[Baron Munchausen]

Do you think it would be possible to swap out the G4 motherboard and replace it with a MacBook intel board?

I fear that the external connectors are hard-soldered so that will be a pain, I guess, as would the potentially different screen res on my year old example (1280x854). Alternatively will a Mac Mini live inside the PowerBook shell?

[Windowsrookie]

nope. impossible. nope. never gonna happen. nope.

the motherboards are completly diffrent.

[MrENGLISH™]

not to mention the casing is slightly different between the 15"PB and the 15"MBP

[Brad]

Just curious: why would you want to do this?

[MrENGLISH™]

Originally Posted by Brad Just curious: why would you want to do this?

I'm curious too! But even more curious to see the final product

[Luca]

It's not impossible. But it's also not within the realm of probability. I mean, all you really need to do to get any computer working in any case is just figure out a way to stuff all the components in there. If the volume of the new case is too small, then you have to figure out a way to either remove some of the components or modify the casing to accommodate the larger size of the new guts.

That's not easy, though. While you can technically assemble a computer and then put it in whatever case you want (a cardboard box if you so choose), it would be very difficult to completely rebuilt a MacBook Pro in such a way that it would be just as small and tightly put together as it was when you began. Also, remember that you actually have to get the thing working.

In the end, there are no real benefits to this. The cases are nearly identical, except the PowerBook G4's case was a bit larger. And while accomplishing such a thing would be an amazing technical feat, it's really not that impressive visually.

So there's no point, really. Wanna see some cool mods? Look at www.applefritter.com. Those are a lot more impressive and practical than moving a MacBook Pro into a very slightly different laptop case.

I just looked at AppleFritter and they have a case mod showing how to move the Mac mini into a larger case that allows it to fit a 3.5" hard drive.

[Baron Munchausen]

Why? Well, I have a 15" PB 1.667 G4. Out there are 15" MBP's with dual Core 2.16 Intel CPUs, now with Boot Camp.

If a Mac Mini costs y, and seeing as the componentry for a MM is basically laptop-grade, it would seem sensible to suggest that a MBP motherboard would not be far off the price of a complete MM - i.e. about 1/3 the price of a MBP.

If it were possible to swap out the G4 motherboard for the MBP motherboard, then I would recycle the flat panel, casing, PSU and have a PowerBook "Q" model. I think I would have to upgrade the HDD to a SATA, but then again I can always pop the HDD into my 2.5" Firewire mobile enclosure.

The MacBook Pro motherboard seems very small compared to the G4, so I would be surprised if it would not fit physically, even if it was not possible to securely fix it.

[Brad]

Originally Posted by Baron Munchausen If a Mac Mini costs y, and seeing as the componentry for a MM is basically laptop-grade, it would seem sensible to suggest that a MBP motherboard would not be far off the price of a complete MM - i.e. about 1/3 the price of a MBP.

Have you actually tried to find a complete MBP motherboard? If not, do understand that parts for brand new machines like this are generally not available for order outside of authorized Apple servicers. iFixIt has many parts available, but not anything for the MBPs.

[Luca]

Yeah, it's not like a PC motherboard where you can just go to a retail outlet or online store and buy a new one just like that. Building PCs is often a good idea, if you know what you're doing and you have the time, because the total cost of all the components is often less and you have more choice over what you build.

Building a Mac makes no sense unless you're a major tinkerer and also very curious and interested in a project like that. It will almost always result in a higher overall cost and lower quality than if you were to just go out and buy something, and that's because certain Mac components (the really expensive ones, like the motherboard, processor, and graphics card, as well as the power supply) are not commodity items.

[MrENGLISH™]

MacBook Pro


VERSES

PowerBook G4


The outside of the 2 look almost identical but the insides are VERY different!

I'm sure it CAN be done... without using the PowerBook enclosure.

[Baron Munchausen]

Woah there! major presumptions in your posts, guys/gals.

I *do* know a Mac M/B is not a stock item. I *do* know they are not commonly available etc. and I *do* know this is no standard tower tinker task.

As far as I can see the RHS port geography looks to be the deal breaker. Most of the other connections might be tweakable and with a fan swap. I would certainly not go so far as to say "very different".

[PB PM]

It would be hard to put the Magsafe plug into the G4 cased without some cutting.

[kongfused]

let alone the bottom of the case too. The battery is a completely different size and in a different area.

There would ahve to be some serious modifications to the entire frame of the PB case. I'm not even sure you could even get the old g4 display to interface with the intel m/b.