Don't throw away a great screen.
Bring it back as a 5K display.
Apple's 2012–2020 slim unibody iMac has excellent Retina panels, but outdated processors turn them into e-waste. SlimDock replaces the logic board with a modular 4-layer controller board, without touching the original chassis.
Status: prototype in testing. No payment is taken until the kit can ship. People on the list get price and delivery date first.
Built to fit the original chassis.
We did not want to do what others do: cut up Apple's aluminium chassis with a Dremel. Our board, angled at 13 degrees, fits the original port openings to the millimetre.
Retina 5K & 4K DCI-P3
Custom Retina HiDPI EDID firmware makes macOS and Windows recognise the panel as a standalone 5K Retina display with correct HiDPI scaling, 10-bit DCI-P3 colour and full 500 nits brightness.
- • 5120 × 2880 @ 60Hz (27" iMac 5K)
- • 4096 × 2304 @ 60Hz (21.5" iMac 4K)
- • Hardware OSD & DDC/CI brightness control
13.0° angled port cluster
With the daughter board angled at exactly 13 degrees, the USB-C, HDMI and DisplayPort connectors line up with the curved back of the iMac. No filing, no gaps.
- • DP 1.4 HBR3 over USB-C with 65W–100W Power Delivery
- • R&D rev 3: 40 Gbps USB4 / Thunderbolt & USB hub
- • Carbon-fibre reinforced PAHT-CF / PETG-CF mounting fixture
Less e-waste than it saves
A SlimDock kit is only ~350 grams of boards and cables, but keeps 9,500 grams (9.5 kg) of high-quality aluminium and glass from being scrapped. For every kilo of electronics we make, more than 27 kg stays out of landfill.
- • Designed for the EU right-to-repair rules (2024/1799)
- • Developed with the Ecodesign Regulation (ESPR) and WEEE as requirements
- • An estimated ~280 kg CO₂e saved per reused unit
This is what the kit will include when it ships.
Taking an iMac apart can feel nerve-racking. So we don't just ship the board: we include all tools, special cables and, above all, the necessary 3M VHB display tape so your 5K screen sits as it did from the factory.
4-layer impedance-controlled board with 0 DRC errors, made for both the 21.5" 4K and 27" 5K unibody.
Sits tight at the back edge and exposes USB-C (DP 1.4 Alt Mode + PD), HDMI and DisplayPort with a factory fit.
Cut-to-shape tape strips (A1419/A2115 or A1418) and one display opening wheel ("pizza cutter").
Calibration buttons mounted behind the magnetic RAM door, out of sight.
Does your iMac fit?
Have an Apple Cinema Display (20"/23"/27"/30") or an older iMac (2009–2011)? See our other reverse engineering projects below.
SlimDock is the first project. More will follow.
The same method we use to save retired 5K iMac screens works for classic audio gear, portable music players and industrial electronics where the original maker no longer supplies spare parts.
iPod Video / Classic & Nano reborn
Complete 6-layer 0.8 mm ENIG drop-in main board (`v1.1`) with ESP32-S3, 32-bit hi-fi DAC (`PCM5102A`), dual-mode Bluetooth 5.2/5.3 (A2DP + BLE), USB-C (`v1.2`) and a passive FPC bridge for a 600×450 RM690B0 AMOLED.
Circular hi-fi & B&O eARC bridge
Modern drop-in replacement boards with active crossover DSP, I²S DAC and HDMI eARC to PowerLink (8-pin DIN) and MasterLink. Lets classic Wharfedale and Bang & Olufsen speakers work with modern TVs and AirPlay 2.
CinemaDock 27" / 30" & industrial panels
From the Apple Cinema HD Display (30" 2560×1600 dual-link DVI and 27" LED Cinema) to discontinued operator panels in manufacturing, we decode proprietary display and control protocols to modern USB-C and fieldbus interfaces.
Workshop accessories & decal sheets
We design and make accessories for the professional workshop. Our decal sheets for Festool 18V/Li-HighPower and 3D-printed antistatic extraction adapters ship from Stockholm.
Festool decal sheet 102×102 mm
Printed on scratch-resistant, UV-stable and solvent-resistant vinyl. For labelling Systainers, chargers and 18V / Li-HighPower batteries.
Antistatic sander adapter
Click-lock fit for Festool extractor hoses (D 27/D 36) and Mirka/Rupes sanders. Very hard-wearing carbon-fibre reinforced nylon.
Pre-book a SlimDock kit
The first production batch is limited to 100 numbered units. Join the waitlist and get priority when it ships.