NeXTcube
Encyclopedia
The NeXTcube was a high-end workstation
computer developed, manufactured and sold by NeXT
from 1990 until 1993. It superseded the original NeXT Computer
workstation and was housed in a similar cube-shaped magnesium enclosure. The workstation ran the NeXTSTEP
operating system
.
processor, larger hard disks in place of the MO drive and an optional floppy disk
drive. A 33 MHz NeXTcube Turbo was produced later.
NeXT also 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.
There was also a very rare accelerator board known as the Nitro; between 5 and 20 are estimated to have been made. It increased the speed of a NeXTcube by replacing the standard 25 or 33 MHz processor with a 40 MHz one.
Workstation
A workstation is a high-end microcomputer designed for technical or scientific applications. Intended primarily to be used by one person at a time, they are commonly connected to a local area network and run multi-user operating systems...
computer developed, manufactured and sold by NeXT
NeXT
Next, Inc. was an American computer company headquartered in Redwood City, California, that developed and manufactured a series of computer workstations intended for the higher education and business markets...
from 1990 until 1993. It superseded the original NeXT Computer
NeXT Computer
The NeXT Computer was a high-end workstation computer developed, manufactured and sold by Steve Jobs' company NeXT from 1988 until 1990. It ran the Unix-based NeXTSTEP operating system. The NeXT Computer was packaged in a 1-foot die-cast magnesium cube-shaped case, which led to the machine being...
workstation and was housed in a similar cube-shaped magnesium enclosure. The workstation ran the NeXTSTEP
NEXTSTEP
NeXTSTEP was the object-oriented, multitasking operating system developed by NeXT Computer to run on its range of proprietary workstation computers, such as the NeXTcube...
operating system
Operating system
An operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
.
Hardware
The NeXTcube was a development of the original NeXT Computer. It differed from its predecessor in having a 25 MHz 68040Motorola 68040
The Motorola 68040 is a microprocessor from Motorola, released in 1990. It is the successor to the 68030 and is followed by the 68060. There was no 68050. In keeping with general Motorola naming, the 68040 is often referred to as simply the '040 ....
processor, larger hard disks in place of the MO drive and an optional floppy disk
Floppy disk
A floppy disk is a disk storage medium composed of a disk of thin and flexible magnetic storage medium, sealed in a rectangular plastic carrier lined with fabric that removes dust particles...
drive. A 33 MHz NeXTcube Turbo was produced later.
NeXT also released the NeXTdimension
NeXTdimension
NeXTdimension was an accelerated 32-bit color board manufactured and sold by NeXT from 1990 that gave the NeXTcube color capabilities with PostScript. The NeXTBus, a NuBus like implementation card was a full size card for the NeXTcube, filling one of four slots, another one being filled with the...
for the NeXTcube, a circuit board based on an Intel i860
Intel i860
The Intel i860 was a RISC microprocessor from Intel, first released in 1989. The i860 was one of Intel's first attempts at an entirely new, high-end instruction set since the failed Intel i432 from the 1980s...
processor, which offers 32-bit PostScript
PostScript
PostScript is a dynamically typed concatenative programming language created by John Warnock and Charles Geschke in 1982. It is best known for its use as a page description language in the electronic and desktop publishing areas. Adobe PostScript 3 is also the worldwide printing and imaging...
color display and video sampling features.
There was also a very rare accelerator board known as the Nitro; between 5 and 20 are estimated to have been made. It increased the speed of a NeXTcube by replacing the standard 25 or 33 MHz processor with a 40 MHz one.
Specifications
- Introduced in 1990 with monitor
- Display: 1120x832 17" grayscale
- Operating SystemOperating systemAn operating system is a set of programs that manage computer hardware resources and provide common services for application software. The operating system is the most important type of system software in a computer system...
: NeXTstep 2.2 Extended or later - CPU: 25 MHz 68040 with integrated floating-point unit
- Digital Signal ProcessorDigital signal processorA digital signal processor is a specialized microprocessor with an architecture optimized for the fast operational needs of digital signal processing.-Typical characteristics:...
: 25 MHz Motorola DSP56001 - RAM: 16 MB, expandable to 64 MB
- Hard drive: 400 MB, 1.4GB or 2.8GB SCSI drive (optional)
- Size (H x W x D): 12" x 12" x 12"