Curing Mac mini M4 fomo with 3D printing

November 12, 2024

A 3D printed Mac mini sitting on an oak desk with a Stitch plushy sitting next to it — Spoiler: 3D printed! The colored ports really sell the effect

If you’re anything like me, you’ve found the new, tinier Mac mini to be absolutely adorable. But you might also be like me that you either already have an awesome M1 Mac mini that you have no real reason to replace, or the new Mac mini just isn’t something you totally need.

While that logic might be sound, but it doesn’t make you want one any less.

To help cure this FOMO, I made a cute little 3D printable Mac mini that can sit on your desk and be all cute. But then I had an even better idea, the new Mac mini is powerful sure, but it can’t hold snacks. Or a plant. Or your phone. Or pens/pencils. So I also made some versions you can print that add some cute utility to your desk in the form of the new Mac mini. They’re free of course! Just chuck ’em into your (or your friend’s) 3D printer.

My hand holding the 3D printed Mac mini showing its back

It even has all the little details modeled, like the power button, ports (including rear), and fan holes!

They’re pretty easy to print, it’s in separate parts for ease of printing the bottom a different color (black) versus the top, then just put a dab of glue (or just use gravity) to keep them together. If you have a multi-color 3D printer, you can color the ports and power LED to make it look extra cool (or just do it after the fact with paint).

Here are the different options for your desk!

Secret item stash

A 3D printed Mac mini with a removable top that is holding red keyboard switches, with a screwdriver visible in the background

The possibilities for what you can store on your desk are now truly endless. Individually wrapped mints? Key switches? Screws? Paper clips? Rubber bands? Flash drives?

Download link: https://makerworld.com/en/models/793456

A very green sorta Mac

A 3D printed Mac mini plant pot with a Haworthia succulent inside

First carbon neutral Mac is cool and all but what if your Mac mini literally had a plant in it?

A close-up of a 3D printed Mac mini plant pot with a Haworthia succulent inside

Every desk needs a cute little plant.

Download link: https://makerworld.com/en/models/793464

Phone holder

A 3D printed Mac mini with a groove in the top surface to hold a phone upright

A phone/tablet holder is an essential item on my desk for debugging things, watching a video, or just keeping an eye on an Uber Eats order. Before, guests came over and saw my boring phone stand and judged me, now they come over and think I’m exciting and well-traveled.

You can even charge your phone/tablet in portrait mode by pushing the cable through a tunnel made through the Ethernet port that then snakes up to the surface.

Download link: https://makerworld.com/en/models/793495

Pen holder

The Playdate had the cutest little pen/pencil holder accessory but it unfortunately never shipped and my desk is sad. This will be a nice stand in for your beloved pens, pencils, markers, and Apple Pencils.

Download link: https://makerworld.com/en/models/793470

A solid model

Or if you just want to stare at it without any frills, you can just print the normal model too!

Download link: https://makerworld.com/en/models/793447

Printer recommendation

Whenever I post about 3D printing I understandably get a bunch of “Which 3D printer should I buy??” questions. This isn’t sponsored, but I’ve found over the last few years the answer has been pretty easy: something from Bambu Lab. Their printers are somehow super easy to use, well designed, and reasonably priced. Prusas are great too, but I think Bambu is hard to beat for the price. Don’t get an Ender.

So if you’re looking for a printer now, Black Friday deals are aplenty so it’s pretty much the best time to pick one up. I’d grab something in their A series if you’re on a budget, or the P1S for a bit more if you can swing it (that’s what I use). https://bambulab.com

On the other hand if you just want to print one thing now and again, a lot of local libraries are starting to have 3D printers so that might be worth looking into! And online services exist too (eg: JLCPCB and PCBWay), but if you do it with any regularity a 3D printer is a really fun thing to pick up.

Enjoy! ❤️

Learning 3D modeling over the last year has been a ton of fun so I love a good excuse to practice, and shout out to Jerrod Hofferth and his amazing 3D printable Mac mini tower (that you should totally download) for the idea to solve my desire with some 3D printing! Also, the models are almost certainly not accurate down to the micrometer as I don’t actually have one, they’re based off Apple’s measurements as well as measuring screenshots. But it should be close!

If you have a multi-color 3D printer, the linked models have the colors built-in for your ready to go, but if you want to print it in single-colors I also made versions available with the top and bottom separate as well as the logo, so you can print them separately in the individual colors then connect them with a touch of super glue or something.