Mac Pro conversion kit seeks Kickstarter funding

Mechanical engineer Stefan Bond has launched a Kickstarter campaign to develop a conversion kit for the 2019 Apple Mac Pro. The project, led by Practical Prototyping, aims to allow owners of the Intel-based tower to install standard ATX motherboards, power supplies, and graphics cards within the original aluminum chassis.

The kit is designed to be reversible and requires no permanent modifications to the enclosure. It includes custom adapter circuit boards to maintain the functionality of the original front cooling fans, power button, indicator light, and dual USB-C ports. While the kit provides mounting hardware and adapters, users must supply their own internal components, such as the processor, memory, and storage.

Technical specifications for the conversion include support for GPUs up to 308 mm in length and 140 mm in height, air coolers up to 140 mm tall, and 240 mm liquid cooling radiators. The design also accommodates two SATA drives in either 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch formats. As of the latest report, the campaign has faced a slow start, having raised only $7 toward its $10,686 goal.