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Artist’s Mac Pro glass case concept looks slick, but is it practical?

MacProGlassRender
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Though we got only a tiny glimpse of what appeared to be a tubular-shaped device, encased in a black shell, at Apple’s World Wide Developers Conference last month, we’ve since been able to ogle photos of the uniquely designed Mac Pro. This tubular design is an ambitious step for Apple, though some people are comparing it to a Japanese trashcan.

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Artist Martin Hajek, however, thinks Apple should ditch the black cover and make the case all glass – no mistaking it for a trashcan then! The artist created a sleek-looking, all-glass, 3D rendering of what the device would look like.

The beautiful design, encased completely in glass, offers a transparent view and a glimpse at the technology running the Mac Pro. However, looks aside, this proposed design and encapsulation of glass is rather impractical. According to Slashgear, it presents a potential, and serious, issue:  heat dispersion.

With its current proposed design, the Mac Pro only has one fan. The large fan is located on the top of the device, spinning horizontally. This fan is supposed to draw heat from the bottom and sides of the device and expel it through the top, keeping the systems internal parts cool.

However, Slashgear points out that this glass shell may actually hinder the PC’s ability to correctly and adequately disperse heat. This enclosed design may end up acting more like a thermos and actually keep the PC at a warmer temperature. So, though it’s an extremely attractive design, it seems that an aluminum casing with some side or bottom vent holes is a more practical solution.

Still, it’s nice eye candy.

Photo via Martin Hajek

Russ Boswell
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Russ Boswell is an aspiring video game and technology journalist from Colorado. He's been an avid gamer since he was old…
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