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Mac cloner reveals liquid-cooled Core i7 workstation

updated 05:50 pm EDT, Wed September 8, 2010

 

Quo maxQ2 keeps Mac clones alive


After some silence, Mac clone producer Quo Computer today revealed plans for a high-end workstation to take on the Mac Pro. The maxQ2 tower will use a Core i7 overclocked to 3.6GHz through the use of an officially endorsed Asetek 550LC liquid cooling system. Most other parts are high-end and chosen to work smoothly in Mac OS X, such as the stock GeForce GTX 285 as well as 12GB of RAM, a 240GB solid-state drive for a boot disk and a 1TB secondary hard drive.

As with its earliest projects, Quo's new PC is hacked to run Mac OS X and also boots both Linux and Windows. The maxQ2 is due to go on sale September 15 for a high base price of $3,765. Asetek's cooling will also be available in Quo's other Mac clones.

Quo was created last year in part to seize on the attention drawn to unsanctioned Mac clones. It has always operated on an uncertain footing, however, as the high-profile cloner Psystar was forced to stop sales after Apple successfully persuaded a court that the Florida outfit was violating its copyright and licensing by selling Mac OS X against the terms of the end-user agreement. Psystar had tried to argue that Apple had an unfair monopoly over its own systems, but the argument was dismissed as invalid, partly because customers were free to choose a Windows PC instead. Apple hasn't pursued Quo so far, but hasn't explained why.

It's not clear whether Asetek was aware of the risk to Quo when signing on for the maxQ2.


By Electronista Staff

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Intel, computers, Linux, NVIDIA, GeForce, Mac Pro, lawsuits, Psystar, Core i7, Apple, Quo Computer

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Previous Comments

  1. chas_m

    Moderator

    Joined: Aug 2001

    -1
    09/08, 06:42pm | report spam | (1 reply) | reply

    Jeebus that's ugly

    Nothing like a clone maker to make you appreciate the thought and care Apple puts into its design work.

    I wonder if Apple will go after Asetek rather than Quo directly, at least at first. That might be fun ...


  1. gskibum3

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Nov 2006

    -5
    09/08, 07:25pm | report spam | reply

    Liquid & Electronics - Not a Good Idea

    Can't begin to say how many liquid cooled G5 Mac Pros I've encountered that have leaked. The coolant usually takes out the motherboard on the way down to the power supply. Complete hardware devastation ensues.


  1. Roehlstation

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Aug 2001

    -1
    09/08, 08:17pm | report spam | reply

    Unless you want quiet.

    Liquid Cooled i7 is unnecessary


  1. B9bot

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Dec 2008

    -9
    09/08, 09:43pm | report spam | (1 reply) | reply

    Clone makers need to be shutdown!!

    Clone makers need to be shutdown!! People will waste there money on these PC pieces of c*** only to be disappointed and then somehow point the finger at Apple as the problem.
    I agree with the others that liquid cooling will kill your computer and for any speed improvements the cost and the total devastation that it will cause is not worth it. Noise is another issue with pumping fluids around, and also another point of failure if the pump dies.
    Again, not worth it at all. Just another Psystar that needs to be shutdown.
    Apple needs to get to work and remove them now.


  1. godrifle

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jan 2006

    +6
    09/08, 10:11pm | report spam | reply

    Live and let live

    Let Quo make computers. Buyers have a choice to use them to run sanctioned software or not, and purchase a computer from any vendor. As long as Quo isn't violating Apple's EUL (which they are not), I see no problem with it.


  1. rudedog

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jul 2009

    +7
    09/08, 10:37pm | report spam | reply

    What????

    Liquid cooled PCs (running what ever OS) uses non-conducting liquid, so no they will not ruin a motherboard.

    Granted the liquid is flammable but it will not conduct electricity thus it would not harm most components, especially the motherboard.

    PC users have been liquid cooling their PC for a long time, not sure what these "G5" where using. Also most modern liquid cooling systems are a sealed system, making them even more reliable.

    I guess until Apple, themselves does water cooling, it will won't be as cool or Magical........


  1. QuoLies

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Sep 2010

    +3
    09/08, 11:14pm | report spam | reply

    Dishonest Owner, read

    I'm certain that they make a good product but I would never spend my money with them again. After a verbal agreement with the owner of Quo Computer, Rashantha De Silva, he stole over $1600 from me. I bought a computer from them that did not work for my needs (could not handle my older pci slots even though he said it would) and returned it in honor of our agreement for my money to be refunded. He kept both MY money and the computer. He blamed his previous partner for me not getting my money back but my agreement was with him and his company and not some person or situation he never told me anything about. I honored my part of the agreement explaining and documenting everything to him right away and I even returned the computer to him (at my expense) the second he told me how to do so. (less then a week) I have no faith in this man's word. He later said that he would make good and never did. He stopped returning my phone calls and emails. I'm certain this situation will be brushed off but he knows the truth and what he did to me. No this will not happen to everybody who buys a computer from them but where's this man's honesty or values? I guess this is what I get for buying a clone. (for the record I spent my money with Quo Computer because no modern Apple supports the older pci standard and Quo Computer promised me that there's did which it clearly did not)) QuoLies


  1. dimmer

    Mac Enthusiast

    Joined: Feb 2006

    +1
    09/08, 11:31pm | report spam | reply

    ...and...

    "Psystar was forced to stop sales after Apple successfully persuaded a court that the Florida outfit was violating its copyright and licensing by selling Mac OS X against the terms of the end-user agreement."

    Wow, there's some mealy-mouthed journalism if ever. Apple sued, saying Psystar had broken the law. Psystar had broken the law. Court agreed. No "persuasion" involved. Weird as it may seem, the legal justice system isn't open to direct or indirect influence. The heavy handed implication in this article is that Psystar did nothing wrong (untrue: they did), and that the legal remedy was somehow less than above board (untrue: all proceedings were held in open court).


  1. testudo

    Forum Regular

    Joined: Aug 2001

    -4
    09/09, 10:22am | report spam | reply

    Re: Liquid & Electronics - Not a Good Idea

    Can't begin to say how many liquid cooled G5 Mac Pros I've encountered that have leaked. The coolant usually takes out the motherboard on the way down to the power supply. Complete hardware devastation ensues.


    First off, there was no such computer as a G5 Mac Pro. The MacPro is intel, the PowerMac G5 was the G5 computer.

    Secondly, just because Apple completely hosed the concept of liquid cooled computers does not mean it isn't a good idea. It has been used for years by the PC market, let alone the high-end server/computer market, and those people don't seem to have had the issues Apple did.


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