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Building a CustoMac: Buyer's Guide March 2014

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tonymacx86

tonymacx86

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Nov 17, 2009
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7,269
Motherboard
Z370N WIFI
CPU
i7 8700K
Graphics
HD 630
Mac
  1. MacBook Air
Classic Mac
  1. Apple
  2. PowerBook
Mobile Phone
  1. iOS
customac.png

​
When running OS X as your main operating system, supported and compatible components are extremely important. That is why we have created a large selection of pre-configured systems along with a list of options. This month we’ve added the GeForce GTX 770 4GB graphics card and updated the Socket 2011 build with Ivy Bridge E/EP CPUs. We've also replaced each power supply choice with gold-rated models.

The components listed here might not be the only ones that work, but based on our research they're the easiest and best supported options. Use the following Buyer's Guide as a shopping list or as a jumping off point for further customization. Either way you'll be supporting this site by purchasing through these links, so thanks in advance!


Table of Contents

Mini-ITX.png
CustoMac Mini (mini-ITX)
Mini-ITX.png
CustoMac Mini Deluxe (mini-ITX)
mATX.png
CustoMac Budget (mATX)
ATX.png
CustoMac Budget (ATX)
ATX.png
CustoMac Pro (ATX)
E-ATX.png
CustoMac Socket 2011 (E-ATX)
Mini-ITX.png
Motherboards
cpu.jpg
CPUs
h60.jpg
CPU Coolers
640.jpg
Graphics Cards
ram.jpg
RAM
hdd.jpg
Drives
650w.jpg
Power Supplies
prodigy.jpg
Cases
mavslogo.png
Operating Systems
logi-mini.jpg
Accessories



CustoMac Mini

The CustoMac Mini is a bare-bones CustoMac in a shoebox sized case featuring a H87 mini-iTX motherboard and a dual-core Haswell processor. The graphics are integrated and fully supported, so there's no need for a power-hungry discrete graphics card. The case also includes a power-efficient power supply unit. Less parts, less power, less heat, less cost. Please note that the motherboard's Intel mini-PCIe card includes both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth but only the bluetooth features are available under OS X. If you don't use the PCIe slot, we recommend the TP-Link PCIe card below for native Wi-Fi support. If you’re interested in replacing the mini-PCIe card, check out this list of card suggestions.​

Mini-ITX.png
Motherboard GA-H87N-WIFI Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
cpu.jpg
CPU Intel Core i3-4330
Intel Core i3-4340		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
slimx30.jpg
CPU Cooler Thermaltake Slim X3
Low Profile (Air)		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
ballistix.png
RAM 8GB 1600Mhz DDR3 (4x2)
16GB 1600Mhz DDR3 (8x2)		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
ssd-samsung.jpg
hdd.jpg
Drives SATA 6Gb/s 120GB SSD
SATA 6Gb/s 250GB SSD
SATA 6Gb/s 1TB HDD		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
apex.jpg
Case + Power
Supply		 Apex MI-008
(w/ 250W Power Supply)		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
tplink.jpg
Wifi Card TP-Link PCI Express
Wifi Adapter		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg



CustoMac Mini Deluxe

The CustoMac Mini "Deluxe" is a no-compromise build featuring a Z87 mini-ITX motherboard and a quad-core Haswell CPU. The BitFenix Phenom is a unique way of thinking about a mini-ITX system, as it's not exactly small. It's about the size of a mATX case, making room for multiple hard drives, and a full sized graphics card. The Z87 motherboard is also capable of overclocking if you use a "K" CPU, and there is even room for a water cooler for the CPU. Please note that the motherboard's Intel mini-PCIe card includes both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth but only the bluetooth features are available under OS X. If you don't use the PCIe slot, we recommend the TP-Link PCIe card below for native Wi-Fi support. If you’re interested in replacing the mini-PCIe card, check out this list of card suggestions.​

Mini-ITX.png
Motherboard GA-Z87N-WIFI Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
cpu.jpg
CPU Intel Core i3-4340
Intel Core i5-4670K
Intel Core i7-4770K
Full List of CPU Options		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
ballistix.png
RAM 8GB 1600Mhz DDR3 (4x2)
16GB 1600Mhz DDR3 (8x2)		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
ssd-samsung.jpg
hdd.jpg
Drives SATA 6Gb/s 120GB SSD
SATA 6Gb/s 250GB SSD
SATA 6Gb/s 1TB HDD		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
cs-psu550.png
Power Supply Corsair CS 550 Watt Modular Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
phenom.png
Case BitFenix Phenom
White mini-ITX
BitFenix Phenom
Black mini-ITX		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 White Newegg
Black Newegg
760.jpg
Graphics Card
(Optional)		 GeForce GTX 760
Full List of Graphics Cards		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg



CustoMac mATX

A mid-sized build with a quad-core CPU, maxed out RAM, and lots of expandability.​

mATX.png
Motherboard GA-Z87MX-D3H
GA-Z87M-D3H
Full List of Motherboards		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
cpu.jpg
CPU Intel Core i5-4670K
Intel Core i7-4770K
Full List of CPU Options		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
760.jpg
Graphics Card
(Optional)		 GeForce GTX 760
Full List of Graphics Cards		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
ballistix-standard.png
RAM 8GB 1600Mhz DDR3 (4x2)
16GB 1600Mhz DDR3 (8x2)
32GB 1600Mhz DDR3 (8x4)		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
ssd-samsung.jpg
hdd.jpg
Drives SATA 6Gb/s 120GB SSD
SATA 6Gb/s 250GB SSD
SATA 6Gb/s 1TB HDD		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
cs-psu550.png
Power
Supply		 Corsair CS 550 Watt Modular Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
fractal.jpg
Case Fractal Design
Core 1000		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
tplink.jpg
Wifi Card TP-Link PCI Express
Wifi Adapter		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg



CustoMac Budget ATX

A powerful desktop build with budget-minded parts and no graphics card. This build contains an ATX-sized motherboard, a dual or quad core CPU and Intel HD 4600 onboard graphics.​

ATX.png
Motherboard GA-Z87X-D3H
GA-Z87-HD3
GA-H87-D3H
Full List of Motherboards		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
cpu.jpg
CPU Intel Core i3-4330
Intel Core i5-4430		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
ballistix-standard.png
RAM 8GB 1600Mhz DDR3 (4x2)
16GB 1600Mhz DDR3 (8x2)
32GB 1600Mhz DDR3 (8x4)		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
ssd-samsung.jpg
hdd.jpg
Drives SATA 6Gb/s 120GB SSD
SATA 6Gb/s 250GB SSD
SATA 6Gb/s 1TB HDD		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
cs-psu550.png
Power
Supply		 Corsair CS 550 Watt Modular Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
carbide300r.jpg
Case Corsair Carbide 300R Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
tplink.jpg
Wifi Card TP-Link PCI Express
Wifi Adapter		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg



CustoMac Pro

A full-sized build with a quad-core CPU, maxed out RAM, and lots of expandability.

​
ATX.png
Motherboard GA-Z87X-UD7-TH
GA-Z87X-UD5H
GA-Z87X-UD3H
Full List of Motherboards		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
cpu.jpg
CPU Intel Core i5-4670K
Intel Core i7-4770K
Full List of CPU Options		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
760.jpg
Graphics Card
(Optional)		 GeForce GTX 760
Full List of Graphics Cards		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
ballistix-tactical.png
RAM 8GB 1866MHz DDR3 (4x2)
16GB 1600MHz DDR3 (8x2)
32GB 1600MHz DDR3 (8x4)		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
ssd-samsung.jpg
hdd.jpg
Drives SATA 6Gb/s 120GB SSD
SATA 6Gb/s 250GB SSD
SATA 6Gb/s 1TB HDD		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
cs-psu650.png
Power
Supply		 Corsair RM 650 Watt Modular Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
carbide500r.jpg
Case Corsair Carbide 500R Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
tplink.jpg
Wifi Card TP-Link PCI Express
Wifi Adapter		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg



CustoMac Pro Socket 2011

These rigs are the most powerful single CPU systems you can build. The C606 and x79 motherboards listed here also have 8 RAM slots supporting up to 64GB- twice the maximum of Socket 1150 builds. As of OS X 10.9.2, Ivy Bridge E/EP based systems are working with the native kernel, however workarounds are necessary for full support. Socket 2011 CPUs do not come with a CPU cooler- they require a separately purchased CPU cooler.

​
E-ATX.png
Motherboard GA-X79S-UP5
GA-X79-UP4		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon.com
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
cpu.jpg
CPU Xeon E5 1620 v2
(4 core)
Xeon E5 1650 v2
(6 core)
Xeon E5 2680 v2
(10 core)
Intel Core i7-4820K
(4 core)
Intel Core i7-4930K
(6 core)
Intel Core i7-4960X
(6 core)		 Amazon.com
(CAN UK DE ES IT)
Amazon.com
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon.com
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon.com
(CAN UK DE ES IT)
Amazon.com
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon.com
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
h60.jpg
CPU Cooler Corsair H60 (Water) Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
760.jpg
Graphics Card
(Required)		 GeForce GTX 760 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
ballistix-standard.png
RAM 16GB 1600MHz DDR3 (4x4)
32GB 1600MHz DDR3 (8x4)		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
ssd-samsung.jpg
hdd.jpg
Drives SATA 6Gb/s 120GB SSD
SATA 6Gb/s 250GB SSD
SATA 6Gb/s 1TB HDD		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
cs-psu760.png
Power
Supply		 Corsair AX 760 Watt Modular Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
graphite600t.jpg
Case Corsair Graphite 600T Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
tplink.jpg
Wifi Card TP-Link PCI Express
Wifi Adapter		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg


Motherboards

We recommend these specific Gigabyte 8-series motherboards because they have simple post-installation, don't require a pre-patched DSDT, and have native sleep/wake functionality. They also have supported audio and network controllers. Please note, these motherboards will NOT work with older Socket 1155 CPUs.​

gigabyte-logo.png
Model
mobosizes.png
Form
audioportssmall.jpg
Audio
videoportssmall.jpg
Video
cat5.jpg
Ethernet
amazon.png
newegg.png
GA-Z87X-UD7-TH ATX ALC898 2x HDMI
2x Thunderbolt 2.0		 Intel i217V
Intel i210AT		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
GA-Z87X-UD5-TH ATX ALC898 DVI/HDMI
2x Thunderbolt 1.0		 Intel i217V Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
GA-Z87X-OC Force ATX ALC898 2x HDMI
1x DP		 Intel i217V
Intel i210AT		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
GA-Z87X-OC ATX ALC892 2x HDMI
1x DP		 Intel i217V Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
GA-Z87X-UD5H ATX ALC898 2x HDMI
DP/DVI		 Intel i217V
Intel i210AT		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
GA-Z87X-UD4H ATX ALC898 HDMI
DP/DVI		 Intel i217V Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
GA-Z87X-UD3H ATX ALC898 DVI/VGA
HDMI/DP		 Intel i217V Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
GA-Z87X-D3H ATX ALC892 DVI/HDMI
D-SUB		 Intel i217V Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
GA-Z87-HD3 ATX ALC892 DVI/HDMI/VGA Realtek
RTL8111F		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
GA-Z87MX-D3H mATX ALC892 DVI/VGA
HDMI/DP		 Intel i217V Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
GA-Z87M-D3H mATX ALC892 DVI
VGA/HDMI		 Realtek
8111F-VL		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
GA-Z87N-WIFI ITX ALC892 2x HDMI
DVI		 Intel i217V
Atheros		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg



gigabyte-logo.png
mobosizes.png
audioportssmall.jpg
videoportssmall.jpg
cat5.jpg
amazon.png
newegg.png
GA-H87-D3H ATX ALC892 DVI
HDMI/VGA		 Intel i217V Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
GA-H87N-WIFI ITX ALC892 2x HDMI
DVI		 Intel i217V
Atheros		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
GA-H87M-D3H mATX ALC892 HDMI/DVI
D-SUB		 Realtek 8111F Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
GA-H87M-HD3 mATX ALC887 HDMI/DVI
D-SUB		 Realtek 8111F Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg



CPUs

We recommend 4th Generation Haswell Core i desktop CPUs for Gigabyte 8-series motherboards. All CPUs feature Intel HD 4600 integrated graphics. Please note, these CPUs will NOT work with older LGA 1155 motherboards. Each CPU comes with a basic Intel CPU cooler.​

cpu2.jpg
Core i7-4770K
3.5Ghz		 4 Cores / 8 Threads, Turbo
Unlocked for Overclocking
8MB L3 Cache
84W Max TDP		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
cpu2.jpg
Core i7-4771
3.5Ghz		 4 Cores / 8 Threads, Turbo
8MB L3 Cache
84W Max TDP		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
cpu2.jpg
Core i7-4770
3.4Ghz		 4 Cores / 8 Threads, Turbo
8MB L3 Cache
84W Max TDP		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
cpu2.jpg
Core i7-4770S
3.1Ghz		 4 Cores / 8 Threads, Turbo
8MB L3 Cache
65W Max TDP		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
cpu2.jpg
Core i5-4670K
3.4Ghz		 4 Cores / 4 Threads, Turbo
Unlocked for Overclocking
6MB L3 Cache
84W Max TDP		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
cpu2.jpg
Core i5-4670
3.5Ghz		 4 Cores / 4 Threads, Turbo
6MB L3 Cache
84W Max TDP		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
cpu2.jpg
Core i5-4570
3.3Ghz		 4 Cores / 4 Threads, Turbo
6MB L3 Cache
84W Max TDP		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
cpu2.jpg
Core i5-4570S
2.9Ghz		 4 Cores / 4 Threads, Turbo
6MB L3 Cache
65W Max TDP		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
cpu2.jpg
Core i5-4440
3.1Ghz		 4 Cores / 4 Threads, Turbo
6MB L3 Cache
84W Max TDP		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
cpu2.jpg
Core i5-4430
3.0Ghz		 4 Cores / 4 Threads, Turbo
6MB L3 Cache
84W Max TDP		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
cpu2.jpg
Core i3-4340
3.6Ghz		 2 Cores / 4 Threads
4MB L3 Cache
54W Max TDP		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
cpu2.jpg
Core i3-4330
3.5Ghz		 2 Cores / 4 Threads
4MB L3 Cache
54W Max TDP		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg



CPU Coolers

All Intel Socket 1150 CPUs come with a basic CPU cooler. An aftermarket CPU cooler is recommended for overclocking. If you're unsure whether you need a cooler, see this post. The following CPU coolers have been chosen as they are known to work without issues.​

seidon.jpg
Cooler Master Seidon 120XL (Water) Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
h60.jpg
Corsair H60 (Water) Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
performa.jpg
Thermaltake Performer (Water) Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
slimx30.jpg
Thermaltake Slim X3
Low Profile (Air)		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
frio.jpg
Thermaltake Frio (Air) Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
freezeri30.jpg
ARCTIC Freezer i30
Extreme (Air)		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
cmfan.jpg
Cooler Master Blade Master
120mm Case/CPU fan		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
asthermalcleaner.png
Arctic Silver Arcticlean
Thermal Cooling Material Remover		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
asthermalcompound.png
Arctic Silver 5
Thermal Compound		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg



Graphics Cards

One of the most important components in a custom build is the graphics card. If you're building a CustoMac, it's an especially tricky decision. Not only do you have to worry about what will be a good performer for the cost, but you also have to be informed about what is fully supported, and what is not. The following graphics card examples are all natively compatible without modifying drivers. Each gives a range of port options, install compatibility, and is known to work with minimal configuration. Furthermore, it's now possible to use multiple NVIDIA cards in tandem- dual and triple cards are enabled by default. For a general comparison, check out this performance benchmarks table for recommended NVIDIA GeForce graphics cards. Note: 6xx/7xx cards do not work in Snow Leopard.​

640.jpg
GeForce GT 640
2048MB GDDR5 128-Bit
Core Clock: 901 MHz
CUDA Cores: 384		 ASUS Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
EVGA Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Gigabyte Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
MSI Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
PNY Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Zotac Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
650.jpg
GeForce GTX 650
2048MB GDDR5 128-Bit
Core Clock: 1058 MHz
Memory Clock: 5000 MHz
CUDA Cores: 384		 ASUS Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
EVGA Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Gigabyte Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
MSI Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
PNY Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
650ti.jpg
GeForce GTX 650 Ti
1024MB GDDR5 128 Bit
Core Clock: 1071
Memory Clock: 5400 MHz
Cuda Cores: 768		 ASUS Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
EVGA Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Gigabyte Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
MSI Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
PNY Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Zotac Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
graphics-650tiboost.jpg
GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost
2048MB GDDR5 192-bit
Base Clock: 1072 MHz
Boost Clock: 1137 MHz
Memory Clock: 6008 MHz
CUDA Cores: 768		 ASUS Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
EVGA Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Gigabyte Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
MSI Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
660.jpg
GeForce GTX 660
2048MB GDDR5 192-bit
Base Clock: 1046 MHz
Boost Clock: 1111
Memory Clock: 6008 MHz
CUDA Cores: 960
 ASUS Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
EVGA Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Gigabyte Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
MSI Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
PNY Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Zotac Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
670.jpg
GeForce GTX 670
2048MB GDDR5 256bit
Base Clock: 915MHz
Boost Clock: 960MHz
Memory Clock: 6008MHz
CUDA Cores: 1344		 ASUS Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
EVGA Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Gigabyte Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
MSI Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
PNY Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Zotac Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
EVGA Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Gigabyte Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
MSI Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Zotac Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
680.jpg
GeForce GTX 680
2048MB GDDR5 256bit
Base Clock: 1058MHz
Boost Clock: 1113MHz
Memory Clock: 6208MHz
CUDA Cores: 1536
 ASUS Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
EVGA Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Gigabyte Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
MSI Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
PNY Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Zotac Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
ASUS Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
EVGA Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
MSI Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Zotac Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
760.jpg
GeForce GTX 760
2048MB GDDR5 256bit
Base Clock: 1072 MHz
Boost Clock: 1137 MHz
Memory Clock: 6008 MHz
CUDA Cores: 1152		 ASUS Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
EVGA Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Gigabyte Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
MSI Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
770.jpg
GeForce GTX 770 (2GB)
2048MB GDDR5 256bit
Base Clock: 1046 MHz
Boost Clock: 1085 MHz
Memory Clock: 7010 MHz
CUDA Cores: 1536		 ASUS Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
EVGA Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Gigabyte Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
MSI Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
PNY Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Zotac Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
7704gb.png
GeForce GTX 770 (4GB)
4096MB GDDR5 256bit
Base Clock: 1137 MHz
Boost Clock: 1189 MHz
Memory Clock: 7010 MHz
CUDA Cores: 1536		 EVGA Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Gigabyte Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
PNY Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Zotac Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg



Alternate Graphics Cards

Alternate NVIDIA graphics drivers are required to enable OpenCL with the following cards. See here for details.

​

780.jpg
GeForce GTX 780 (3GB)
3072MB GDDR5 384bit
Base Clock: 863 MHz
Boost Clock: 902 MHz
CUDA Cores: 2304		 ASUS Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
EVGA Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Gigabyte Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
MSI Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
780ti.png
GeForce GTX 780 Ti (3GB)
3072MB GDDR5 384bit
Base Clock: 875 MHz
Boost Clock: 928 MHz
CUDA Cores: 2880		 ASUS Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
EVGA Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Gigabyte Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
PNY Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
titan.jpg
GeForce GTX TITAN (6GB)
6144MB GDDR5 384bit
Base Clock: 876 MHz
Boost Clock: 928 MHz
Memory Clock: 6008 MHz
CUDA Cores: 2688		 ASUS Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
EVGA Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg



RAM

It’s very important to choose the proper RAM for your CustoMac. We recommend at least 8GB of 1600Mhz DDR3 240-Pin dual channel memory. The following RAM examples include both low profile and standard height, along with higher performance 1866Mhz DDR3 RAM for overclocking systems.​

ballistix.png
Crucial Ballistix Sport LP
8GB 1600MHz DDR3 (4x2)
16GB 1600MHz DDR3 (8x2)		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
ballistix-standard.png
Crucial Ballistix Sport XT
8GB 1600Mhz DDR3 (4x2)
16GB 1600Mhz DDR3 (8x2)
32GB 1600Mhz DDR3 (8x4)		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
ballistix-tactical.png
Crucial Ballistix Tactical
8GB 1866Mhz DDR3 (4x2)
16GB 1600Mhz DDR3 (8x2)
32GB 1600Mhz DDR3 (8x4)		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg



System Drives

We recommend using a solid state drive (SSD) for your system or boot drive for maximum performance and a traditional hard drive for your data. The Sandisk Extreme uses toggle NAND flash and Sandforce controllers. This combination provides the highest performance and doesn't require TRIM being enabled. The Samsung models require a TRIM patch to perform low level garbage collection processes. The following drive examples have been picked by us and are known to work without issues.​


hdd.jpg
SATA 6Gb/s 500GB HDD Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
hdd.jpg
SATA 6Gb/s 1TB HDD Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
ssd.jpg
SanDisk SATA
6Gb/s 120GB SSD		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
ssd.jpg
SanDisk SATA
6Gb/s 240GB SSD		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
ssd.jpg
SanDisk SATA
6Gb/s 480GB SSD		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
ssd-samsung.jpg
Samsung 840 EVO
6Gb/s SATA 120GB SSD		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
ssd-samsung.jpg
Samsung 840 EVO
6Gb/s SATA 250GB SSD		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
ssd-samsung.jpg
Samsung 840 EVO
6Gb/s SATA 500GB SSD		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
ssd-samsung.jpg
Samsung 840 EVO
6Gb/s SATA 750GB SSD		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
ssd-samsung.jpg
Samsung 840 EVO
6Gb/s SATA 1TB SSD		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
ssd-samsung-pro.jpg
Samsung 840 PRO
6Gb/s SATA 128GB SSD		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
ssd-samsung-pro.jpg
Samsung 840 PRO
6Gb/s SATA 256GB SSD		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
ssd-samsung-pro.jpg
Samsung 840 PRO
6Gb/s SATA 512GB SSD		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
crucialm500.png
Crucial M500 120GB SSD Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
crucialm500.png
Crucial M500 240GB SSD Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
msata.jpg
Mushkin mSATA
6Gb/s 120GB SSD		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
msata.jpg
Mushkin mSATA
6Gb/s 240GB SSD		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg



Storage Drives

The storage/data drives listed here were chosen for their large capacity and speed. However, we don't advise using them as your system/boot drive. Advanced Format 4K drives require boot0 error workarounds if using as system drive.​


hdd.jpg
SATA 6Gb/s 1TB HDD Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
hdd.jpg
SATA 6Gb/s 2TB HDD Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
hdd.jpg
SATA 6Gb/s 3TB HDD Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg



Power Supplies

The following power supplies have been chosen as they are known to work without issues.​

cs-psu550.png
Corsair CS 550 Watt Modular Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
cs-psu650.png
Corsair RM 650 Watt Modular Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
cs-psu760.png
Corsair AX 760 Watt Modular Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg



Cases

The case is one of the most universal parts, although you need to make sure that your motherboard and chosen parts will fit. Each link refers to the details of the product, where you can see what sizes are recommended. The following cases have been chosen as they are known to work without issues.​

apex.jpg
mini-ITX Apex MI-008
(w/ 250W Power Supply)		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
elementq.jpg
mini-ITX Thermaltake Element Q
(w/ 200W Power Supply)		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
sugo.jpg
mini-ITX Silverstone Sugo SG07B
(w/ 600W Power Supply)		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
cm110.png
mini-ITX CoolerMaster Elite 110 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
elite120.jpg
mini-ITX CoolerMaster Elite 120 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
cm130.png
mini-ITX CoolerMaster Elite 130 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
prodigym.png
mini-ITX BitFenix Prodigy White Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Black Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Orange Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Red Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Green Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Blue Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
Newegg
phenom.png
mini-ITX BitFenix Phenom White Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Black Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 White Newegg
Black Newegg
prodigym.png
mATX BitFenix Prodigy M White Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Black Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 White Newegg
Black Newegg
phenom.png
mATX BitFenix Phenom M White Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Black Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 White Newegg
Black Newegg
fractal.jpg
mATX Fractal Design Core 1000 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
pso7.jpg
mATX Silverstone PS07 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
hafxb.jpg
mATX/ATX Cooler Master HAF XB Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
200r.jpg
mATX/ATX Corsair Carbide 200R Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
carbide300r.jpg
mATX/ATX Corsair Carbide 300R Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
400r.jpg
mATX/ATX Corsair Carbide 400R Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
carbide500r.jpg
mATX/ATX Corsair Carbide 500R Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
graphite600t.jpg
ATX/E-ATX Corsair Graphite 600T Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
hafxm.jpg
ATX/E-ATX Cooler Master HAF XM Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg



Operating Systems

mavslogo.jpg
OS X 10.9
Mavericks		 Mac App Store
ml.png
OS X 10.8
Mountain Lion		 Apple
lion.png
OS X 10.7
Lion		 Apple
sl.jpg
Mac OS X 10.6
Snow Leopard		 Apple
ubuntu.jpg
Ubuntu Download
win8.jpg
Microsoft Windows 8.1 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Newegg
win8pro.jpg
Microsoft Windows 8.1
Professional		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
Newegg



Accessories

The following accessories have been chosen as they are known to work without issues. If planning to use Bluetooth exclusively, access to a USB keyboard is also helpful to get into the UEFI and to access the bootloader menus.​

flash.jpg
USB Flash Drive (8GB) Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
flash.jpg
USB Flash Drive (16GB) Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
optical.jpg
Optiarc DVD Optical Drive Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
bluray.jpg
LG BluRay Optical Drive Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
app-wired-kb.jpg
Apple Wired Keyboard Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
app-wireless-kb.jpg
Apple Wireless
Keyboard (Bluetooth)		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
logi-wireless.jpg
Logitech Wireless
Keyboard K750		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
logi-mini.jpg
Logitech Wireless Mini
Keyboard K760 (Bluetooth)		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
magic-trackpad.jpg
Apple Magic Trackpad Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
magicmouse.jpg
Apple Magic Mouse Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
ps4controller.jpg
PlayStation 4 DualShock
Wireless Controller		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
usbforps4.jpg
USB Cable
(for PS4 controller)		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
gmyle-bt4.png
GMYLE Bluetooth 4.0 Adapter
(10.8+ Wakes from Sleep)		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
bt4.1.jpg
IOGear Bluetooth 4.0 Adapter
(10.8+ Wakes from Sleep)		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
bluetooth2.1.jpg
IOGear Bluetooth 2.1 Adapter
(10.6+ - No Wake from Sleep)		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
tplink.jpg
TP-Link PCI Express
Wifi Adapter		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
rosewifi.jpg
Rosewill PCI Express
Wifi Adapter (US only)		 Amazon US Newegg
accessories-webcam-1080p.png
Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920
(1080p, Native Microphone)		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)		 Newegg
tbtofw.jpg
Apple Thunderbolt to
Ethernet Adapter		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
tbtofw.jpg
Apple Thunderbolt to
Firewire Adapter		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
tb-sata.jpeg
Seagate GoFlex FreeAgent
Thunderbolt to SATA Adapter		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
tbcable.jpg
Apple Thunderbolt Cable (2.0m) Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
tbcable.jpg
Apple Thunderbolt Cable (0.5m) Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
appletv.jpg
Apple TV Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)
timecapsule.jpg
Apple Time Capsule
802.11ac WiFi Router w/ 2TB HDD		 Amazon US
(CAN UK DE ES FR IT)

​

Remember, when building and configuring your own computer, it's easy to get frustrated- don't give up! There are users with similar specs here at tonymacx86.com to help you out if you get stuck.

Oh, and don't forget, if you end up buying anything, click through one of the links here. That way, you'll be supporting the site, as well as getting the best prices. Thanks in advance! Good luck, and let us know how it goes!​

customac.png
 
Last edited by a moderator:
400 Series
Prime Z490-A |  i5 10600K |  HD 630
300 Series
Z370N WIFI |  i7 8700K |  HD 630
200 Series
GA-Z270X-UD5 |  i3 7100 |  Radeon RX Vega 56 Air Boost
100 Series
GA-Z170X-UD5 TH |  i5 6600K |  GeForce GTX 770
9 Series
GA-Z97-D3H |  i7 4790K |  HD 4600
soulp0wr

soulp0wr

Joined
May 28, 2011
Messages
12
Motherboard
Antec Mini P180 Gigabyte Z87MX-D3H
CPU
Intel Core i7-4770K
Graphics
EVGA GTX 760 4GB
Mac
  1. MacBook Pro
  2. Mac Pro
Classic Mac
Mobile Phone
  1. Android
  2. iOS
I like the TP-LINK TL-WDN4800. Do you?
 
Mark Russell

Mark Russell

Joined
Oct 9, 2011
Messages
3
Motherboard
Mac Pro early 2008
CPU
quad core intel xeon 2.8G
Graphics
HD5770
Mac
  1. Mac Pro
Classic Mac
Mobile Phone
The E5-2680 V2 processor is 10 core, not 8 as stated above. The 8 core is E5-2650 V2. Are both of these cpu's Hackintosh compatable.
 
tonymacx86

tonymacx86

Administrator
Staff member
Joined
Nov 17, 2009
Messages
7,269
Motherboard
Z370N WIFI
CPU
i7 8700K
Graphics
HD 630
Mac
  1. MacBook Air
Classic Mac
  1. Apple
  2. PowerBook
Mobile Phone
  1. iOS
Article: Building a CustoMac: Buyer's Guide March 2014

Mark Russell said:
The E5-2680 V2 processor is 10 core, not 8 as stated above. The 8 core is E5-2650 V2. Are both of these cpu's Hackintosh compatable.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the catch- you're right- the E5-2680 v2 is 10 core. The E5-2650 v2 is not compatible according to official CPU support lists.

http://www.gigabyte.us/support-downloads/cpu-support-popup.aspx?pid=4777
http://www.gigabyte.us/support-downloads/cpu-support-popup.aspx?pid=4766
 
400 Series
Prime Z490-A |  i5 10600K |  HD 630
300 Series
Z370N WIFI |  i7 8700K |  HD 630
200 Series
GA-Z270X-UD5 |  i3 7100 |  Radeon RX Vega 56 Air Boost
100 Series
GA-Z170X-UD5 TH |  i5 6600K |  GeForce GTX 770
9 Series
GA-Z97-D3H |  i7 4790K |  HD 4600
Mark Russell

Mark Russell

Joined
Oct 9, 2011
Messages
3
Motherboard
Mac Pro early 2008
CPU
quad core intel xeon 2.8G
Graphics
HD5770
Mac
  1. Mac Pro
Classic Mac
Mobile Phone
Article: Building a CustoMac: Buyer's Guide March 2014

thanks for the fast reply, love the website, almost ready to build
 
Heats

Heats

Joined
Jun 12, 2013
Messages
25
Motherboard
Gigabyte Z87X-UD3H
CPU
i5 4670K
Graphics
GTX 750 Ti
Mobile Phone
  1. iOS
How is the IOGear bluetooth 4.0 adapter still listed? I have two of them that now do not work. Has anyone either found a solution or a replacement for them?
 
First Hackintosh
GA-Z87X-UD3H |  i5 4670K |  HD 4600
trs96

trs96

Moderator
Joined
Jul 30, 2012
Messages
24,188
Motherboard
Gigabyte B460M Aorus Pro
CPU
i5-10500
Graphics
RX 570
Mac
  1. MacBook Pro
  2. Mac mini
Mobile Phone
  1. Android
Article: Building a CustoMac: Buyer's Guide March 2014

Heats said:
How is the IOGear bluetooth 4.0 adapter still listed? I have two of them that now do not work. Has anyone either found a solution or a replacement for them?
Click to expand...

tonymacx86 member JacksonSneed has tested this model: Cirago -- Model: BTA3310
and found it to work very well with most builds.

I've not tried it myself but his thread is here. http://www.tonymacx86.com/general-h...-mavericks-update-what-works-what-doesnt.html
 
chirpreverse

chirpreverse

Joined
Dec 8, 2012
Messages
1
Mac
Classic Mac
Mobile Phone
  1. iOS
I have roughly $120 to spend on an SSD, I'd prefer it to be on newegg that way I can order everything straight from there. Any suggestions?
 
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