New for 2004: The PowerLogix PowerCube Enclosure is the solution you've been waiting for. Now you can install video cards like the Radeon 8500 or 9000 which are too tall and run too hot to install safely in the normal enclosure.
The relatively small increase in size also allows the Clear PowerCube to support higher performance graphics cards, many of which simply don't fit in the original Cube. The Clear PowerCube provides much more free space around the video card ...plenty of room for the heatsinks on the graphics card to do their jobs efficiently.
The often overlooked component regarding heat generation is the DC/DC (aka VRM) card. The DC/DC card is used to step down the incoming 28 volts from the external power supply to 12V, 5V, and 3.3V for use by the various components in the Cube. The special bracket and cable included with the Clear PowerCube repositions the DC/DC card into direct airflow. The result is much cooler and safer operation - and longer life for the DC/DC card. More info about the PowerCube can be found in this FAQ article.
Solutions for installing these cards in a standard Cube enclosure are included below, for the brave :)
If the 7500 isn't
good enough for you, why not give the Radeon 8500 a try, if
you dare? They said it couldn't be done... they were wrong :)
http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/
[includes instructions for DC/DC card relocation to accommodate
other "too-tall" cards] proves that some people will stop at
nothing to put a better graphics card in there Cube. If you are crazy
enough to try this on your own, please email me the details and pictures
and I'll feature you on the site!
If your thinking of purchasing the Radeon 8500 to soup up
your Cube, I highly recommend you purchase it from one of CubeOwner's favorite
resellers for all things Mac, Other
World Computing. They are currently selling the ATI
RADEON 8500 MacEdition AGP (ATI100431050) for only $197.99!
Modders:
You can get a pre-made 9-inch 12-inch 30 Pin Male-Female IDC Type Cable
Extension for DC/DC card relocation at http://www.cablesandconnectors.com/ (commonly used to relocate the DC-DC board in order to fit a too-tall video card, like the Radeon 8500 AGP or 9000 Pro card ). It's $7.99, part #20276.
It's important to note that just because something is available doesn't make it a good idea. And it's impossible to predict what the quality of any single cable will be at any given time, as several readers can already attest to. As for the length of the cable, the ones I have from them are all 9-inch, not 12-inch. Cables & Connectors has recently changed the length of the cable they are selling. For these purposes, shorter is definitely better. My personal opinion is that anything more than 6-inches, particularly when the quality of the cable may be suspect, is an increased risk. 6-inches isn't long enough for most of you, so just be careful and anticipate possible problems. The SAFEST way to relocate the DC-DC board is to use the relocation cable and bracket that PowerLogix includes with their Clear PowerCube enclosure kit.
