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A Remastered PPC Mac (question, not news)

M

MysticCow

macrumors 68000
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May 27, 2013
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In the other of the "this comes around somewhat often" questions, what Mac from history would you want to see "remastered" into the current line?

Obviously, it'd have to be an Intel Mac. Less obviously, I'd rather see it offered as two options--one with discrete graphics and one with integrated Iris graphics.

So with that out of the way, my vote goes to the iMac G4. As much as I love the G3 version, there's that special soft spot for this model that would make it a welcome "remastered edition." Plus, the base is nearly the size of a mini, so it wouldn't be tremendously hard to cram everything into it.
 
Upgradeable towers lasted a long time into the Intel era, and did so while retaining a lot of the design elements of the G5.

With that said, if we could get a new upgradeable tower, I'd love to see a return to something like the G3/G4 form factor. Not only is it smaller than the G5/MP, but you can't beat the "oven door" design for easy access. So, I'd like to see it return.
 
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G4 Quicksilver. :D

Hackers have proven time and again that it's possible to fit a PC logicboard and ATX power supply in a PowerPC era QS case. Some modders manage to get watercooled PC boards in.

There's a cooling mod out there with two fan holes knocked into the top of the case and another one where the side panel was made transparent acrylic so you can see the internals. I knocked a hole in my own case (in the bottom) for a fan.

So, it's certainly possible to fit newer components in. Make both drive openings for optical drives (like the MDD and MP). There's enough space to allow for the longer modern graphic cards and the floor can be redesigned to allow either intake of cool air or exhaust of hot air.
 
eyoungren said:
G4 Quicksilver. :D

Hackers have proven time and again that it's possible to fit a PC logicboard and ATX power supply in a PowerPC era QS case. Some modders manage to get watercooled PC boards in.

There's a cooling mod out there with two fan holes knocked into the top of the case and another one where the side panel was made transparent acrylic so you can see the internals. I knocked a hole in my own case (in the bottom) for a fan.

So, it's certainly possible to fit newer components in. Make both drive openings for optical drives (like the MDD and MP). There's enough space to allow for the longer modern graphic cards and the floor can be redesigned to allow either intake of cool air or exhaust of hot air.
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While the case is nice, it would be really weird today. I don't really like it, to be honest. I prefer the G5's design, size, and more importantly, the case mechanism. A removable panel to get to everything is much better than one with all of the components on it, in my opinion.
 
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Unfortunately they've not made the Mac I want.

Closest in concept is a PowerMac G5 tower. Then make it small form factor. 4 PCIe slots - double height full length GPU plus a couple of extras. Couple of drive bays. Then I'm a happy bunny.
 
For me it would have to be an iMac G4 with an Intel i5 or i7. A timeless design imho. A 22" screen would be nice, but I could live with a 20" (The PPC 20" really suits me fine).
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128keaton said:
While the case is nice, it would be really weird today. I don't really like it, to be honest. I prefer the G5's design, size, and more importantly, the case mechanism. A removable panel to get to everything is much better than one with all of the components on it, in my opinion.
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I must agree with this.
 
G3 iMac, G4 iMac or G3 Clamshell. The case would remain the same (but with modern build improvements), uprated screen and I/O.
Inside would be four A9 chips in parallel running iOS with an emulation layer to switch to OS9 or a flavour of OSX.
Apple could use it as a POC test for ARM powered laptops/desktops.
 
Definitely an iMac G4, but I'm sure it would be way to hard to manufacture with today's standards. Honestly, the G4 was so different from everything at the time. Now apple's products have been copied time and time again, thus the current designs are washed out and stale. I think it's time for another Apple design revolution. Also, a new TAM (Thirtieth Anniversary Mac) with a modern design take on the original Mac would be nice, but I think it's a bit too late sadly.
 
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Gamer9430 said:
Also, a new TAM (Thirtieth Anniversary Mac) with a modern design take on the original Mac would be nice, but I think it's a bit too late sadly.
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In a sense, Apple HAS been making a modern take on the TAM since 2004 in the form of the iMac. The original iMac G5 and all subsequent iMac models really are a spiritual successor with their upright LCD panel and everything packed in behind/below it. They've really even taken it one step further, as they even pack the power supply in.

BTW, the original TAM was to celebrate 20 years of Apple Computer, and we're now closing in on forty years. We passed the 30th anniversary of the Macintosh itself in 2014. In any case, I'd like to see Apple to SOMETHING to celebrate it.
 
I don't really know. I feel like MOST PPC designs are dated, to the point where if they were brought back today, it would be completely terrible. Whether we like it or not, the world is changing. I for one wish we could still be living in 2010, iOS/Mac wise. You could buy a nice, upgradable Mac Pro, a perfect sized MacBook Pro (without GPU issues), our iPhone 4s were brand-new (feels like a long time ago, doesn't it). The 3Gs was still a viable phone, which ran iOS 4 very well.

If I had to choose a design, probably the PowerBook Alu/Early MBP design. I really like it, aside from the serviceability.
 
The iMac G4 is a great design (I have a 20"), but isn't very practical compared to later iMacs. The base has to be very heavy to act as a counterweight. The desk-level vents make it vulnerable to spilled liquids. The optical drive takes up half the interior space. The odd thermal design is relatively noisy and probably wouldn't work for higher powered components. The round design doesn't leave much area for the motherboard. The separate orb speakers mean wine clutter.

An updated design with a lightweight, LED backlit LCD, no optical drive, built in speakers and modern, low-TDP components would be quite sweet though.
 
Seconded! I would love to see the iMac 2002 reborn with modern technology. No personal computer before it or since can be described as ... poetic.
 

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I would like to see a Powerbook 15" reborn, albeit thinner maybe? I would not like it to sport an intel inside. I would like it to remain true as a powerpc notebook. Is there a newer powerpc processor that could be fitted in on a notebook? I really liked the keys on it, they are really good to type on.
 
Nameci said:
I would like to see a Powerbook 15" reborn, albeit thinner maybe? I would not like it to sport an intel inside. I would like it to remain true as a powerpc notebook. Is there a newer powerpc processor that could be fitted in on a notebook? I really liked the keys on it, they are really good to type on.
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The last G4 PowerBooks already have the last G4 chips inside. The only other option that might have been developed that didn't make it to production would be the dual core G4 chips Freescale had in the works. You're not going to get a "modern" PowerPC chip in a notebook though. What existed in 2005/6 is all there is.
 
Hrududu said:
The last G4 PowerBooks already have the last G4 chips inside. The only other option that might have been developed that didn't make it to production would be the dual core G4 chips Freescale had in the works. You're not going to get a "modern" PowerPC chip in a notebook though. What existed in 2005/6 is all there is.
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There still is a PowerPC chip in use today, the IBM Espresso chip in the Wii U, but all it really is, is an up-to-date triple-core PowerPC 750/G3.
 
An expandable tower like the Power Mac G5 or classic Mac Pro. The iMac G4 design is nice, but I don't think it'd be able to take on a 27" 5K display well.

An aluminium G4 Cube would be on my list as well, but the new Mac Pro is close enough just with a different shape. It would be better with dual processors and PCIe slots for graphics though.
 
There is the Xenon, it is a chip for game consoles, based on the G5 design, but runs at 3.2gHz, and is Triple-Core, on the same die. I would like to see a Macintosh Pro G5, based on that chip.
 
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