Let's Convert Mac Mini with M4 into a Laptop (video, 12m)

This video is sponsored by Bamboo Lab. So so many of you guys have been asking me for a new Mac Mini project, and I honestly wasn't sure what to do at first, but then after I got my hands on one, well, some things became very obvious. Alright, that was a fun little warm up project, but let's finally do what we've all been thinking about. I mean, this thing is so tiny, so tiny. So we got to be able to create a portable setup around it, right? I mean, people are definitely trying to. They're carrying these things around with portable monitors and keyboards, and I get it. It's one of the most powerful computers you can get at this size and price tag. So of course, people are going to try to use it portably. So let's see what we can come up with. Here's what I want in the portable setup. I hated carrying around the keyboard for my other portable builds, so this time, I want to incorporate the Apple Magic Keyboard into the design. These are super lightweight and thin. Newer ones have a fingerprint reader, but the older models you can get for pretty cheap on the second-hand market. Next, I found this cool monitor with VESA mounting points that's almost the same size as the keyboard, so it's perfect. It's definitely on the heavier side as far as monitors go, but I like that it can be used with just one cable from the Mac Mini and its touchscreen. The black enclosure doesn't really fit in with the Apple products though, so let's fix that. So these are all the ingredients, and my design will need to hold all of these pieces together somehow. Let's brainstorm. What are my constraints? Well, the monitor and the keyboard are around the same size, so those should be put together. No, no, no. The keyboard's too light and the monitor is too heavy. The whole thing would tip over. Well, the Mac Mini is also heavy. Maybe you can prop up the screen with it. Then the keyboard can just fold upwards to close. Yeah, but now the ports on the back of the Mac Mini aren't accessible. True, and the on button too. You won't be able to turn it on like this. Well, what if I turn it on its side? This way, the ports are now accessible, and I can just turn it around too, so then the on button is too. The Mac Mini is sticking out now. The whole thing feels bulky. Let's tuck it under the monitor then. This is more ergonomic with the screen higher off the table. True, it won't tip over now, but it's even bulkier. If only the screen was lighter, then it won't tip over so easily. It's gonna keep falling back. This monitor is too heavy. The keyboard is too light. Wait, we can just make the keyboard heavier. If we weigh it down with the Mac Mini, then the whole thing won't tip over. Yeah, but nobody can type like this. No, weigh it down beside the keyboard. I think this is it. I can work with this. Since this is gonna be a pretty large design, I needed a larger 3D printer. So luckily, Bamboo Lab's new H2D came at the perfect time. This is without a doubt the most advanced 3D printer I have ever owned, and the heaviest too. This whole thing just feels so smart. If you need ventilation during a print, vents automatically open. This light shows you the progress of your prints. Perfect first print, but the dual nozzle system is the real star here. You can just tell so much engineering went into this thing. Now, since my design will require a lot of supports, I'll be trying the dual nozzle system with some dedicated support filament for those large overhangs. Let's see how it does. As expected, the supports were super easy to remove and the surface looks great. Now, just a few more parts. Now, I don't like how this plastic body sounds against my desk, so good thing the H2D is not just a 3D printer. So, and last but not least, always remember to date your work. Yeah, the H2D is also a plotter. This thing is truly the best all-in-one DIY tool. So, this is my new portable Mac Mini setup. This design ensures that everything is properly secured without losing any key features. The monitor's cable runs securely through the body underneath the keyboard. The Mac Mini's exhaust and fan intake are completely unobstructed and so are the ports at the front and back. Thanks to the Velcro strap, the Mac Mini is held securely in place while remaining easily removable. It uses an industrial torque hinge to support the monitor and its friction is adjustable. Once dialed in, the screen stays firmly where you set it. This monitor has pretty decent resolution and colors, but it's really its aspect ratio that I love. The low profile makes it perfect for focused tasks like writing. I feel like I'm typing on a typewriter when I write my scripts on this thing. The touchscreen is also surprisingly responsive, but without multi-touch support, it's unfortunately just not very useful. It's basically just tap and drag. It's not bad for drawing, but the monitor will bounce a bit when you push on it, so this design is definitely not optimized for that. I also don't like the way the screen closes against the plastic body of the design. And since I custom painted this monitor's enclosure, it's definitely not a very durable finish, so I don't want the paint to scratch over time as it opens and closes against the body. So to take advantage of H2D's dual-nozzle system, I'm going to try to use it to print a TPU-embedded design. I usually don't do this because printing with two filaments can really increase print times due to the need for, you know, pooping after every filament switch, but with the dual nozzles, that's no longer a concern. These soft pads now allow the screen to close and sit gently against the body. And since opening and closing the screen was such a key interaction, it's wild how much more refined and polished the whole design feels just with this subtle improvement. Now, everyone knows that the Mac Mini's built-in speakers are awful, right? Well, interestingly enough, this monitor also has built-in speakers, which I was pretty excited about, but in a shocking twist, these are somehow even worse. Like, they're so bad. Here's the Mac Mini's speaker. And here's the monitor's. So yeah, I won't be using those. I know this isn't technically fully portable because it still requires a wall outlet, but most of the places I work on the go, like coffee shops or whatever, usually have outlets, so I don't really mind. But while I was designing this, I did get some ideas for how I would make this whole setup battery-powered. It would definitely be a heavier and bulkier setup, but if you guys are interested, I would love to make a video exploring that concept too. Let me know in the comments. And also, I created a version of this design you can 3D print on a smaller printer, like the X1C or A1. So if you want the 3D printing files for this design and the Mac Mini iPhone dock design from the start of this video, for most of the MagSafe iPhones and Apple cases, consider joining my YouTube channel membership and supporting my work. In the next few days, there will also be exclusive membership content for some of the behind the scenes on how I made this video, what I learned during the design process, and detailed tutorials for how to 3D print, assemble, and build your own portable Mac Mini setups. So hit the join button on my profile to learn more about my membership community. Anyway, I've always wanted more tools, like a laser cutter for example, but I can't because of the size of my apartment. There's just not enough room for so many machines, and that's why I'm kind of falling in love with BambooLab's new H2D. And the thing is, usually when a tool is capable of doing more, it becomes a lot harder to use as well. But the H2D kind of breaks that pattern. It can do so much, and yet it's somehow still so easy to use. It's so quick to switch between the different tool heads, and it just feels so smart the way it can auto detect and calibrate itself for whatever it needs to do. I have never owned a laser cutter before, and yet after unboxing this thing, I began laser cutting stuff within 10 minutes. Just as how BambooLab made 3D printing so easy and accessible, they're now doing the same with plotting and laser cutting. Except the crazy part is, it's all happening with just one machine. I've only had the H2D for a few weeks, but it's already pushing my imagination towards building things that no longer feel like prototypes, and more like polished products. I'm not just working with 3D printer anymore, but I now have like a full personal manufacturing hub capable of just so much more. If you want to learn more about this amazing tool, check out the links below, and huge thank you to BambooLab for sponsoring this video. And with that, that's pretty much everything. Let me know in the comments if you guys would like to see a battery-powered version of this Mac Mini setup, or if you have other ideas for me, I'd love to hear them. I hope you guys enjoyed this project, and yeah, thanks for watching.

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Let's Convert Mac Mini with M4 into a Laptop (video, 12m)

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