The mini apple workstation by watt IV pays homage to LEGO computers

Apple mini workstation in LEGO style by Watt IV

Watt IV design studio recreates 1979 LEGO brick with printed screen and keyboard in a 3D printing workstation with a hidden Apple Mac Mini M4 internals. Partly designed out of nostalgia, the devicecalled the M2x2, it comes with studs on top that have been redesigned as functional hubs: one hides a media control button, while the other doubles as a wireless charger for an Apple Watch or AirPods. The body is printed in bone white PLA+, the same color family as the original LEGO Space computer brick and the original Apple Macintosh 128K, released in 1984. The form follows the sloped brick geometry: a rectangular base, a 45-degree face, and two studs on top.

On the back of Watt IV’s mini Apple workstation, two panels fold into thread hinges, the device’s wings. They feature two hooks around which the power cord wraps, and behind the body, a recessed pocket cut into the back panel acts as a handle, which is a direct reference to the carry handle on the back of the original Macintosh 128K. The 7-inch touchscreen is on the front bezel, and there’s a USB-C hub, its PCB removed from its original housing, sliding into the base of the case and exposing the Ethernet and USB ports on the front.

all images courtesy of Watt IV

horizontal lines on the screen display live sensor data

In 1979, LEGO released a tilting brick with a printed screen and keyboard on its face called the 3039p23. It appeared in the Classic Space sets, which include the Alpha-1 Missile Base and the Galaxy Explorer, as a cockpit computer, but it didn’t work as it was a piece of plastic with a sticker on it. Fast forward to today, and design studio Watt IV is taking this design into their own hands and releasing the M2x2, a 10:1 scale version of this 1979 brick, made from 3D printed PLA plastic, powered by an Apple Mac Mini M4, and featuring a seven-inch IPS touchscreen.

The plan group uses the M2x2 as their main computer, connected to an LG monitor. The seven-inch screen features a Home Assistant dashboard, built to match the layout of the original LEGO brick’s printed interface, and horizontal lines on the screen display live sensor data, including smart home controls, where the width of each line changes based on the current reading. So far, the Watt IV team has uploaded how they built Apple’s mini workstation, allowing users to build one for themselves inside their home.

there’s a USB-C hub that slides into the base of the case and exposes the Ethernet and USB ports on the front