In summary:
- Macworld highlights the M2x2, a creative 3D-printed case that transforms a Mac mini M4 into a giant functional Lego brick at 10:1 scale.
- The design features practical elements including top studs that serve as volume controls and Apple Watch charging pucks, plus a 7-inch display and USB-C ports.
- Created by a Redditor, this nostalgic project blends classic Lego aesthetics with 1980s Macintosh design, with 3D files available on Makerworld for enthusiasts.
If the MacBook Neo is altogether too new-looking for your tastes, you may be interested in a Mac that offers a more retro design.
A 3D-printing enthusiast and Redditor going by the handle NefariousnessWhole25 this week announced the completion of a project to house a Mac mini M4 inside a giant Lego brick. The device somehow combines nostalgia for classic Lego with nostalgia for 1980s Macintosh design, while remaining functional enough to serve as a fully-functional computer.
The starting point was an idea to 3D print an oversized (10:1 scale) version of the Lego brick “Slope 45 2×2,” also known as part 3039. First used in Lego sets as long ago as 1959, this familiar wedge shape has frequently been used in spaceships and superhero bases to represent an old-fashioned computer terminal. So NefariousnessWhole25 decided to use the larger model for precisely that.
The project, known as the M2x2, houses an M4 Mac mini inside the giant brick. It features a 7-inch (sloping) display, USB-C ports, and SD card reader on the front, and a carrying handle. The two studs on the top are used for volume control (left) and to cover a wireless AirPods/Apple Watch charging puck (right).
“Meet the M2x2 (because 2×2 = M4, and of course as reference to the iconic Lego brick),” writes NefariousnessWhole25. “The design was mainly inspired by the original Macintosh (the vents and the handle in the back), but inside it contains the small but mighty Mac mini M4 to turn it into a fully contained desktop terminal that I currently use as my main computer.”
Readers who’d like to replicate the experience can grab the 3D model from Makerworld. You’ll also need a Mac mini, of course:
And if you enjoy retro Macintosh design, take a look at the Pico Mac Nano, Spigen’s Classic LS case, and this funky DIY project.
Author: David Price, Editor, Macworld
David has been writing about technology for well over two decades, and got on board the Apple hype train when covering the original iPhone launch in 2007. He is an enthusiastic Apple Watch evangelist and feels that the HomePod is misunderstood.