Coffee Lake or not? New build for home use

[galagones]

Hi guys,

I bought my first macbook (aluminium late 2008) in April 2009 and im proudly still using it after almost 9 years. Of course I upgraded ram and ssd, which extended its life at least 4-5 years.

Now I need a mac desktop which can be upgraded. So here I am.

80% use: home/office stuff (also use it as htpc sometimes)
10% use: photo and video editing
10% use: light gaming (like Fifa, playing my Wii games on my pc with Cemu, occasional FPS)


I was thinking to use a Kaby Lake, then when I saw prices and performances of Coffee Lake I changed my mind.

CPU: Intel - Core i3-8100 3.6GHz Quad-Core Processor
MOBO: ASRock - Z370M-ITX/ac Mini ITX LGA1151
Memory: Kingston - FURY 16GB (1 x 16GB) DDR4-2400
Storage: Samsung - 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Ssd
GPU: MSI - GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB
Case: Fractal Design - Node 202 HTPC Case
PSU: Corsair - SF 450W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular SFX

So my questions are:

1) Better go down the Coffee Lake road or not? Will be too difficult for a me as Im new to Hackintosh?
2) Will everything be compatible?
3) Any suggestion based on my use?

Thank you!

 

[samisnake]

if it were my money, i wouldnt be buying kaby lake parts now.
either go coffee lake, or wait till apple use coffe lake.
there are users with CL systems already. so far, it seems the only issue is when using the onboard gfx as primary. with a gfx card, no issues.

 

[galagones]

Yes, these are the same thoughts I had.

I would rather try to make it work and worst case I use windows a little bit till there is 100% compatibility.

I feel there is a big gap between kaby and coffee, and also price wise same performance cpu+mobo is cheaper.

 

[macmaxxx]

Z370 is Dual Channel memory. If do you want 16Go Ram you need 2 x 8Go sticks(or 2x 16 = 32Go or 4 x8 = 32Go) for activate dual channel. Also you can't activate xpm without dual channel. Without dual channel memory you lake performances.

PS.: for i5 and i7 Coffe Lake processors native is 2666Mhz. On i3 Coffe Lake native on motherboars memory is 2400Mhz

GTX 1000 series(Pascal) is the best choice for hackintoshes on Sierra and High Sierra. On GTX 1050 Ti series you have cards with 6 pin PCIe for power supply and cards without 6 pin PCIe connector, this last, power pass by PCIe slot. So if your card choice have one or two fans make attention to buy a model with 6 pin connector to power supply = this is the best choice.

 

[galagones]

Z370 is Dual Channel memory. If do you want 16Go Ram you need 2 x 8Go sticks(or 2x 16 = 32Go or 4 x8 = 32Go) for activate dual channel. Also you can't activate xpm without dual channel. Without dual channel memory you lake performances.

PS.: for i5 and i7 Coffe Lake processors native is 2666Mhz. On i3 Coffe Lake native on motherboars memory is 2400Mhz

GTX 1000 series(Pascal) is the best choice for hackintoshes on Sierra and High Sierra. On GTX 1050 Ti series you have cards with 6 pin PCIe for power supply and cards without 6 pin PCIe connector, this last, power pass by PCIe slot. So if your card choice have one or two fans make attention to buy a model with 6 pin connector to power supply = this is the best choice.

Thank you.

What do you think about this build?

CPU: Intel - Core i3-8100 3.6GHz Quad-Core Processor
Motherboard: ASRock - Z370M-ITX/ac Mini ITX LGA1151 Motherboard
Memory: GeIL - EVO POTENZA 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory
Storage: Samsung - 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive
Video Card: Zotac - GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB Mini Video Card
Case: Fractal Design - Node 202 HTPC Case w/450W Power Supply


Do you think I need a fan?

Are all components ok for high sierra?

 

[macmaxxx]

Thank you.

What do you think about this build?

CPU: Intel - Core i3-8100 3.6GHz Quad-Core Processor
Motherboard: ASRock - Z370M-ITX/ac Mini ITX LGA1151 Motherboard
Memory: GeIL - EVO POTENZA 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory
Storage: Samsung - 850 EVO-Series 250GB 2.5" Solid State Drive
Video Card: Zotac - GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB Mini Video Card
Case: Fractal Design - Node 202 HTPC Case w/450W Power Supply


Do you think I need a fan?

Are all components ok for high sierra?

Hi,
I do not have installed High Sierra on 8th generation cpus yet. But I think your components it's ok for High Sierra.

But it's very important for stability and compatibility You need go to ASRock web site , click on motherboards and click again on Z370 models and choise your board. Them, go to support and memory QVL list. Here look if your memory Geil Evo Potenza is. Take the reference number on your mememory stick or in memory web site or on seller web site and look if is in your moterboard list. If not, you need choice for buy a memory in this your motherbord vendor list.

I think Gigabyte motherboard have more compatibility for Hackintoshes but ASRock is good too.

Samsung Series is the best choice today in the world for SSDs. Very good R/W and IO speeds and durability. If it's newers ssds it's ok. If this ssds is second hand, pay attention them not have installed and/or formated with a NTSF (Windows) system in the past .

Your video card it's good for ITX system. For ATX system I said whith 6 pin(in video card) power supply connector is the best choice for best perfomance.

Fractal it's very good case, good air flow and nice case.

Look if this power supply you have choice is 38Amps capable, it's minimun required for your system. And, if possible, 80+Gold or best with a single 12V rail.

If you make overclock or not in your hackintosh, you need another fan for your CPU, that change your cpu temps. The Intel fan it's not good for low temps.

 

[nineniner]

Coffee Lake is a great value. Even the weakest of the bunch (8100) goes for $120 and performs like a 7400 or better. THen on the other end, you have the 8700k, which is a CPU that’s only $410m and scores about the same as the $1700 5960x from last year, and can overclock to match the 7900x at stock.

 

[macmaxxx]

Coffee Lake is a great value. Even the weakest of the bunch (8100) goes for $120 and performs like a 7400 or better. THen on the other end, you have the 8700k, which is a CPU that’s only $410m and scores about the same as the $1700 5960x from last year, and can overclock to match the 7900x at stock.

Yes, Coffee Lake is a great value. And i3 8100 is a great choice for this configuration and its very balanced like this, or with a i3 8350K($180). Put a i7 8700K in this configuration is not balanced. Or you can remplace GTX 1050 Ti for a GTX 1070, 1080 ...etc for exemple...You can remplace Ram too even i3 8000 series native SPD is 2400mhz(i5/i7 is 2666) you can put 3000mhz Ram and push ram voltage and put 3000 manualy in bios...etc, etc...

i7 5960X is 2014 eight cores processor at $1000/1200. From last year at $1700 is a ten cores i7 6950X.
Indeed, with a i7 8700K overclocked at 5,2Ghz you can match and beat a i9 7900X at stock frequencies in benchmarks and FPS games. But is not the same think. You can't beat with a i7 8700K overcloked 6 cores a i9 7900X stock 10 cores in multitasks. 8700K in Z370 is a medium/high end platform with limited power phases, double channel ram, 16x PCIe lines with 16x PCIe bandwidth on single card and 8x/8x with double in SLI. i9 7900X in X299 systems is a High end platform with Quad channel ram with 4/5x more bandwidth and with 44 PCIe lines with 16x PCIe bandwidth on single graphic card and hold 16x/16x with double cards in SLI systems, more sata and Nvme capabilities, more power phases for stability overclock , etc. i9 7900X take a very good overclock too(+/- 4.6/4.8Ghz) with good watercooling and take much more overclock on ram

 

[galagones]

Hi,
I do not have installed High Sierra on 8th generation cpus yet. But I think your components it's ok for High Sierra.

But it's very important for stability and compatibility You need go to ASRock web site , click on motherboards and click again on Z370 models and choise your board. Them, go to support and memory QVL list. Here look if your memory Geil Evo Potenza is. Take the reference number on your mememory stick or in memory web site or on seller web site and look if is in your moterboard list. If not, you need choice for buy a memory in this your motherbord vendor list.

I think Gigabyte motherboard have more compatibility for Hackintoshes but ASRock is good too.

Samsung Series is the best choice today in the world for SSDs. Very good R/W and IO speeds and durability. If it's newers ssds it's ok. If this ssds is second hand, pay attention them not have installed and/or formated with a NTSF (Windows) system in the past .

Your video card it's good for ITX system. For ATX system I said whith 6 pin(in video card) power supply connector is the best choice for best perfomance.

Fractal it's very good case, good air flow and nice case.

Look if this power supply you have choice is 38Amps capable, it's minimun required for your system. And, if possible, 80+Gold or best with a single 12V rail.

If you make overclock or not in your hackintosh, you need another fan for your CPU, that change your cpu temps. The Intel fan it's not good for low temps.

Good catch! Its not supported. Im going for the G.Skill - Ripjaws V Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4-2400 Memory, which is supported.

I wont overclock, are you saying that extra cpu cooling is needed anyway?

Coffee Lake is a great value. Even the weakest of the bunch (8100) goes for $120 and performs like a 7400 or better. THen on the other end, you have the 8700k, which is a CPU that’s only $410m and scores about the same as the $1700 5960x from last year, and can overclock to match the 7900x at stock.

Yes, I agree. The only doubt I have it's between i3 8100 and i5 8400. 70 bucks more...

 

[macmaxxx]

Extra cpu colling without overclocking is not realy need but even without overclocking you take a realy advantage in lower temps and noise. And a standart Intel cpu cooling put hot air and dusty in face to motherboard and memory slots. A extra cpu cooling like Be Quit! Pure Rock Slim (+/- $25) with a good and not expensive thermal grease like Artic cooling 5, you take more lower temps , more silent and hot air and dusty go to rear fan case to extract. And take more good look and value for your computer...


If you take a i3 8100 memory SPD is 2400 Mhz. If you take i5 8400 memory SPD on motherboard is 2666Mhz.

i3 8100 is a Quad(4) core with standart 3,6Ghz turbo boost with 6 Mo L2 ; i5 8400 is a Hexa(6) core with standart 4,0Ghz turbo boost and 9 Mo L2.

If you have extra money go to i5 8400...