Gallery: iMac G4 Transformed Into Desk Lamp - MacRumors
Skip to Content

Gallery: iMac G4 Transformed Into Desk Lamp

Sold between 2002 and 2004, the iMac G4 is long outdated, but MacRumors forum member Hughmac has given the arm-mounted computer a second life by cleverly transforming his into a desk lamp.

Hugh says he started by gutting the inside of the iMac's base, removing all components. Next, he removed the display and cut the back side of it into a flower shape, making sure to keep the Apple logo intact. Last, he connected a ceiling light to the top of the arm, ran wiring through the base, and added a power switch.

IMG 0304
IMG 0303
IMG 0300
All in all, this is a brilliant do-it-yourself project that takes recycling to a whole new level. More photos can be found in the MacRumors forums.

Related Roundup: iMac
Buyer's Guide: iMac (Buy Now)
Related Forum: iMac

Popular Stories

Black Apple Event Logo

Apple Now Inviting Media to October 28 'Launch Experience'

Thursday October 15, 2026 4:13 am PDT by
Apple has begun inviting selected members of the media to a product launch experience in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 28, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In a post on X, Gurman described the gathering as an "all-day product launch experience" for touchscreen MacBooks, a new iPad mini, and Macs equipped with M6 chips. Gurman previously reported that Apple would introduce the...
iPad mini 7 Review Thumb 1 sans text

Apple Expected to Release New Products on Next Four Fridays

Sunday October 18, 2026 11:01 am PDT by
Apple likely plans to release MacBook Pro models with OLED displays, 14-inch MacBook Pro and iMac models with M6 chips, and/or an iPad mini 8 with an OLED display on Friday, November 6, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. The devices are expected to be announced on Tuesday, October 27 or Wednesday, October 28. If this timeframe proves to be accurate, then Apple will be releasing new...
M6 iMac Feature 2

Apple Announces New iMac With M6 Chip and More

Tuesday October 27, 2026 6:00 am PDT by
Apple today announced a new 24-inch iMac with the M6 chip for faster performance, an N1 chip with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 support, faster SSD speeds, and more. The new iMac has the same design as the previous model with the M4 chip, and the color options remain the same: blue, green, pink, yellow, purple, orange, and silver. The all-in-one desktop computer still has a 24-inch 4.5K Retina...

Top Rated Comments

89 months ago
This iMac was (is still) a work of art
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Westside guy Avatar
89 months ago
So the computer that was inspired by the Pixar Lamp ('https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxo_Jr.') has been turned into a lamp itself!
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
89 months ago
Apple does this kind of computer better than anyone...this, the G4 Cube, even the trash can Mac Pro all were unique in form when created and still functioned well. And, Apple actually produces and sells these, instead of the other computer manufacturers that just produce boring hardware iteration after iteration, with a little glitz sometimes but nothing like this.

Apple hasn't made a machine like this in a while now...the new Mac Pro comes close but it's a bit too industrial. I wonder how much of that is the influence of Ive...he has a very minimalist style now which is a bit limiting in the designs. Now that he's gone, they really need to make a crazy special edition to let the designers stretch their legs a bit and see what they can come up with for a new Apple design language for the next decade.
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
89 months ago
Ah, the computer that lead me to buy my first Mac. I did an REU back in 2003 where my assigned work machine was a 15" G4 iMac. I fell in love with the machine. Before the next semester I made the pilgrimage to the Apple Store and picked up a first gen 12" G4 PowerBook. In addition to OS X, it was the little things that made the difference to me, like the pulsating power light that gave the machines a 'heartbeat' when asleep, the magnetically controlled screen latch on the PowerBook, the led battery indicator, the coin slot battery lock, the ability to control the Mac with an IR remote, the relative ease of swapping batteries, RAM, storage, and ease of installation for an AirPort card.

Those machines came from an era where Apple was still having fun with the little things in life. I think part of the reason that Apple gets so much grief over their designs these days is because they have abandoned those fun little quirks with each iteration, and haven't done enough to separate themselves after the rest of the industry started following Apple's design cues. I would love to see some of those old quirks come back, laptops with external battery indicators, heartbeats, iMacs with the option to raise, lower, tilt, and swivel the display. Bring back the fun!
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Royksöpp Avatar
89 months ago
That poor iMac. What did it do to deserve this?
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
aaronhead14 Avatar
89 months ago
Looks like ghetto trash to me...
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Latest Stories
Siri AI Still Not Enabled on HomePod Mini 2 With Latest Software Update
Siri AI Still Not Enabled on HomePod Mini 2 With Latest Software Update
32 minutes ago
Apple Releases tvOS 27.2.1 With Siri AI for Older Apple TVs
Apple Releases tvOS 27.2.1 With Siri AI for Older Apple TVs
1 hour ago
Microsoft 365 Outage Resolving After Nearly 24 Hours
Microsoft 365 Outage Resolving After Nearly 24 Hours
2 hours ago
iPhone Duo Survives 450,000 Folds, but Hinge is Weakening
iPhone Duo Survives 450,000 Folds, but Hinge is Weakening
2 hours ago
Apple TV 4K Launch Day Deal Arrives at Amazon
Apple TV 4K Launch Day Deal Arrives at Amazon
3 hours ago
The MacRumors Show: HomeView and Apple TV 4K First Impressions
The MacRumors Show: HomeView and Apple TV 4K First Impressions
4 hours ago
YouTube App Not Working on Your New Apple TV? Here's the Fix
YouTube App Not Working on Your New Apple TV? Here's the Fix
4 hours ago
Apple Meets Thai Officials Over iPhone Spyware Warnings
Apple Meets Thai Officials Over iPhone Spyware Warnings
4 hours ago
Apple Shares HomeView 27.2 Release Notes With List of Features
Apple Shares HomeView 27.2 Release Notes With List of Features
4 hours ago
HomeView in Québec: Apple Says Canadian French Support to Arrive in Software Update
HomeView in Québec: Apple Says Canadian French Support to Arrive in Software Update
5 hours ago
Apple Watch Ultra 3 Gets Big $250 Discounts Ahead of Black Friday
Apple Watch Ultra 3 Gets Big $250 Discounts Ahead of Black Friday
6 hours ago
Apple Says HomeView Sets New Record in Design-Focused Interview
Apple Says HomeView Sets New Record in Design-Focused Interview
6 hours ago
Best Apple Deals of the Week: AirTag 2 Hits Record Low Price, Plus Early Black Friday Sales
Best Apple Deals of the Week: AirTag 2 Hits Record Low Price, Plus Early Black Friday Sales
6 hours ago
iPhone 18 and 18e Coming in Spring 2027 With A20 Chip
iPhone 18 and 18e Coming in Spring 2027 With A20 Chip
6 hours ago
King Charles to Join Elton John's Apple Music Radio Show
King Charles to Join Elton John's Apple Music Radio Show
6 hours ago
Select 'Apple Home Collection' Accessories Now Available to Order
Select 'Apple Home Collection' Accessories Now Available to Order
7 hours ago
Major Microsoft 365 Outage Continues
Major Microsoft 365 Outage Continues
9 hours ago
Apple Launches Two Products Today
Apple Launches Two Products Today
10 hours ago
Hands-On With the New Apple TV 4K and Siri AI
Hands-On With the New Apple TV 4K and Siri AI
20 hours ago
Siri AI Coming to Older Apple TV 4K Models in tvOS 27.2.1
Siri AI Coming to Older Apple TV 4K Models in tvOS 27.2.1
21 hours ago
HomeView Launch Kicks Off as First Orders Reach Customers
HomeView Launch Kicks Off as First Orders Reach Customers
22 hours ago
Apple Continues to Move Up iPhone Duo Delivery Dates
Apple Continues to Move Up iPhone Duo Delivery Dates
1 day ago
Apple Explains How HomeView Keeps Camera Data Private
Apple Explains How HomeView Keeps Camera Data Private
1 day ago
Apple Releases Updated HomeView Software 27.2 Before Launch
Apple Releases Updated HomeView Software 27.2 Before Launch
1 day ago
Apple Adds Samsung Foldables to Trade-In Program
Apple Adds Samsung Foldables to Trade-In Program
1 day ago
Apple Sports App Now Features UFC
Apple Sports App Now Features UFC
1 day ago
Trump Says Tim Cook Should Be Nvidia CEO as Jensen Huang Resigns
Trump Says Tim Cook Should Be Nvidia CEO as Jensen Huang Resigns
1 day ago
Apple Releases Emotional 2026 Holiday Ad Featuring MacBook Neo
Apple Releases Emotional 2026 Holiday Ad Featuring MacBook Neo
1 day ago
Apple's Official iPhone 18 Pro Cases and Watch Bands Get Big Discounts on Amazon
Apple's Official iPhone 18 Pro Cases and Watch Bands Get Big Discounts on Amazon
1 day ago
Nintendo to End 'Sign in With Apple' Support in January
Nintendo to End 'Sign in With Apple' Support in January
1 day ago