If you’re talking about my mod, yes, it is fast. It is a mini 2014, the smallest one, with a i5 @ 1,4 with 4GB of ram, but with a SSD. It is running the beta of Monterey without any issue.
Surely not as fast as a M1, but really cheaper.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iMac G4 with M1 chip: Success!!!
- Thread starter colbyjohn94
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Surely not as fast as a M1, but really cheaper.
Wow - magnificent! OP and other original iMac modders, you guys are legends. This is a beautiful machine. I wish there were a guide for this that a non electrically inclined person could follow, it would be a dream to have an M1 in an original iMac form factor.
Are the screens original or did you guys replace them with more modern ones? Old LCDs seem to get way dim and slow to warm up
Are the screens original or did you guys replace them with more modern ones? Old LCDs seem to get way dim and slow to warm up
I personally used the original display. Yes it is not full HD or 4K, but the disassembling of the neck and the installation of the new wires is really difficult and long. the dimming is not working but i don’t care.
Thanks for your reply! You did an incredible job with the Mac - that seemed complicated to me, the neck disassembly sounds even more difficult then. The displays in your and OP's Macs look great though - bright and vivid.
wow good for you,
they are in Costa Rica in a medical laboratory gathering and executing data.
colbyjohn94
I had 2 of those iMacs and miss those today, but they are in a better placethey are in Costa Rica in a medical laboratory gathering and executing data.
A bit ambitious here, but I wonder if you could get it to dual boot Big Sur and also an OS from the time, maybe 10.4 Tiger? That would be my ultimate dream G4.
No way for a dual-boot (Tiger and Haswell don't mix - the 2014 mini requires Mavericks at minimum), but you can virtualise Tiger.
reddit mods defies and abhors creativity
but this thread should be about the iMac G4 and what was done!
but this thread should be about the iMac G4 and what was done!
WOW!!!! Your mod is stunning!! You absolutely need to try the M1! My Mod is not nearly as pretty on the inside lol but I was just to eager to get it running (to see if it would work at all really lol)! Now that I know it does, I'm planning on going back in and redoing some of the wiring and make the fit in finish better.
I'm currently still waiting on some male to female cables to come in (shipping delays
) to wire to the ports because at the moment they're just sitting there! But this is stunning!! thank you for sharing!! I'd love to connect with you and pick your brain over how you connected to the original logic board? That's been the hard part for me!
Thank you!WOW!!!! Your mod is stunning!! You absolutely need to try the M1! My Mod is not nearly as pretty on the inside lol but I was just to eager to get it running (to see if it would work at all really lol)! Now that I know it does, I'm planning on going back in and redoing some of the wiring and make the fit in finish better.
I'm currently still waiting on some male to female cables to come in (shipping delays
I’m working on my mod since 2019… I first used a 2009 Mac Mini, and upgraded it last year with the 2014. The M1 is still in project, but I use sometimes Windows, and it is not possible with the M1.
Some pictures of the part of the reused original motherboard :
I soldered cables for Ethernet and sound ports.
Totally understand wanting to boot back into windows too. You did it amazingly, it's such a clean mod example! I never thought it would be possible with the Intel mini's, so huge congrats it's very impressive!
I'm working on my video today to explain the process I did on mine (warning for all, its not as pretty as this guy's!) but would you be alright if I linked to this post to show it is possible with the older Mini's and that the mod can be completed in different ways? I don't want to post anything without people's consent, but it is stunning and I'd love to give you a shoutout and credit to the people that have tried it before me!
Thank you again to everyone else on here and twitter, you guys have said such nice things and it brings me joy that everyone is as excited about this little computer as I am!
Well, you got your answer, OP. Everyone seems to care that you did this! ?
The iMac G4 was the catalyst that moved me to the Mac. I had an opportunity to use one during an REU in 2003. That fall I purchased my first Mac, the 12" PowerBook G4. OS X blew my mind, in addition to relative ease to learn some programming skills bolstered by the fact that Xcode was free, a big plus for a student at the time. Additionally, the design language and attention to detail from Apple sent me all-in. I was mesmerized by the 'heartbeat' sleep indicator light, led 'feel gauge' on my PowerBook battery, the magnetic induced latch, ease of adding the Airport card, etc.
I still love my Macs, but none have spoke to me in the same way as the G4 series. I would love to have a machine like the OP's, but I don't have a G4 iMac laying around and would not be able to bring myself to demolish a current generation product to make it happen.
Regardless, excellent work!
I still love my Macs, but none have spoke to me in the same way as the G4 series. I would love to have a machine like the OP's, but I don't have a G4 iMac laying around and would not be able to bring myself to demolish a current generation product to make it happen.
Regardless, excellent work!
I'll say! Haha never thought so many people would find it as exciting as I have, but thank you!!
Darth Tulhu
macrumors 68020
I REALLY wish Apple would build these again.
OP, I ENVY your skill, commitment, and very much YOUR MACHINE.
Beautiful!!!
Well done, my friend.
That said, I would love a magnetic iPad stand that looked like this as well.
OP, I ENVY your skill, commitment, and very much YOUR MACHINE.
Beautiful!!!
Well done, my friend.
That said, I would love a magnetic iPad stand that looked like this as well.
really nice work man. congrats! is there any adapter to convert the original display connector to hdmi? or do you have to work with the soldering like @Pendleton115 ?