build for graphic design, illustration and motion design

[nilou]

Hello everyone,

Thanks for the opportunity to ask for your support and advice. I’m considering to build a Hackintosh, but I’ve some questions and I hope y’ll can help out.

I’m a graphic designer and illustrator and since a short while I’m trying to learn After Affects. My Macbook Pro (check specs below) works okay with adobe CC (illustrator, Indesign and Photoshop). But it having some issues with After Affects. It’s not running al that smooth, so I want a more stable Hactkintosh that works fine with after affects.


Macbook pro Specs:
- macbook pro retina
- 2,7 GHz ic i5
- 8 GB 1967 MHz DDR3
- Intel Iris graphics 6100 1536 MB

For your information.
- Mostly I work with vector graphics
- Sometimes I work with indesign files containing 80-100 pages and high-res photos
- Sometimes I work with big photoshop files. 500 mb - 1 gb
- I also work with audio (garageband, composing 5 min. songs)
- The animations and motion graphics, I’m planning to make, will be around 5 min .
- Right now, I work with two screens (DELL ULTRASHARP U2414H screen and the screen of my macbook)
- I’m planning to buy a 4k monitor to replace the macbook
- I have an official license of adobe creative suite. So it’s important that I can update and install my adobe software

Budget
Somewhere around 1000 - 1200 euro’s (without a monitor)

Summarized
I would like to build a Hackintosh that works perfect voor graphic design, illustration and motion design.

Example
I found this video. Does his setup fit me needs?

• GPU - EVGA GeForce GTX 960 4GB SSC GAMING ACX 2.0+
• CASE - EVGA Hadron Air Mini-ITX Steel Black Chassis with 500W 80Plus Gold Power Supply, Black 110-MA-1001-K1
• CPU - Intel Core BX80646I74790K i7-4790K Processor (8M Cache, up to 4.40 GHz)
• CPU cooler - ARCTIC Freezer 13 CO - 200 Watt Multicompatible Low Noise CPU Cooler with Extreme High Durability for AMD and Intel Sockets - Ideal for Systems running 24/7
• WIFI/BT - AzureWave Broadcom BCM94352HMB 802.11/ac/867Mbps WLAN + BT4.0 Half Mini PCI-E
• motherboard - Gigabyte LGA 1150 Intel Z97N IWi-Fi-Bluetooth HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Mini ITX DDR3 1600 Motherboards GA-Z97N-WIFI
• RAM - Ballistix Sport 16GB Kit (8GBx2) DDR3-1600 Very Low Profile UDIMM 240-Pin Memory BLS2K8G3D1609ES2LX0
• SSD - Samsung 850 EVO - 250GB - 2.5-Inch SATA III Internal SSD (MZ-75E250B/AM)
• GPU - Gigabyte GTX 960 Graphics Cards GV-N960WF2OC-4GD

I hope you guys can help out what hardware will fit my needs. Thanks so much.


Best,
Nilou

 

[kiiroaka]

What is the max amount of memory that that MacBook can take? How much will it cost?

Nice video.

Are you able to find the Gigabyte LGA 1150 Intel Z97N for sale anywhere? Here in the USA Amazon lists the price at about $275. You might be better off going with a Z170 and an i7-6700K.

 

[nilou]

What is the max amount of memory that that MacBook can take? How much will it cost?

Nice video.

Are you able to find the Gigabyte LGA 1150 Intel Z97N for sale anywhere? Here in the USA Amazon lists the price at about $275. You might be better off going with a Z170 and an i7-6700K.

Thank you for your reply. If tried to find a webshop, but without any succes, tomorrow I'll give a second change.

However I can find the i7-6700K for around 369. It seems that there are a variety of version of the Z97N. price-range: 100-200
https://www.alternate.nl/html/search.html?query=Z170&x=0&y=0

About the macbook pro, it can take up to 16 gig. Price 80 euro's. http://www.memoryshop.nl/product/309950/crucial-apple-16-gb-sodimm-ddr3-1600-2-x-8-gb.html

 

[kiiroaka]

You may want to consider installing 16GB then. You should find that it runs smoother. If you have a 5400 RPM drive you may want to upgrade to a 7200RPM 32MB cache drive, and if you have a 7200RPM/32MB drive you may want to upgrade to an SSD.

That may tide you over, or at least it will relieve you enough to want to keep it around.

If you have your heart set on putting together a Z170, I suggest that you allocate enough money for 64GB of RAM, even if it means not going with an SSD and using a $50 1TB/7200RPM/64MB HDD. SSDs prices will continue to drop, especially as NVMe becomes more mainstream. HDD prices have hit rock bottom, IMO. On sale I have seen 4TB drives for $70. The same will happen to SSDs...

You can get an i7-6600K for under $350, 64GB of DDR4 2400 or 3200 for $250, a video card for $100 (750Ti), $175 (GTX750), $250 (GTX960), $350, ..., a PSU for $100 (650w) - $200 (1000w), a Z170 mobo for $100 - $300, so figure around $200.

cpu- $350 http://www.pricewatch.com/price/cpu/i7-6700k $327 but shipping charges could make it more expensive than buying from Newegg or Amazon, for example.
heatsink - $75 (only because I prefer Noctua. You could go as cheap as $30)
mem - $250 (fastest ram around that price point)
mobo - $200
vidcard - $250
psu - $125
case - $75
HDD - $55
Total: ~$1400. But you could fudge the mobo, the video card and the psu. But don't scrimp on the CPU - always buy the fastest one that you can afford. http://www.pricewatch.com/price/cpu/i7-6700k Always buy the max memory it can hold, a single kit of 4x16G mem sticks.

So you could go with a $125 mobo, a $90 PSU and a $175 video card (GTX950). That's a reduction of $185, for a total of $1190.

What you will want to do is to price the mobo and the RAM as a package - some mobos can take less expensive RAM, and some mobos can only take more expensive RAM. Find the right combo for you. Print out the QVLs for a few different mobos, check all the prices for 4x16GB kits, at different timings (some faster sticks cost less than slower mem). Make sure that the mobo has 4 RAM slots and has an Intel NIC. Then read all the reviews and do an engine search for "problems". You should be able to make a wise choice.

The GTX950 has fallen to $110 after rebate... http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814487159 Expect all GTX 950/960/970/980 prices to drop now that the 1070 and 1080 cards have come out. 960: $170; 970: $275; 980: $400; 980Ti: $420.

 

[nilou]

Thank you for your reaction and advice.

You may want to consider installing 16GB then. You should find that it runs smoother. If you have a 5400 RPM drive you may want to upgrade to a 7200RPM 32MB cache drive, and if you have a 7200RPM/32MB drive you may want to upgrade to an SSD.

Thats a good suggestion. I'll try that first. For the time being it's fine. I'm learning the basics in After Affects, the files I'm working with, aren't that big. Btw my Macbook has a SDD 120.

If you have your heart set on putting together a Z170, I suggest that you allocate enough money for 64GB of RAM, even if it means not going with an SSD and using a $50 1TB/7200RPM/64MB HDD. SSDs prices will continue to drop, especially as NVMe becomes more mainstream. HDD prices have hit rock bottom, IMO. On sale I have seen 4TB drives for $70. The same will happen to SSDs...

I'm totally open minded which parts I'll buy. So I'm really grateful for the options you gave me. I'll keep in mind to aim for 64 ram or even more if that's possible. The price for the i7-6700k is around 369 euro's. I think a take my time to buy the right parts and wait until the prices of the components drop.

Sometimes I buy stuff from aliexpress. Some computer stuff seems really cheap. Do you have experience with buying comp stuf from Aliexpress?

What you will want to do is to price the mobo and the RAM as a package - some mobos can take less expensive RAM, and some mobos can only take more expensive RAM. Find the right combo for you. Print out the QVLs for a few different mobos, check all the prices for 4x16GB kits, at different timings (some faster sticks cost less than slower mem). Make sure that the mobo has 4 RAM slots and has an Intel NIC. Then read all the reviews and do an engine search for "problems". You should be able to make a wise choice.

Good one. Some Dutch webshops often offer combo packages. Overall, It's just a matter of patience to find the rights parts at the right price. For now I'll buy the 16 for my Macbook. That w'll do fine I think. Thnx for all the info, I'm really thankful

 

[pastrychef]

I agree that the Z170 is probably a better choice. It's newer and offers a high level of compatibility.

 

[kiiroaka]

For now I'll buy the 16 for my Macbook. That will do fine, I think.

If nothing else it will give you a lot more time to fully research the parts for your Hackintosh.

I put togther a Z97 with 32Gb because Skylake was having birthing problems some 7 months ago and 64G of memory was $300 - $600, figure $400 average. Today they are about half that price, with the best stuff going for close to $400. 7 months from now prices will have surely dropped. Just look at how the nVidia 9xx series vidcards are dropping in price. As more and more people go towards 4K monitors the more they'll need 4G of VRAM, and by the time 4G of VRAM comes down in price there will be video cards running 6, 8, 12, or 16GB of VRAM, probably on 8K monitors.

When Apple no longer supports your MacBook, that would be the time for a new machine. But for now you have a little breathing room. As I said, it may not make it appreciably faster but it should make it appreciably smoother.