Turn your iMac G4 into an external monitor with the DockLite G4 mod

It’s been 20 years since Apple came into being to stop iMac G4, a unique computer with an unconventional hemispherical base and a flat LCD display on a fancy hinge and an adjustable arm. In its unaltered state, it is a bland-looking nostalgic relic that is unusable in modern contexts. I wanted one and was never able to own one at the time, but thanks to Juicy Crumb Doc Lite G4I use my classic iMac every day as an external monitor.

The DockLite G4 is a replacement motherboard for the iMac G4 that features an HDMI port, along with three USB-A ports, one USB-C port, and 3.5mm audio ports. Most importantly, it uses the iMac’s existing mounting holes and internal connectors for power and video, so all you need is a few screwdrivers and a prying tool—no soldering required.

It took about 30 minutes for me to open up the 17-inch 1.25GHz iMac G4 I got off eBay, remove the motherboard, put in the DockLite, close it back up, and suddenly, I was able to connect what I wanted out of the MacBook. Air to my Anbernic GBA SP replica. (Juicy Crumb also has a Helpful video guide.) It was much easier than some of the alternatives DIY methods.

Here are some pictures I took of the installation process:

With DockLite installed, my iMac now acts just like an external monitor. It sleeps when my computer is running (although you have to click the iMac’s power button to turn off the backlight) and I can control the brightness in software or using the hardware buttons on the back.

There are things you lose in the process, like access to your iMac’s optical drive. And you can’t run it as a standalone computer unless you put in the extra effort and replace more of its internal hardware with something like a Mac Mini. On the plus side, the installation is reversible – you can always put the original motherboard back.

The DockLite G4 isn’t cheap at $260. The price comes down to “the time, effort and money to bring a relatively simple product like DockLite to market,” Timothy DiDeNaro, CEO and co-founder of Juicy Crumb, told me in an email. He added that the DockLite G4 is “a relatively low-volume product, and every unit is manually tested by myself before shipping” to customers.

This seems fair, and it doesn’t change the fact that I spent a lot of money and effort just to use a low-resolution screen with bad viewing angles. Then again, I didn’t buy the DockLite G4 because I liked the quality of my 21-year-old iMac G4’s LCD screen. I did this because this computer looked sick on my desk, and I wanted to be able to use it every day.