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Building Advice: LGA2011-v3 Hackintosh Build Configuration

Hackintosh Build: LGA 1151 vs LGA 2011-v3


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Hi folks,



Sooooo my 2009 iMac is starting to feel a little slow so I want to replace it with a new Hackintosh Build.
This would be my first Hackintosh Build!

I am a student so money is always tight but Hackintosh gives me the opportunity to build a strong mac system not having to take out a loan :p

I plan to run Windows and Hackintosh simultaneously. A little bit of gaming on Windows and working on Mac.




This is my configuration so far:


CPU: i7 5820k
CPU-Cooler: Corsair H110
Motherboard: Gigabyte X99 Gaming 5 (got this from a friend for next to nothing)
GPU: MSI R9 390x OR a comparable Nvidia? which I think should be better for Photoshop work because of CUDA?
RAM: Crucial Ballistix Sport LT 2x8GB DDR4-2400, CL16-16-16 (I plan to upgrade in the future with two more 8GB)
SSD: Crucial MX300 750GB
PSU: ???
Wireless LAN & Bluetooth: USB or Card ???
Case: NZXT S340 white





Are there any problems in my configuration I should be aware of?

As you can see I have no idea which PSU i should choose?! Any suggestions?
Also I don't know if its better to take a Wireless Card or just add it via USB 3.0?




Looking forward to your feedback :)
 
RAM: Crucial Ballistix Sport LT 2x8GB DDR4-2400, CL16-16-16 (I plan to upgrade in the future with two more 8GB)

It's always best to buy a single kit, whether it be 2 or 4 modules, instead of kits, in your case that would be two kits of 2 modules each. You could have compatibility problems. If you start getting kernel panicks, what are you going to do? (Good thing I didn't go with an X99 because I know that I would have gone with a single kit of 8 modules from the "get-go". It's also a reason why I didn't go with a Z170 because at the time 64GB was going for about $300 - $600. As it is I paid more for my memory than I did for my CPU, $240 and $220, respectfully.)

Just something to keep in mind. If you really want 32GB then see if someone makes a single kit of 8 modules of 4G (8x4G). Then compare the price to 8x16. Also research other speeds, as some higher speed mem will cost less than slower mem.

First go to the Gigabyte website and download their QVL certified memory list. Then go to Corsair, Crucial, G.Skill, Kingston, et. al & etc., websites and use their memory configurator to see what they offer in single kits, then price them at Newegg and Amazon doing a copy/paste into their search boxes.
 
okay thanks very much for the feedback! but how is it different if I buy a kit of 2x8GB now and buy the same kit later.....will it not be the same Ballisticx 8gb x4? why is it better to buy e.g. now 4x8GB Ballisticx? OR did I completely missunderstand you? ^^
 
Some mobos have problems mixing kits, even if they are from the same manufacturer, even if it's the same part number, even if it's the same chips (chips have part numbers on them), even if they have the same speed and timings (also indicated on the chips themselves). When you buy a single kit all the modules in the kit were probably made at the same time from the same batch.

Who knows?, you might get lucky, especially if it's at the base rated speed (most are rated for 2133 unless it is listed as "Native" in the QVL.)

I'm not saying that you should buy a single kit, just that if you don't and you have problems when you do buy another kit then you may need to buy a single kit at that time. When it happens you'll play around with it until you get so frustrated that you probably won't think straight (not many of us do.) So you may end up getting rid of the whole rig, replacing the mobo, replacing the PSU, etc. One thing that you will want from the onset is a Haswell Certified PSU because noisy rails could cause mem problems down the road, after the load gets larger.
 
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@vichti I'm considering the same build as yours (almost identical). In regards to PSU, check your specs on your CPU and your GPU since both off those draw the most power. There are PSU calculators on several web sites (Google Power Supply calculator) including Newegg. If you're looking at future proofing your build, I'd recommend giving yourself a 25% buffer on power usage. (Ex: estimated power draw of 500w, then 625 or higher would be safe.). You'll also want to consider modular vs fully modular. Fully modular probably best for wire management and future proofing.

Kiiroaka is very knowledgeable and does have a good point with regards to RAM. Getting one kit is better than getting multiple kits of the same spec because you may run into issues of your hackintosh build not recognizing all your RAM. If it wasn't a hackintosh build, then yes, I can see adding ram wouldn't be a problem, but with the x99 platform, you're already diving into merky waters that some have success and some don't. I have yet to purchase my parts because I'm trying to make this build the least bit troublesome as possible....but you're on the right track.
 
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