Someone just built the world's smallest working Mac – and at this price, I desperately want one
The Pico-Mac-Nano is what would happen if a classic Macintosh was hit by a shrink ray.
- 1-bit Rainbow is offering the tiniest classic Mac on the market
- It has a two-inch display and is powered by a Pico Zero Raspberry Pi
- You can buy a fully assembled unit for just $59
You might have heard the phrase “small form-factor PC” to describe computers that are smaller than the average rig, but someone has just taken the SFFPC concept to a whole new level with a working Mac that features a display measuring just two inches across.
Appropriately dubbed the Pico-Mac-Nano, this tiny computer from 1-bit Rainbow features a 3D printed chassis that faithfully recreates the classic Macintosh look from the 1980s, albeit on a minute scale.
On the inside, the device is powered by a Pico Zero Raspberry Pi, while it packs in a two-inch 480p display for somewhat uncomfortable reading, plus 512MB of memory, a microSD card slot for storage, and a three-volt CR2 battery. It runs the MicroMac 128K emulator, which provides the vintage Mac operating system flavor. That means it’s a fully working computer, although whether it’s actually practical is another matter.
You can buy the fully assembled Pico-Mac-Nano for a mere $59 (around £44 / AU$92) – so much for the Apple tax. Alternatively, 1-bit Rainbow has supplied the 3D printing files if you want to print your own case and flash a regular Pico Raspberry Pi yourself.
There’s even a special Collectors Edition of the Pico-Mac-Nano that comes in a small-scale replica of Apple’s original ‘Picasso’ Macintosh shipping box. This version will set you back a modest $78 (or about £58 / AU$122).
A true small form-factor Mac
As someone who loves and owns both a SFFPC and a Mac, I’m always keeping an eye out for fascinating projects that can bridge the gap between both worlds.
This device, though, might be taking it a little too far even for me. I can’t imagine I’d be able to run many of the best Mac games on it – never mind “can it run Crysis?,” perhaps we should be asking “can it run Chess?”
Still, there’s no doubt that this product is an incredible achievement and shows just what can be done with modern hardware and software. Whether or not you want to 3D print it yourself, you’ll still be getting your hands on a neat little project that makes a faithful nod to the Macs of old.
So, if the miniscule M4 Mac mini isn’t quite small enough for you, perhaps the Pico-Mac-Nano will do the trick. Just don’t expect it to handle DeepSeek R1’s large language model any time soon.
