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CustoMac Budget ATX or Mac Mini?

Mac Mini ($799) or CustoMac Budget ATX

  • Mac Mini

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • CustoMac Budget ATX

    Votes: 11 100.0%
  • Need more info / not sure / other

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    11
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I'd build my own machine too for all the reasons already given. (in fact, I already did.)

But to be fair to Apple, nothing you can build will ever be as cute / compact as a Mac Mini, and the Mac Mini will probably be worth something in 5 years time, whereas your own creation will be worth approx $0.

The only reason I'm comparing it to the Mac Mini is because of price point. I already have a great monitor and the Mac Pro is way too expensive. I am just fine with a mid-tower computer.
Please let me know about what you think about my parts list.
 
No, you don't get millions of updates every week. I haven't seen any disruptive system updates since building my machine in Autumn last year. There was an Aluminium Keyboard update last week which I installed. It had zero impact on my life, the stability of my machine, or the wellbeing of my Aluminium keyboard. So I have no idea what that was supposed to accomplish. But generally things like that are totally harmless.

There's usually a big fanfare around proper system updates, which come maybe twice a year (I'm guessing) And if things break, someone will know about it before you do, hopefully, so you can delay updating. Updates don't install themselves without asking as they do in Windows- you have to give the machine permission to bother with updates which you can ignore if you want.

Okay, good to know.
 
Current Thoughts:

I'm pretty sure I'd like:
CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K
GPU: Previously purchased 5670 (don't think it will affect the PSU much, will it?)
RAM: 8GB 1600Mhz DDR3 (same one as suggested)
PSU: Corsair 600 Watt (as suggested)

Not so sure about:
Motherboard: GA-Z77-DS3H (is this any good?)
Case: can I use the Corsair Obsidian Series Black 550D or a similar quiet case?... or should i just use the Corsair Carbide 300R?
Storage: I think 64GB of SSD would be fine, but the suggested it at least 120GB. I would only need 500GB of 7200rpm for other storage.
CPU cooler: Do I seriously need that expesnive of a CPU cooler? (the suggested is a Corsair H60 Liquid Cooler)
WiFi Card - I'm fine with the suggested one, but would a card or a USB dongle be better? I also want bluetooth for Apple's Wireless Accessories.

What do you think?
Windows updates are a nightmare, OSX updates are probably once every 4 months or so. Usually their not a hassle, but occasionally their can be small problems, usually all you have to do is install the update off Apple's website instead of using the "software update feature." Although you can use this feature for anything else, as long as its not a system update.

Now to answer your questions.
I have a DS3H, and I couldn't be happier, I have had basically had ZERO problems. I dual boot windows with it also. I can't think of a single major problem I've had.

I personally have the corsair Carbide 300R and am very happy with it, it has plenty of room for anything you want to add. Not to mention it looks amazing. The case fans are audible though, not as quiet as I'd like, but still pretty quiet.

No, dont get the exspensive liquid cooler, I dont know why they put that in the buyers guide, it's completely overkill. You'll be fine on the stock cooler as long as your not overclocking. You could also get a Hyper 212 cooler for like $25, using this I was able to overclock to 4.2GHZ on stock voltage (the DS3H does not have v-core adjustments).'

I would go with the suggested wifi card, it is great, zero problems with it, USB ones can break sleep.

Use the recommended bluetooth of the buyers guide, I have it, and it works fine.

BTW you dont need a 600 wat PSU you could easily downgrade to a corsair 430 or 500 watt one.
 
Thanks for the info... I have a few questions:

Now to answer your questions.
I have a DS3H, and I couldn't be happier, I have had basically had ZERO problems. I dual boot windows with it also. I can't think of a single major problem I've had.
Good to know. I might dual boot once I get everything working.




I personally have the corsair Carbide 300R and am very happy with it, it has plenty of room for anything you want to add. Not to mention it looks amazing. The case fans are audible though, not as quiet as I'd like, but still pretty quiet.
Is there any reason why I shouldn't use a case like the Fractal Design Define R3 or the Obsidian Series 550D?
I really like quiet things. I don't like any obnoxious lights either.






No, dont get the exspensive liquid cooler, I dont know why they put that in the buyers guide, it's completely overkill. You'll be fine on the stock cooler as long as your not overclocking. You could also get a Hyper 212 cooler for like $25, using this I was able to overclock to 4.2GHZ on stock voltage (the DS3H does not have v-core adjustments).
So if I don't overclock should I just get the non-k version of the processor since I have my own GPU?






I would go with the suggested wifi card, it is great, zero problems with it, USB ones can break sleep.

Use the recommended bluetooth of the buyers guide, I have it, and it works fine.

BTW you dont need a 600 wat PSU you could easily downgrade to a corsair 430 or 500 watt one.
Thanks!
Also, I want to have a 600 watt just in case I might need to upgrade.



Now, how is OSX with memory? Would 8GB be fine?
Right now I have 6GB and I have pretty much no problems on Windows 7. Is OSX any different?
(For example, I have a 20MB PDF open, iTunes playing music, and a few cloud services running along with 16 tabs in Firefox)
 
Thanks for the info... I have a few questions:


Good to know. I might dual boot once I get everything working.





Is there any reason why I shouldn't use a case like the Fractal Design Define R3 or the Obsidian Series 550D?
I really like quiet things. I don't like any obnoxious lights either.







So if I don't overclock should I just get the non-k version of the processor since I have my own GPU?







Thanks!
Also, I want to have a 600 watt just in case I might need to upgrade.



Now, how is OSX with memory? Would 8GB be fine?
Right now I have 6GB and I have pretty much no problems on Windows 7. Is OSX any different?
(For example, I have a 20MB PDF open, iTunes playing music, and a few cloud services running along with 16 tabs in Firefox)
1. You can use whatever case you like. The 300R doesn't have any lights though, besides a tiny LED hard drive activity light.
2. No, you should get the k version because it has the HD4000 graphics, and you need these to install OSX. After it's installed you can put in your Graphics card. Dont install OSX on your discrete GPU, because you can have some problems.
3. Get whatever PSU you like, but a 500 watt can easily run almost any GPU, except for super high end ones like the 690($1000) or the 6990($900)
4. 8GB's is fine, but I got 16GB's because it was only like $20 more.
 
Can I install Windows 8 first and then move to OSX later?

I want to get the computer soon, but I think I'd like to put OSX on it when I have the time to do it.
Is that a good idea?
 
Can I install Windows 8 first and then move to OSX later?

I want to get the computer soon, but I think I'd like to put OSX on it when I have the time to do it.
Is that a good idea?
As long as you install it on a separate hard drive, you should be fine.
 
32GB SSD for each?

Can they both share a data hard drive, or will that mess things up?

Would I be able to use my current HDD and put it in the new computer and use that along with 2 SSDs?

basically, how should I set this all up?
My current idea:

32GB SSD #1: OSX
32GB SSD #2: Windows 8
640GB HDD: Current Windows 7 hard drive used for data on both?
Is that possible... or do I need 2 separate data drives too?
 
32GB SSD for each?

Can they both share a data hard drive, or will that mess things up?

Would I be able to use my current HDD and put it in the new computer and use that along with 2 SSDs?

basically, how should I set this all up?
My current idea:

32GB SSD #1: OSX
32GB SSD #2: Windows 8
640GB HDD: Current Windows 7 hard drive used for data on both?
Is that possible... or do I need 2 separate data drives too?
32GB is to small, plus they are not very fast, because there aren't as many flash chips in parallel. I would get a 128GB SSD at the minimum because they are much faster. If you can't afford it only get one SSD and use it for Mac, when you have enough buy another SSD and use it for windows. It is possible to put them both on one drive, but I can attest to how unreliable and annoying it is. They keep overwriting each others bootloaders and windows update almost always has an error. Just save yourself the trouble and get two drives (even if one has to be a HDD). They can use the same data drive, you can even have them use the same partition, just format it as exfat or Fat32.
 
So now the question is which would benefit more with an SSD, OSX or Windows?

And then whatever one has the SSD would just use the HDD as "overflow" storage, right, with most of that OS's storage on that SSD. Would it work like that?
 
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