NeXTcube

The NeXTcube is a high-end workstation computer developed, manufactured, and sold by NeXT from 1990 to 1993. It superseded the original NeXT Computer workstation and is housed in a similar cube-shaped magnesium enclosure, designed by frog design. The workstation runs the NeXTSTEP operating system and was launched with a $7,995 (equivalent to about $19,000 in 2023) list price.^[1]

NeXTcube

The base NeXTcube model
Developer	NeXT
Manufacturer	NeXT in Fremont, California
Type	Workstation
Release date	September 18, 1990; 34 years ago (1990-09-18)
Introductory price	US$7,995 (equivalent to about $19,000 in 2023)
Discontinued	1993 (1993)
Operating system	NeXTSTEP, OPENSTEP, NetBSD (limited support)
CPU	Motorola 68040 @ 25 MHz, 56001 digital signal processor (DSP)
Memory	8–64 MB
Storage	400 MB, 1.4 GB, or 2.8 GB hard drive 2.88 MB floppy drive
Display	1120×832 2-bpp grayscale
Connectivity	Ethernet
Dimensions	1-foot (305 mm) die-cast magnesium cube-shaped case
Predecessor	NeXT Computer
Successor	NeXTcube Turbo

Hardware

The NeXTcube is the successor to the original NeXT Computer, with a 68040 processor, a hard disk in place of the magneto-optical drive, and a floppy disk drive. NeXT offered a 68040 system board upgrade (and NeXTSTEP 2.0) for US$1,495 (equivalent to $3,490 in 2023). A 33 MHz NeXTcube Turbo was later produced.

NeXT released the NeXTdimension for the NeXTcube, a circuit board based on an Intel i860 processor, which offers 32-bit PostScript color display and video-sampling features.

The Pyro accelerator board replaces the standard 25 MHz processor with a 50 MHz one.^[2][3]

Specifications

This NeXTcube has the original screen, keyboard, and mouse.

The motherboard of the NeXTcube has a Motorola 68040 at the lower edge. To the right are the interfaces, and to the left the system bus. Most chips and connectors are described in the image.

• Display: 1120×832 17 in (432 mm) 82 ppi grayscale MegaPixel Display
• Operating system: NeXTSTEP 2.2 Extended or later
• CPU: 25 MHz 68040 with integrated floating-point unit
• Digital signal processor: 25 MHz Motorola DSP56001
• RAM: 8 MB, expandable to 64 MB (Sixteen 30-pin SIMM slots)
• Floppy drive: 2.88 MB
• Hard drive: 105 MB, 340 MB, 400 MB, 660 MB, 1.4 GB or 2.8 GB SCSI drive
• Network interface: 10BASE-T and 10BASE2 Ethernet
• Expansion: four NeXTbus slots (mainboard uses one slot)
• Size (H × W × D): 12 in × 12 in × 12 in (305 mm x 305 mm x 305 mm (±1 mm))^[4]

Legacy

Tim Berners-Lee used this NeXTcube to create and host the World Wide Web.

Tim Berners-Lee created the World Wide Web at CERN in Switzerland on the NeXTcube workstation in 1990.^[5]

See also

• NeXT character set
• NeXT Computer
• NeXTcube Turbo
• NeXTstation
• Power Mac G4 Cube, a similar cube computer from Apple

References

1. Webster, Bruce F. "NeXT on the Agenda". MacWorld. No. January 1991.
2. "Spherical Solutions, Pyro Installation & Ordering" (PDF).
3. "Spherical Solutions, Pyro 50 mHz Accelerator Card" (PDF).
4. "NeXTcube brochure" (PDF).
5. "Original NeXT computer used by Sir Tim Berners-Lee to design the World Wide Web - NeXT". Google Arts & Culture.

External links