Power Mac G4 Cube

R arely has Apple built a prettier Mac than the Power

Mac G4 Cube. A sleek metal box that seemed to float inside a clear plastic casing, the Cube was a slice of pure Jony Ive aesthetics. It was somewhat reminiscent of the NeXTcube that Steve Jobs’ NeXT manufactured before being bought by Apple, only in a lighter, clearer form.

The only problem was that no one really wanted one. At $1,799 it wasn’t outrageously expensive, but it was perceived as being poor value for money, starting at £200 more than the similarly equipped Power Mac G4.

Early models also had a tendency to exhibit small cracks in the case – hardly desirable in a Mac that’s meant to encapsulate design perfection.

Price drops, upgraded graphics cards and extra bundled software couldn’t resurrect sales, and the Cube was discontinued in 2001. These days it lives on as an exhibit in the New York Museum of Modern Art.