In a small corner of the crowdfunding world, one enthusiast has imagined a second life for a machine that was never meant to be opened up. Apple's 2019 Mac Pro, known affectionately as the Cheesegrater, carries a sculpted aluminium shell built around proprietary internals, and a proposed kit would let that shell hold ordinary PC parts instead. The idea has so far drawn just a single modest pledge toward a goal more than a hundred times larger, with four weeks remaining, so its fate rests on whether a community of tinkerers decides the dream is worth the cost and the risk.
Enthusiast's $500 kit would fit standard PC parts into Apple's 2019 Mac Pro case, but its Kickstarter has raised $7
One backer has put $7 into a $10,686 goal.
Mark
So what is this thing, in plain terms?
Mimi
A $500 kit that lets you put regular PC parts inside the 2019 Mac Pro's aluminium case, keeping its fans, power button and two USB-C ports working.
Mark
Why would anyone want that?
Mimi
The case is the appeal. Apple's internals are proprietary, so this swaps them for an ATX motherboard, standard power supply and graphics cards up to 308 mm long.
Luke
Before we get excited, the campaign has $7 from one backer against a $10,686 goal. That's the hard number.
Mark
Does the $500 cover a full computer?
Mimi
No. You buy the case, motherboard, processor, graphics card, memory, power supply, drives and cooling separately. The total could climb well above $500.
Luke
And the source gives no figure for that total, so we shouldn't invent one.
Mark
Is it easy to install?
Mimi
It's meant for experienced PC builders. There's a guide, but you have to strip the original parts and wire things up yourself.
Luke
Worth noting nobody has reported the kit working in practice here. What we have is the plan as described in the campaign.
Mimi
One comforting detail: the chassis stays unchanged, so the conversion can be reversed to reinstall Apple's hardware.
Luke
Reversible, yes, but delivery isn't guaranteed. The campaign itself carries the usual crowdfunding risks.
Der Puls
- The Kickstarter has collected only $7 against a $10,686 goal, with 28 days left and the clock running.
- A roughly $500 kit would strip Apple's proprietary internals and let owners fit ATX motherboards and standard PC parts into the Cheesegrater case.
- Buyers face a much larger bill, since the motherboard, CPU, GPU, memory, power supply and cooling must all be bought separately.
- The installation is only recommended for experienced PC builders, and owners must check graphics card size, cooling clearance and motherboard compatibility first.
- The campaign is heading toward a make-or-break deadline, and delivery remains uncertain until enough backers appear.
In a small corner of the crowdfunding world, one enthusiast has imagined a second life for a machine that was never meant to be opened up. Apple's 2019 Mac Pro, known affectionately as the Cheesegrater, carries a sculpted aluminium shell built around proprietary internals, and a proposed kit would let that shell hold ordinary PC parts instead. The idea has so far drawn just a single modest pledge toward a goal more than a hundred times larger, with four weeks remaining, so its fate rests on whether a community of tinkerers decides the dream is worth the cost and the risk.
One backer has pledged $7 toward a Kickstarter that hopes to raise $10,686. With 28 days left, the project sits almost empty, but its idea is vivid: turn Apple's 2019 Mac Pro, the perforated aluminium Cheesegrater, into a home for standard PC hardware.
The proposed kit, expected to cost around $500, would replace Apple's proprietary internals with parts that accept ATX motherboards, standard power supplies, graphics cards up to 308 mm long, and generous cooling, including air coolers up to 140 mm tall or radiators up to 240 mm. Two SATA drives fit as well. Much of the design aims to keep the Mac Pro's character, retaining the three original front fans through custom adapter boards and preserving the power button, indicator light and two USB-C ports.
The $500 is only the beginning. Buyers must also supply the case and every internal component, which could raise the total considerably. The work is not for beginners: installation requires removing Apple's internals and carefully wiring the new parts, and it is recommended only for experienced builders, though a guide is included. The chassis is left intact, so the change could be reversed later.
As with any crowdfunding effort, delivery is not guaranteed. Whether this project finds its backers will become clear within the next four weeks.
One backer has put $7 into a Kickstarter campaign that wants $10,686. With 28 days left on the clock, that is where the project stands: an enthusiast's plan to turn Apple's 2019 Mac Pro case into a shell for ordinary PC hardware, and almost no money behind it so far.
The machine in question is the Mac Pro 7,1, nicknamed the Cheesegrater for its perforated aluminium exterior. The proposed kit, expected to cost around $500, would strip out Apple's proprietary internals and replace them with parts that let owners install standard PC components inside the existing case. It supports ATX motherboards and standard power supplies, along with graphics cards up to 308 mm long and 140 mm tall.
Cooling gets room too. Users could fit air coolers up to 140 mm tall, or liquid cooling with radiators up to 240 mm long. The kit also makes space for two SATA drives, in either 2.5 or 3.5 inch sizes.
A good deal of the design is about keeping what makes the case feel like a Mac Pro. Apple's three original front fans stay in service through three custom adapter circuit boards and associated wiring. A dedicated interface connects the original power button, the indicator light and the two USB-C ports, which support USB 3.1 Gen 1, to the replacement hardware.
The planned package contains a mounting plate for the motherboard and power supply, two drive sleds, two drive cables, custom circuit boards, fasteners and an internal power cable. A bracket handles the motherboard's rear connections and expansion slots. An optional processor cooling cover would cost extra.
The $500 is only the start. Buyers must supply the Mac Pro case itself and every component that goes inside it: motherboard, processor, graphics card, memory, power supply, storage drives and cooling. Together those could push the total cost up considerably.
The work is not for beginners. Installation means removing Apple's internal components, fitting the new parts and connecting the wiring, and the source says it can only be done properly by experienced PC builders, though a guide comes with the kit. Buyers are also expected to check their graphics card dimensions, cooling clearance and motherboard compatibility before they buy.
There is one reassurance for owners wary of a permanent change. The chassis itself is left as it was, so the conversion can be reversed if someone later wants to reinstall Apple's hardware.
As with any crowdfunding project, delivery is not guaranteed; the campaign carries the usual risks of delays, changes or non-delivery. Whether this one reaches its goal will become clear over the next 28 days.
Bemerkenswerte Zitate
The installation can only be done properly by experienced PC builders, though the kit includes a guide.— TechRadar's description of the kit
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