- Joined
- Aug 25, 2019
- Messages
- 16
- Motherboard
- Gigabyte Z370M-D3H
- CPU
- i7-8700
- Graphics
- WX4100
- Mac
- Mobile Phone
I need some advice in building a hackintosh system. I have built PC setups and serviced macs, but so far I have never built a hackintosh. I would prefer mods to system to be simple as I am not really handy with system hacks.
Aim is to build a powerful small format system – something like Mac Mini but better extendability – at one third of the price. A poor mans Mac Pro. Comparison Mac Mini i7/32GB/1TB costs 2 709,00 € / $2,299.00.
Applications I am using are Archicad and Adobe CS and Affinity suites, Apple Motion and possibly Logic Pro. I would prefer system to be quiet. I will be staying with OS X Mojave for now as I need Adobe CS5/6. I do not really need iCloud or Handoff.
Components (& questions):
Case: M1 – bought 60 € (bought from different seller than in the link, no PSU)
Motherboard: GIGABYTE H370M D3H – bought 82 €
Processor: i7 8700 – to be bought ~ 320 €
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-L9i ~ 40 €
though it is an ugly one. I will take it unless I find something as powerful, silent and small – Reeven Brontes would be ok but is is not available here. TonyMac recommended Thermaltake Slim X3 is not available either and it has got not so good reviews.
RAM: DDR4-2666-capable memory 32 GB ~140 €
Crucial proposes 2400 MHz RAM for this mobo. Is it fast enough for i7 8700? I read somewhere 2400 is fastest standard memory and after that you must set it with special app to run optimal?
NVMe SDD 1 TB: to be bought – 120–200 €
Model can be something like: Samsung 970 EVO, HP EX900/920/950, Crucial P1
This has not to be ultimately fast as system cannot use all transfer rate anyway. I will look for a good price in coming weeks.
Are there differences between them or do they all work OOB? Is it advisable to get NVMe USB adapter and do instals with that using a separate mac (or is there any other way)?
Wifi/BT card - The FV-HB1200 or FV-T919
…unless cheaper internal like this works?
I would prefer it work OOB.
PSU: this is a bit hard one. It has to be 1U format. Size 150*80*40, possibly 190*80*40 fits. Should be above 300 W I suppose. There are those available in Aliexpress and EBay, prices vary. Specs are not very clear (size, thermal specs, noise levels).
2 * 80 or 92 mm fans. I try to find silent ones to push air out of the case. I am afraid holing on the top of case is not very optimal for it...
I think that would be a working setup already – price would be about 850 €. That is well below 1/3 Mac Mini price.
Of course that is not enough, though I will probably start with that setup and add components later (maybe much later):
HDD: originally I thought 4 TB 3.5” HDD would be the way to go. Now it seems fitting it to the case is too difficult. I guess I will buy 2 or 4 TB in 2.5” format when I see a good price. Unfortunately it seems 2.5” HDD is on its way to oblivion as there seem to be no market between massive 3.5” HDDs and ever cheaper (but not yet cheap enough) SDDs.
More RAM: I will double the RAM to 64 GB when I see a good price.
GPU: CAD and graphic apps would benefit from powerful GPU card. It should though be low profile in that M1 case. As nVidia does not get along with Mojave only AMD Radeon will do (I suppose?). Candidates are:
MSI Radeon RX 560 4GT LP OC ~ 172 € (though this is hard to find – only Newegg sells it seems)
Radeon Pro WX 3100 – easier to get but not as powerful as RX 560; on the otherhand I have heard drivers are better optimised for pro use? I would get this for the same price as RX 560 (offer)
Radeon Pro WX 4100 – may be too expensive.
Anything more powerful is not available in LP format.
Is it necessary to modify system after installing GPU or does it work OOB?
TB3 card: I do not know if I ever need one. But it would be classy… and I am interested if there are such ones that work.
Opinions, please?
Aim is to build a powerful small format system – something like Mac Mini but better extendability – at one third of the price. A poor mans Mac Pro. Comparison Mac Mini i7/32GB/1TB costs 2 709,00 € / $2,299.00.
Applications I am using are Archicad and Adobe CS and Affinity suites, Apple Motion and possibly Logic Pro. I would prefer system to be quiet. I will be staying with OS X Mojave for now as I need Adobe CS5/6. I do not really need iCloud or Handoff.
Components (& questions):
Case: M1 – bought 60 € (bought from different seller than in the link, no PSU)
Motherboard: GIGABYTE H370M D3H – bought 82 €
Processor: i7 8700 – to be bought ~ 320 €
CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-L9i ~ 40 €
though it is an ugly one. I will take it unless I find something as powerful, silent and small – Reeven Brontes would be ok but is is not available here. TonyMac recommended Thermaltake Slim X3 is not available either and it has got not so good reviews.
RAM: DDR4-2666-capable memory 32 GB ~140 €
Crucial proposes 2400 MHz RAM for this mobo. Is it fast enough for i7 8700? I read somewhere 2400 is fastest standard memory and after that you must set it with special app to run optimal?
NVMe SDD 1 TB: to be bought – 120–200 €
Model can be something like: Samsung 970 EVO, HP EX900/920/950, Crucial P1
This has not to be ultimately fast as system cannot use all transfer rate anyway. I will look for a good price in coming weeks.
Are there differences between them or do they all work OOB? Is it advisable to get NVMe USB adapter and do instals with that using a separate mac (or is there any other way)?
Wifi/BT card - The FV-HB1200 or FV-T919
…unless cheaper internal like this works?
I would prefer it work OOB.
PSU: this is a bit hard one. It has to be 1U format. Size 150*80*40, possibly 190*80*40 fits. Should be above 300 W I suppose. There are those available in Aliexpress and EBay, prices vary. Specs are not very clear (size, thermal specs, noise levels).
2 * 80 or 92 mm fans. I try to find silent ones to push air out of the case. I am afraid holing on the top of case is not very optimal for it...
I think that would be a working setup already – price would be about 850 €. That is well below 1/3 Mac Mini price.
Of course that is not enough, though I will probably start with that setup and add components later (maybe much later):
HDD: originally I thought 4 TB 3.5” HDD would be the way to go. Now it seems fitting it to the case is too difficult. I guess I will buy 2 or 4 TB in 2.5” format when I see a good price. Unfortunately it seems 2.5” HDD is on its way to oblivion as there seem to be no market between massive 3.5” HDDs and ever cheaper (but not yet cheap enough) SDDs.
More RAM: I will double the RAM to 64 GB when I see a good price.
GPU: CAD and graphic apps would benefit from powerful GPU card. It should though be low profile in that M1 case. As nVidia does not get along with Mojave only AMD Radeon will do (I suppose?). Candidates are:
MSI Radeon RX 560 4GT LP OC ~ 172 € (though this is hard to find – only Newegg sells it seems)
Radeon Pro WX 3100 – easier to get but not as powerful as RX 560; on the otherhand I have heard drivers are better optimised for pro use? I would get this for the same price as RX 560 (offer)
Radeon Pro WX 4100 – may be too expensive.
Anything more powerful is not available in LP format.
Is it necessary to modify system after installing GPU or does it work OOB?
TB3 card: I do not know if I ever need one. But it would be classy… and I am interested if there are such ones that work.
Opinions, please?
I will post single more specific questions.
