[Cube] Upgrading my cube

[Scott Strungis]

Hello all !
>>
>> I have an old original Cube 450 with 637 Mo ram. I bought it new five
>> years ago and never had any problem with it.
>>
>> But today I like to upgrade it to something more perfomant.
>>
>> What do you think to be the best compromise in term of
>> CPU, HD and stockage capacity (CD or DVD ?).
>>
>> My Apple dealer told me there was no really solution with
>> good fiability and good price??  But he told me also I better buy a
>> new Mac mini.
>> So I don't trust him.
>>
>> Is there somebody to  tell me where to find somebody in France
>> to provide and change the parts.

I tend to agree with some of the other posters.  I have a slightly
upgraded Cube myself.  It has 512m of RAM, a larger HD, and a GeForce2 MX
graphics card.   I bought it that way and am quite pleased with it. I have
added an Airport card to it in the 10 months since purchasing the Cube.

Have I looked into processor upgrades?  Sure...But the installation
process is murder.  RAM's an easy upgrade as is the Airport card.  A
processor upgrade is expensive and hard to put in.  A graphics card is
pricey at this date as the cards that work AND fit in the Cube's enclosure
and slot are getting rarer and, hence pricier.

Your vendor suggests a Mini and it's sound advice.  For 400 American
dollars you get something that is smaller, and a bit faster than your
stock Cube.  It is not as upgradeable, though.  I bought my Cube just a
few DAYS before I heard of and saw the Minis and I do kick myself a little
as I paid $600 for my Cube.

Unless you have another use for the Cube or are in love with its styling
and form factor, get a Mini.

I am saving for one at the moment and when I get one, the Cube will be
consigned to my living room as an AVI/MPEG/DVD?DIVX/iTunes, etc player and
gaming machine for my TV.  The Mini will live in my home office.  I love
my Cube, but the Mini is an irresistable lure.

Scott