PowerMac Reloaded | A Gift for My Girlfriend

[jiyang1018]

Also seen here on my personal website:
http://www.design4pa...c-reloaded.html

 

Introduction

 

First glance of Apple computer was around 1999 when i was still in high school, and it was the iMac G3 with color transparent shell. It just looks amazing, still does today, but I never got a chance to touch or use it. Then I went to college to study industrial design, and one of our professors like Apple's design a lot, and talked about Apple highly all the time. He had a Powerbook G4 Titanium. In my junior year, our new campus was established, and we were given a digital media design lab with all Apple desktops. I was the monitor of my class, and I bargained with my professor to have class on digital media design in the new lab; he agreed. For a whole semester and summer, we were using Powermac G4 Quicksilver models. Back then, we also had all Cinema Display with Powermac G4. For use who all used CRT monitors, this is light, thin, vivid. Yes it cannot adjust angle and stuff as today's standards, but CRT users don't adjust angles much, period.
We also received a Sony DV Cam to shoot. It was not the one-hand-operating one; it is the ones media used 11 years ago on people's shoulders. I believe people still put them on shoulders. TA told me it cost the same as a VW Polo.
I like to take things apart, but not that DV Cam. Powermac G4 on the other hand, did not escape. In 2000 to 2004, computer case design was a lot different from today's criteria. There was no cable management grommets, routing behind motherboard tray, not even motherboard try. Most PSU still run with 80mm fan on the back as exhaust, and rarely some models use 120mm bottom mounted fan as intake. You don't see thumb screws on side panel often either. I had a magnetic screw driver on my table all the time in college. This Powermac G4 is different, just pull the handle and everything is right in front of you. IDE cable can be used like ribbon, folded 90 degree turns everywhere.

Simplicity itself is not simple.



It is still very hard to see any case design has better style and more detailed touches, even in today's market.


look at that IDE cable on the right hand side.


Yes thick bezels. Would you use this for 3 screen surround?


Power and digital signal run in the same cable, as we all know here. That is why I didn't buy this monitor for this Hackintosh build.

 

[jiyang1018]

Hardware Overview

 

One day I was talking with my girlfriend about Apple's design when Jobs just returned to Apple, and we both liked most of them. I then started planning to build a Hackintosh for my girlfriend. Hardware selection is based on tonymacx86 and osx86project wiki.
Let's see some boxes first.


Xeon E1230 V2. Clocked a bit low, but I am not planning to overclock this build any ways.


My girlfriend likes to call it brand snow, can't fight that.


Very good looking blue, match oncoming motherboard. Most importantly, it was on sale @newegg.com for $84, 10-10-10-27 timing. She used Illustrator and Photoshop most of the time, so 16 GB is a good choice.


First choice for Hackintosh is Gigabyte Motherboard. Other brands CAN DO, but take more effort.


Before I purchased any of these, I was planning for quite a while. B75 has most features of Intel 7 series chipset, but only 1 SATA III port. It would be 1 SSD + 1 HDD, and this is the first time I every used 2.5 in HDD in a desktop. This bracket seems a good choice, but I ended up not using it.


She may not want long Ethernet cable running around the room, the TP-link PCI-E slot one that can work flawlessly on Hackintosh, is still around $45, which is a bit pricy comparing with other parts. This USB one is stated as perfect signal strength on OSx86project wiki, and ... jump to the next pic


She has a Magic Trackpad working with her 2007 iMac. B75m-D3p does not have built-in Bluetooth. This adapter is recommended on tonymacx86 buying guide and with the USB wift adapter were on sale. A few hours after I placed the other with motherboard, CPU, graphic card, memory and HDD, newegg emailed to notify me that this adapter got back in stock. USB wifi was $23, BT was $13, applied coupons, newegg took $17 off. I hit place order.


Motherboard naked.


White socket is ok, but why is USB 3 header is so much darker than the rest? Or, can't Gigabyte make all light blue sockets as dark as the USB 3 header?


Heat spreaders on the memory modules match nicely to the chipset heatsink on motherboard. Parts from different companies match color, but from same company don't.


Snow brand PSU is very critical in my build, and it was inspired by this post:
http://www.overclock...powermac-g4-mod


Stock fan is not really noisy, but I just don't like this push-down type configuration. I was thinking about Intel BXXTS100H, see link below. It has good performance, and most importantly, the impressed logo on the top fin. It is too much money for that performance.
http://www.futuresho...h/10152266.aspx


WD Black 500GB. 750GB has better performance, but the 500GB external drive I gave her 2 years ago is still less than half full. This 500GB is well enough for a occasionally used Windows and a resource/backup drive.


I was considering an entry level professional graphic card, such as Quadro 2000. I just sold one in January before I had this build in mind, plus she does 2D work a lot, and these gaming card can handle that workload without breaking sweat. Besides, I may play League of Legends when I visit her; GTX 650 Ti is good enough.


2 reasons that I bought this MSI card. 1, $20 MIR. 2, color. I wish it could be a bit shorter, or 6 pin connector faced away from PCI-E connector. You will see why.


Now, color match across 3 different companies. 4, if you count Intel cooler sticker.


Now the main character


Just astonishing.

 

[Hyydrah]

It looks nice, but there's no window. Have you considered adding one?

[Dave :)]

Looking good :D.

[jiyang1018]

It looks nice, but there's no window. Have you considered adding one?

No sir. I want to keep this case as original as possible by just looking at it. Internally, it would be totally different.

To me, this case is perfect on exterior, so there is no need for me to cut a window. Another thing about this case, structure wise, motherboard tray is on a hinge to unfold to open, and the other side panel is holding everything together. Cutting a windows would compromise the structural integrity, maybe just slightly.

[hamsor]

looks really nice and sweet :)

[Ownage]

Looks beautiful. Why a Xeon though?

[perplex]

nice lol, make sure to take the motherboard off the anti static bag, as the outside of the bag isnt anti static

[bradscoolio]

I think the premise for your build is really cool, though, are you going to be uploading the process of the build?

[Dieman566]

Looking forward to this build log :) 

[jiyang1018]

Looks beautiful. Why a Xeon though?

This case is on the small side, I mean the interior space, so I have no plan for overclocking.

This build was planned to leave with my girlfriend, and since we are in different states, and my personal rig is huge to carry around, I want to play some games on her rig. Dedicated GPU is a must, so i5 or i7 are no longer attracting.

I still do Solidworks, Alias modeling and Keyshot, Showcase rendering, so hyper-threading is preferred.

Xeon 1230 v2 is about the same performance as i7 3770, or 3770K not overclocked.

Among all the hardware I chose, maybe only PSU may be considered as high price tag/high end in SFX.

 

nice lol, make sure to take the motherboard off the anti static bag, as the outside of the bag isnt anti static

Thanks for the tips. Never thought about it.

 

I think the premise for your build is really cool, though, are you going to be uploading the process of the build?

Thanks. More to come.

 

Looking forward to this build log :)

Thanks for the support.

 

looks really nice and sweet :)

Thanks for the support.

[GuppyTech]

Looking good my friend...

 

you can see where the prodigy has its influence from.

 

nice photos too.

 

thanks for sharing.

[jiyang1018]

Test run and disassemble

 

Internal all removed by ebay seller. 2 stock fans were included, but not used after all. A pill bottle of screws. One crack on the side panel. I guess someone tightened that screw too hard. Not may scratches after carefully cleaned.


I had planned everything for so long in my mind, and today, I finally get to test it. The frost effect plastic controls door looking mechanism, and I will try anything not to damage it.


Nothing to test how to place CPU/motherboard/graphic card. PSU and HDD need to stay on this door. SSD is still on the way. In this layout, HDD bracket has to take space from plastic panel; I don't want to cut that plastic.


Or fix HDD bracket to stock card bracket which you can see between PSU and HDD bracket. This way, HDD bracket doesn't need to have contact with the door panel.


Hardware test run to make sure there is no DOA.


If I do something, I dedicate to the details. Apple Keyboard is a must have. The on in pic above is from several years ago, I bought used but in new condition for $15. My girlfriend spilled drink on it once, so some keys don't recover back right away.


This box is so thin, even thinner than my Azio all mechanical keybaord. And yes, it has to be thin.


Disassemble is always easy.


If you have the right tool.


Just astonishing pieces.

[MPX309]

nice little project. . . i hope she gives u lots of favours after  ^_^  :lol:

[MalcolmSex]

Awesome. I'm looking long fully at my retired powermac G4 right now

[jiyang1018]

I/O shield mod and more hardware

 

It's almost impossible to fit the whole platform into this case, and here is the murderer.


And the accessory. Or maybe it should be the other way around.


Anyway, I/O area cut off. I/O shield is not that big, why do you cut the whole area? You may ask. And you will see why.


I'm so glad that audio ports are not blocked. In some cases, people cut of the post between I/O area and 1st PCI bracket to gain clearance of audio ports. I thought about this already. If they are blocked, I would use a front panel connector fixed on a empty PCI slot cover. Since there is no issue at all, let's proceed.


Some people say that this hole can use stock standoff post. It can. But not in the dead center. It's about 1mm off the center in my case, but you can definitely use it.


New package arrived.




The main cooling power is here. Most hardware is in black/blue color scheme. Motherboard PCB is blue, which is nice. Graphic card is brown, a bit annoying. Other places I'm planning black and white. White fan, low dBA, focused air flow all checked, not many choices left.


I have to admit these fans look so nice from the pulling side, not so much on the pushing side.


CPU cooler and other cooling fans. Based on my measurement and calculation, on my motherboard, Cooler Master 212 EVO is the biggest cooler, any taller will cause the case unable to close, while the door rather. 812 TC is 1mm shorter which should work. For this Xeon then, 212 EVO is sufficient. When I was shopping around, 812 TC has MIR, and only $10 more than 212 EVO after MIR.


80x15mm fan to replace PSU fan. When I was test running all hardware, PSU was louder than 7200rpm 2.5 HDD. I am not sure if this rig can peak 300W, 250W maybe, which is right around 50% load sweet spot and should not stress my PSU much. This fan has slight lower CFM, but noticeably lower dBA.


80x25mm fan, again, not a lot of white choices. This should be a good choice, and will be place on the rear of the case, where stock PSU fan exhaust. It should just fit.


Specs of 212 EVO.


AMD/Intel universal retention plate. Not a fan of the fan blade design or material or finish(You get it right? not a fan of the fan. lol.). performance or dBA is all fine. No plan to change it soon. May be a 120mm Spectre Pro, but that can wait I update the whole platform with i-7 after Haswell, or even 2 generations after.


EVO and non-EVO 212 are only different here. Heatpipes from EVO have full direct contact with CPU heatspreader, while there is significant gaps and grooves on original 212.


Is is considered as dense or loose?

[crocski]

Lots of pictures makes me happy

[Jan.B]

i like the idea, I want to do somethin simmilar with a newer powermac case somewhere in the future, excited to see the result dude, keep up the good work! ^^

[aksel3007]

Wow! that's a really cool build :)

[Loe]

That case looks sweet, can't wait to see the finished product!

[theJBcomputers]

very cool build

[Dragontail]

Gutted Mac is always nice to see :D!! keep up the good work!

[jiyang1018]

Lots of pictures makes me happy

I am happy to shows these pics as well.

 

i like the idea, I want to do somethin simmilar with a newer powermac case somewhere in the future, excited to see the result dude, keep up the good work! ^^

Powermac case or Mac Pro case? They are slightly different. More to come soon.

 

Wow! that's a really cool build :)

Thanks.

 

That case looks sweet, can't wait to see the finished product!

I won't take long.

 

very cool build

Thanks.

 

Gutted Mac is always nice to see :D!! keep up the good work!

Thank you. My next target is either Mac Pro case or the upcoming new Mac Pro (expecting it this summer).

[notenoughtv]

Looking forward to the finished product

[Deus Ragno]

That is neat.