New Build: new Hardware combined with existing

[kunchr]

Hi there

Since MacPro are too old and expensive, I don't like glossy screens and not user-upgradable drives and MacMini does not perform enough, I'm about to setup a Hackintosh.

Target application is lot of Lightroom and some Photoshop. Furthermore, I not very patient when it comes to waiting for computers...

I'd go for a Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UP5 TH (due to Thunderbolt, Bluethooth and WLAN) combined with a Intel Core i7-3770K. RAM I will be max out to 32GB using 16GB Corsair 1600Mhz DDR3. This hardware is according the CustoMac Pro Build.

Question 1:
Before buying a new Graphic Card I'd either like to check out wether the on-board graphic is enough for me. Will the on-board graphic work without any further mods or workarounds?

Question 2:
Is there a possibility to get my existing ATI Radeon HD3600 work with the Gigabyte Mainboard and 10.8?

My first try will be connecting a 40GB 10000 WD Raptor and make the setup this way. I do not expect any troubles when using a "standard" HDD. If everything goes smooth, I'll remove the Intel SSD 520series from my Mac Mini 2011 and have it installed in my Hackintosh

Question 3:
Will it work to setup on a SSD530series?

Thank you in advance for your support!!

Kind regards
Chris

 

[StickyS]

Any SSD will work. Integrated graphics suck in my opinion, so go with a dedicated gpu from Nvidia, I'd say 6xx.

 

[kunchr]

Thank you for your post

What do you mean by writing "integrated graphic sucks"? Does it slow down the system or do you mean other side effects?

Furthermore - do you think for Photoshop (and lightroom) a GT 640 (e.g. passive Gigabyte) would fit or would you recommend a GTX 660 (costs 4-5 times more). Cost is not an issue, if there's a good reason to spend more money!

Thank you again for all your advice(s)

 

[Going Bald]

Question 1:
Before buying a new Graphic Card I'd either like to check out wether the on-board graphic is enough for me. Will the on-board graphic work without any further mods or workarounds?

Yes. If the CPU has HD3000 or HD4000 graphics it works OOB.

Question 2:
Is there a possibility to get my existing ATI Radeon HD3600 work with the Gigabyte Mainboard and 10.8?

I doubt it. The onboard HD4000 is a step up from the HD3600 - according to comparison chart on Tom's Hardware, HD4000 = nVidia 8600GS, 8600GT and AMD HD3650 DDR3 and HD3670

My first try will be connecting a 40GB 10000 WD Raptor and make the setup this way. I do not expect any troubles when using a "standard" HDD. If everything goes smooth, I'll remove the Intel SSD 520series from my Mac Mini 2011 and have it installed in my Hackintosh

Shouldn't encounter any problems there.

Question 3:
Will it work to setup on a SSD530series?

Yes, any SSD will work, just as any HDD will work (except some HDDs like the WD Greens where you have to manually install the boot files...)