We're big fans of the 2021 iMac, with its bold and retro colour palette. But if it's Apple nostalgia you're after, this fan-made iMac mod is guaranteed to hit the spot. What do you get when you combine a beloved 2002 design with 2022 tech? Good things, that's what.
A modder has placed up-to-the-minute tech into the body of an iMac G4, and it only serves to remind us how much we loved the two-decade-old design. If Apple were to release a genuine M1 iMac G4, we'd buy it in a heartbeat. (Want the best Apple all-in-one experience available now? Check out the best iMac deals available now.)
It's one of the most iconic Apple designs ever (Image credit: Apple)
MacRumors' Connor55 has been detailing the process since January, and judging by the many, many photos of cables, this was no five-minute mod. But it was clearly worth it – the result is an iMac with 2002 looks and 2022 performance.
The finished product (Image credit: connor55 on MacRumors)
(Just don't look underneath the base) (Image credit: connor55 on MacRumors)
"I believe this is the world's first fully functional M1 G4 iMac with all ports and optical drive working," Connor55 said when declaring the project complete at the end of last month. So how did they achieve such sorcery? By cramming the internals of a 2020 M1 Mac mini inside the iMac G4, of course.
And it seems Apple fans are loving the retro mod. "That is truly a thing of beauty and wonder!" one MacRumors forum user comments, while another adds, "Amazing. I would love to try something like this but after reading all you did I doubt I could have done this! Really, really cool!"
Indeed, there'll always be something delightful about some of those early iMac designs. Back in 2002, there weren't many all-in-one desktops out there, and yet there was Apple creating computers that looked like beautiful lamps. While we have a feeling the company has no plans to re-release any of its old designs any time soon, Apple does seem to have one eye on its past right now – fans think the new Mac Studio looks a little familiar.
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Daniel John is Design Editor at Creative Bloq. He reports on the worlds of design, branding and lifestyle tech, and has covered several industry events including Milan Design Week, OFFF Barcelona and Adobe Max in Los Angeles.
