Jerrod Hofferth's Half-Sized eMac Mini Might Be the Cutest M4 Mac Mini Housing Around
Inspired by Apple's relatively short-lived educational take on the iMac range, this retro-themed housing includes working speakers.
Maker Jerrod Hofferth is the proud owner of what may be the cutest Mac Mini in history, in the form of a 3D-printed housing inspired by Apple's classic eMac range — and he's released the files for anyone to build their own, too.
"My latest Mac Mini project has been a fully-functional all-in-one terminal that is a ~55-60% scale model of the Apple G4 eMac originally released in 2002," Hofferth explains of the project. "The case is custom-designed and printed in Bambu ABS-GF and clear PETG. The stand has working tilt and swivel. It is powered by an M4 Mac mini that sits underneath and is secured inside with the airflow to the vents unimpeded. All ports are accessible on the sides, just like the eMac."
Originally designed for educational use and building on the company's earlier iMac range, Apple's eMac family launched in 2022 as a cheaper mass-market entry point into the company's PowerPC-driven computer range. The case included all the computing hardware, including a PowerPC 745x processor running at up to 1.42GHz in the 2005-era models, along with a cathode-ray tube (CRT) display, optical drive, and stereo speakers, leaving the user needing extra beyond the bundled mouse and keyboard on their desk.
Hofferth's recreation mimics the appearance of the eMac range well, though with one key difference: it's around half the size. Despite that, it's also considerably more powerful: the 3D-pritned shell houses a modern Apple M4-powered Mac Mini, hidden behind an upcycled 9.7" iPad display — controls for which are cleverly hidden behind a magnetic cover mimicking the appearance of the original machine's optical drive.
The device isn't Hofferth's first homage to older Apple machines: the maker has previously released other models inspired by the 2019-era Mac Pro, the 2013-era "Trash Can" Mac Pro, the PowerMac G4 Cube, and the PowerMac G3. "The speakers are functional," Hofferth adds of his latest design, "powered with a little Class D amp. The whole kit feeds from one power cable only, all else is routed internally."
Full details are available on Hofferth's Maker World page, where the files are provided under the site's Standard Digital File License.