Radical iMac Mod Shows How Apple Could Have Removed the Chin for an All-Screen Design

Technicians in China have developed an arduous modification to eliminate the 24-inch iMac's "chin," achieving an all-screen design.

all screen imac mod
Io Technology, a group that makes hardware and chip-related modification and repair videos, posted a video that reveals some of the engineering behind the striking ‌iMac‌ modification on Chinese video sharing website Bilibili. It garnered attention on Twitter after being reposted by users like "DuanRui."


2002's ‌iMac‌ G4, which had equal bezels around the display, was cited as an inspiration for the modification. While moving most of the ‌iMac‌'s internal components to the stand like the G4 was initially considered, placing them directly behind the bottom edge of the display was the method eventually chosen to reduce the device's front profile, while retaining most of its thin design.

all screen imac mod rear
First, the ‌iMac‌ was disassembled and the display's "chin" area was cut off, with the edges being ground into the same shape as the top. A new rear casing with an enlarged area for the logic board and ports was created digitally and 3D printed for testing, before being machined out of aluminum and anodized. The ‌iMac‌'s components were then placed into the new housing, with some added measures to mitigate increased thermal constraints.

all screen imac mod chin
Along with the new casing, a backlit Apple logo made out of laser cut acrylic was added, reminiscent of older MacBook models. Io Technology also created a Space Gray version of the modified 24-inch ‌iMac‌ with black bezels around the display.

An all-screen iMac design was widely rumored in the run-up to the announcement of the 24-inch ‌iMac‌ in April last year. When the device was finally announced with white bezels and a prominent "chin," some users criticized the design. Nevertheless, it seems likely that the consistent thickness of the ‌iMac‌ and placement of its processor below the screen prevents heat from the chip being directly transferred to the display, which could shorten its life, as well as provides a more suitable place for the power cord.

Related Roundup: iMac
Tag: DuanRui
Buyer's Guide: iMac (Neutral)
Related Forum: iMac

Top Rated Comments

wilberforce Avatar
18 months ago
I can see why Apple went with a chin rather than a butt
Score: 83 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Sophisticatednut Avatar
18 months ago

I can see why Apple went with a chin rather than a butt
I can’t. The computer could have been 1cm thicker instead of a useless chin. This computer is thinner than apple’s pro XDR monitor
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mielie Avatar
18 months ago
I give them 10/10 for being able to achieve this, and for such a polished result. But I think they have actually shown why Apple kept the chin, it looks worse without! There needs to be something to differentiate iMac from looking like just another monitor on the desk and I feel the chin does this well.
Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
contacos Avatar
18 months ago

But now the iMac has a back chin :(
How often do you see the back of your display?
Score: 22 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
18 months ago
I don't think there's anything wrong with the iMac chin. I thought it was there for the back support and sturdier display.
Score: 18 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Phineasgage1848 Avatar
18 months ago
I think this just goes to show how much thought was given to keeping the “chin”. It’s essential for design and branding. You can tell from far away that it‘s an iMac, immediately. Not just some random Samsung monitor. The iMac chin is a much smarter design and branding move than an iMac butt. Now just making the whole thing a little thicker…that was an option that could have been explored with an altogether different design.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

maxresdefault

Apple Announces 'Let Loose' Event on May 7 Amid Rumors of New iPads

Tuesday April 23, 2024 7:11 am PDT by
Apple has announced it will be holding a special event on Tuesday, May 7 at 7 a.m. Pacific Time (10 a.m. Eastern Time), with a live stream to be available on Apple.com and on YouTube as usual. The event invitation has a tagline of "Let Loose" and shows an artistic render of an Apple Pencil, suggesting that iPads will be a focus of the event. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more ...
Apple Vision Pro Dual Loop Band Orange Feature 2

Apple Cuts Vision Pro Shipments as Demand Falls 'Sharply Beyond Expectations'

Tuesday April 23, 2024 9:44 am PDT by
Apple has dropped the number of Vision Pro units that it plans to ship in 2024, going from an expected 700 to 800k units to just 400k to 450k units, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Orders have been scaled back before the Vision Pro has launched in markets outside of the United States, which Kuo says is a sign that demand in the U.S. has "fallen sharply beyond expectations." As a...
iPhone 15 Pro FineWoven

Apple Reportedly Stops Production of FineWoven Accessories

Sunday April 21, 2024 6:03 am PDT by
Apple has stopped production of FineWoven accessories, according to the Apple leaker and prototype collector known as "Kosutami." In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Kosutami explained that Apple has stopped production of FineWoven accessories due to its poor durability. The company may move to another non-leather material for its premium accessories in the future. Kosutami has revealed...
iOS 17 All New Features Thumb

iOS 17.5 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Sunday April 21, 2024 3:00 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 17.5 update for the iPhone includes only a few new user-facing features, but hidden code changes reveal some additional possibilities. Below, we have recapped everything new in the iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5 beta so far. Web Distribution Starting with the second beta of iOS 17.5, eligible developers are able to distribute their iOS apps to iPhone users located in the EU...
iPad And Calculator App Feature

Apple Finally Plans to Release a Calculator App for iPad Later This Year

Tuesday April 23, 2024 9:08 am PDT by
Apple is finally planning a Calculator app for the iPad, over 14 years after launching the device, according to a source familiar with the matter. iPadOS 18 will include a built-in Calculator app for all iPad models that are compatible with the software update, which is expected to be unveiled during the opening keynote of Apple's annual developers conference WWDC on June 10. AppleInsider...