Apple is releasing cool new desktop Macs once more, however persons are nonetheless doing loads of enjoyable initiatives utilizing older Apple machines. A enjoyable instance that we noticed lately (h/t Input) was this mod by somebody named Connor, who took the internals of an M1 Mac Mini and put them into one in all Apple’s most iconic desktops, the iMac G4.

As Connor exhibits in a YouTube video, the G4 nonetheless has all of its unique performance after his mod — it may well play DVDs from an inside drive (although they did must swap out the unique one, which connected using IDE) — and at first look, it hasn’t been modified in any respect. But with the display on, it’s apparent the pc is operating the trendy macOS Monterey, as a substitute of OS X 10.5 Snow Leopard, the final working system that formally supported the G4’s unique {hardware}.

Connor is way from the primary individual to mod the iMac G4. Their publish even cites another MacRumors user who did an M1-based G4 construct and offers credit score to a guide from the (oft-cited within the Mac modding group) Dremel Junkie. Searching YouTube reveals that loads of others have executed G4 mods. You’ll discover a number of Hackintosh PC builds, a Raspberry Pi-based arcade machine, some upgrades and restorations, and even somebody who’s turned it into an external display. The Verge has even made one — one in all our producers, Creighton DeSimone, modded a G4 utilizing a Surface pill so hosts of a stay YouTube present might use it.

It’s no marvel persons are drawn to doing enjoyable issues with this pc. It’s received a singular design (so long as you’re not evaluating it to lamps), however its internals are sufficiently old that you simply’re not risking so much by tearing it aside.

Image: Connor55

To me, although, Connor’s construct is the gold normal in terms of doing this sort of mod. It retains enjoyable issues just like the CD drive and display from the unique, whereas updating the components that had been previous and creaky, just like the precise pc and I/O. They’ve additionally posted an extremely in-depth look into their course of over on the MacRumors forum, so in case you’re fascinated by all of the blood, sweat, and complex electronics work that went into this mod, make sure to give it a glance.

When I dropped this mod in our Slack, Verge editor-in-chief Nilay Patel responded “I want this so bad.” I completely agree, however given simply how a lot work went into making it, I believe I’ll follow admiring it on YouTube for now.