Tue, 5:15 p.m. Hardware: Mac vogApple’s devices inspire resourceful hobbyists to do hardware hacks again and again. A Swiss student named Ken Pillonel, for example, has already installed a USB-C port in an iPhone twice and also provided the AirPods charging case with such an interface (see ). An Apple Watch has also been extensively edited to appear more elegant (see ). Now the Mac mini M1 became the subject of a craft project aimed at significantly changing the power supply.
Power over Ethernet powers Mac mini M1
The low energy requirements of the extremely efficient desktop computer from Cupertino should enable the device to be operated using Power over Ethernet (PoE). That’s what Ivan Kuleshov thought and now put this idea into practice. The Munich-based engineer has the knowledge and experience required for such a project. Kuleshov first removed the Mac mini’s Ethernet controller and added the option of receiving power via PoE and passing it on to the other components of the Mac Mini M1. He did not deactivate the 230 volt connection and thus the power pack, so after the modification the device has two power supplies. The hobbyist presents the result of his work in a short video on X (formerly Twitter).
Details of the conversion are not yet known
Kuleshov used some components for the conversion, which he still had from other projects. The hobbyist has not yet given any details about his modification in his post on X, but he is working on a detailed description. He intends to publish this shortly together with a longer video. Then it should also become clear what limitations there may be when operating the Mac mini M1 using PoE. Energy-hungry USB devices, for example, will not work with this type of power supply, since the standard provides for a maximum output of 90 watts. However, this is definitely enough for the compact desktop computer alone and without peripherals, which according to Apple requires a maximum of 39 watts. However, a Mac mini with an Intel processor cannot be supplied with sufficient energy via the Ethernet port, since it allows up to 122 watts at its peak.
Supplementary Articles:
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Craft project: Make the Apple Watch Ultra prettier
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