NeXTcube
Workstation computer by NeXT
title: "NeXTcube" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["computer-workstations", "next", "history-of-the-internet", "steve-jobs", "68k-based-computers"] description: "Workstation computer by NeXT" topic_path: "history" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NeXTcube" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Workstation computer by NeXT ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox information appliance"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | NeXTcube |
| image | NeXTcube.jpg |
| caption | The base NeXTcube model |
| developer | NeXT |
| manufacturer | NeXT in Fremont, California |
| type | Workstation |
| releasedate | |
| price | |
| discontinued | |
| os | NeXTSTEP, OPENSTEP, NetBSD (limited support) |
| cpu | Motorola 68040 @ 25 MHz, 56001 digital signal processor (DSP) |
| storage | 400 MB, 1.4 GB, or 2.8 GB hard drive |
| 2.88 MB floppy drive | |
| memory | 8–64 MB |
| display | 1120×832 2-bpp grayscale |
| location | |
| connectivity | Ethernet |
| dimensions | 1-foot (305 mm) die-cast magnesium cube-shaped case |
| predecessor | NeXT Computer |
| successor | NeXTcube Turbo |
| :: |
| name = NeXTcube | logo = | image = NeXTcube.jpg | caption = The base NeXTcube model | developer = NeXT | manufacturer = NeXT in Fremont, California | carrier = | family = | type = Workstation | generation = | releasedate = | lifespan = | price = | discontinued = | unitssold = | unitsshipped = | media = | os = NeXTSTEP, OPENSTEP, NetBSD (limited support) | power = | cpu = Motorola 68040 @ 25 MHz, 56001 digital signal processor (DSP) | storage = 400 MB, 1.4 GB, or 2.8 GB hard drive 2.88 MB floppy drive | memory = 8–64 MB | display = 1120×832 2-bpp grayscale | graphics = | sound = | input = | location = | controllers = | output = | camera = | touchpad = | connectivity = Ethernet | service = | dimensions = 1-foot (305 mm) die-cast magnesium cube-shaped case | weight = | topgame = | compatibility = | predecessor = NeXT Computer | successor = NeXTcube Turbo | related = | website = 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 It superseded the original NeXT Computer workstation and is housed in a similar cube-shaped magnesium enclosure, designed by frog design.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 list price.
Hardware
The NeXTcube is the successor to the original NeXT Computer, with a 25 MHz 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 . 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 processor with a 50 MHz one.
Specifications
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/NEXT_Cube-IMG_7154.jpg" caption="This NeXTcube has the original screen, keyboard, and mouse."] ::
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/NeXTcube_motherboard.jpg" caption="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))
Legacy
::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/NeXTcube_first_webserver.JPG" caption="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.
References
References
- "NeXT on the Agenda".
- "Spherical Solutions, Pyro Installation & Ordering".
- "Spherical Solutions, Pyro 50 mHz Accelerator Card".
- "NeXTcube brochure".
- "Original NeXT computer used by Sir Tim Berners-Lee to design the World Wide Web - NeXT".
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::