Sunday Quickie: Contour Design's G-Riser

It seemed like a good idea at the time: CPUsed listed Contour Design's G-Riser on sale for $20. There's still a set or two lying around if you want one for some reason.

Ostensibly, the purpose of the G-Riser was to improve airflow and circulation under the G3 and G4 Power Macs; if you actually look underneath a Sawtooth you'll notice an extensive amount of holes at the bottom of the case leading to the inside; most telling is a large gap between the metal panel of the case and the plastic outer panel on the drop-down door. So it seems like of all the Macs using the general Yosemite case form factor, the MDD would be the perfect Mac to use with this add-on, right?

Sadly, you wouldn't exactly know it from the installation guide, but the G-Riser is NOT compatible with the MDD Power Mac G4. The reason being is that there is a large plastic "lip" on the G-Riser which rests on the underside of the Power Mac's front. This in fact the primary way in which the G-Riser attaches itself to the Mac.

And wouldn't you know it: this lip almost totally blocks the primary air intake of the MDD, which is actually on the underside of the front of the Mac (and is not the four "cheese grater holes" on the front face of the Mac as you would commonly expect). Sort of defeats the purpose of an add-on that's meant to improve cooling, right?

Sigh.