This week’s selection is the Mac mini Pro by MakerWorld contributor Jerrod Hofferth.
Hot on the heels of Apple’s recent announcement of the long-awaited M4 Mac mini, there’s a new 3D model that takes advantage of the new desktop computer.
The M4 Mac mini is arguably one of the best upgrades Apple has launched in recent years. The Mac mini has been a bit of a forgotten device, but this year’s version has an incredibly powerful processor, said to be 6X faster than comparably priced PCs.
That should generate quite a few sales for Apple, but could this device be made even better?
That’s the plan from Jerrod H, who has designed a custom “wrap” for the new mini. He explains:
“Does anyone remember the adorable miniature PowerMac G5 model on Steve’s desk at his Palo Alto home? With the new 5-inch square M4 Mac mini, now you can have your very own functional ‘Mac Pro mini’ or ‘Mac mini Pro’ with just a bit of 3D printing.
The M4 Mac mini slides into the rear of the 3D-printed shell of the Mac Pro case, and is held in securely. All ports remain functional, and the power button is prominently and readily accessible via a push-through button in the case.”
The case is the main piece, and the handles and feet can be printed separately and then glued onto the case. The wheels are implemented by inserting a certain size of ball bearings into the feet, enabling the Mac mini Pro to roll around your desk.
The design is actually not quite finalized, as Hofferth has not yet received his mini from Apple. The plan is to tweak the design to ensure proper fit, and then release the final 3D model to the public. He explains:
“This is a pre-release beta test of a project concept I came up with and plan to iterate on over the next week or two as the M4 Mac mini sees its widespread release. Caution: this initial release is photo-scaled only to the Mac mini’s stated dimension of 12.7cm square. Fit tweaks will be forthcoming once I have hardware in-hand.”
This is a terrific example of how a modern product can be blended with retro designs using 3D printing.
Via MakerWorld
