stackable. But after looking at the design and noticing that it relies on its air-vent for all its cooling, and that the air-vent is located at the top of the computer, can it still be stacked? Also, with DVD-ROMs loaded from the top, it would be impossible to load DVDs if the Cubes are stacked. However, the Cube definitely looks like it was designed to be stacked.

Thoughts?
Yuhui

[Macguy]

I would wonder about stacking them up, and what would happen heat wise.

Seems that the stands are near solid, so would that mean that the heat would have to travel through all the computers to the top one before the heat was released?

If so then I would think the top computer would get damn hot.

Doesn't look like the stackable feature of these computers will be stressed or mentioned by apple.

The stands have an open area in the back, for the cords to come out of (the connectors are at the bottome of the unit).
I don't think these are intended to be stackable at all, as noted by putting the disc-drive slot at the top.

Anyways, I can't imagine someone buying one cube, let alone two or more that would require stacking.

[tooki]

While I'm sure it could be done, I don't think they're designed to be stacked. Their only way of bleeding away heat is through the vent on the top, and I doubt it would be a good idea to even partially block it.

Also, there is a VERY simple thing that absolutely precludes stacking: the DVD-ROM drive is VERTICALLY-LOADING, exactly like a toaster.


tooki

[OmniX]

I specifically asked the Apple rep about stackability and he replied in the negative, pointing out that the heat vents need air.
However, the G4 Cube consists of the Cube itself and the stand in which it's placed; sitting on the stand there's a good few inches of open space between the bottom of the stand and the cube itself, so maybe possibly it would be possible to stack.
This of course would negate the DVD, but in a settting in which it would be beneficial to stack, you probably wouldn't need access to the DVD drive anyway (server farm, university cluster).

BTW just a quick note: those suckers are HEAVY! I tried picking one up and boy are they compact, and dense!

Too bad they're so expensive though...

[yuhui]

Reply to jtvoorhies:

Of course a home user might not need to have more than 1 Cube, but businesses might, especially for small companies that don't have space for a large G4. These things can be kept in a cupboard or on top of a shelf without taking up much space.

Yuhui

I do not see a way for these to be stacked vertically (even ruling out the need for the DVD drive. The warm air coming from the bottome machine(s) will have to be vented into the bottom of the upper/top machine, preventing any cool air from circulating around the machine.

It was discussed here in the shop laying them on their sides. Unfortunately, physics takes over at that point. If the warm air rises, it will come to a solid wall inside the cube. Some will make it out by the vents, but not enough to cool the machine.