This Modded iMac G4 With an M1 Chip Is My Dream Computer

Apple shook up its Mac lineup this week when it launched the Mac Studio with its highly effective M1 Ultra and a companion monitor, the Studio Display. These are undoubtedly intriguing gadgets, however their minimalist designs lack a sure panache that when existed in Apple gadgets.

So as an alternative of plunking down many hundreds of {dollars} on new tech, one modder selected as an alternative to take the physique of a a lot cooler Apple system and improve it with trendy parts. DIYer connor55 resurrected an iMac G4 all-in-one laptop by changing its ageing coronary heart with an M1 motherboard discovered within the Mac mini.

The aim was to swap out the previous components with the brand new ones with out compromising the iMac G4’s distinctive design. In the top, it was a hit. When the challenge was completed, the ultimate product was a robust all-in-one PC with a cool classic aesthetic.

The authentic iMac G4, introduced in January 2002, was powered by a PowerPC chip and may very well be geared up with as much as 256MB of SDRAM and as much as 80GB of storage. It grew to become a beloved icon of retro-tech, and for good cause: it seems to be futuristic, the form is delightfully awkward, and the stainless-steel arm was downright revolutionary.

This construct (with high-res images) was posted to the MacRumors forum for individuals who need the step-by-step course of. The quick model is that connor55 hollowed out the iMac G4 and match a Mac mini motherboard into the bottom. This is feasible as a result of that one part is smaller than the G4’s arduous drive alone. The motherboard contains an M1 chip, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD–every thing you might want to run trendy purposes.

Incredibly, the unique energy button and disc drive are purposeful, and the inventory 1024×768-pixel show works high-quality (although Connor55 is contemplating an improve sooner or later). Better but, the FireWire 400 and VGA ports had been swapped for contemporary ones–USB-C, HDMI, three USB-A ports, an SD card reader, an Ethernet jack, and a headphone jack–and Bluetooth and wifi can be utilized to hook up with the web or wi-fi gadgets.

“The 3 antennas from the M1 Mac Mini have been chopped down to just the actual antennas. I placed them all right next to the vents at the top of the base,” Connor55 wrote on the discussion board. “The Wi-Fi signal is meh, so I have a range extender right by it, and I can get over 100Mbps still. The Bluetooth only works right next to the dome, so [it’s] borderline useless.” He later clarifies that the Bluetooth is “good enough to use a keyboard and a mouse.”

This isn’t the primary time the iMac G4 has been on the donor listing for a coronary heart transplant. Late final yr, colbyjohn94 posted an analogous creation to Twitter and the MacRumors forums. If solely Apple may deliver again this design so we may all use a desktop that resembles the Pixar Luxo lamp.