Gaming + Work :)

[empirewar]

Hi guys!

I want to make a dual boot machine. Windows for gaming, macOS for work. I’m interested in most vanilla installation as possible with Wi-Fi and BT working.

What do you think about this specs

Motherboard: Asus ROG STRIX Z690-F GAMING WIFI

CPU: Intel Core i9-12900K, 3.2GHz, 30 MB, BOX (BX8071512900K)

GPU: ASRock Radeon RX 6900 XT Phantom Gaming D OC 16GB GDDR6 (RX6900XT PGD 16GO)

SSD: 2x SSD Samsung 970 EVO Plus 500 GB M.2 2280 PCI-E x4 Gen3 NVMe (MZ-V7S500BW) one for win, one for macOS

RAM: Kingston Fury Beast, DDR5, 32 GB, 4800MHz, CL38 (KF548C38BBK2-32)

Although it’s a really expensive setup . It’s already ~ 3200 usd. I live in Poland so the exact price for now it’s 13845 PLN, I still need to find case, coolers, power supply and my max budget is 14k pln. Any suggestions what power supply, case I should choose? And maybe replace something in my config in order to actually be able to fit in that 14k pln (3290 usd).

I would be super grateful for your help. I need machine for work but Im also a gamer so I want be able to play in warzone in 120 fps more less . I’m trying to build a machine that will be nice for at least 5 more years from now - if possible.

 

[Edhawk]

If you want a Vanilla installation then you need to look at the 400-series motherboards with a 10th Gen Intel CPU. As those were the last Intel chips/CPU's/IGPU's to be natively supported in macOS.

So a Z490 Motherboard with an i9-10900K CPU, would be best for native macOS support.

For RAM I would check the Quality Vendor List/Support page that accompanies the motherboard you purchase. See this support page link for a Gigabyte Z490 Aorus Master motherboard - https://www.gigabyte.com/uk/Motherboard/Z490-AORUS-MASTER-rev-1x/support#support-doc it has a list of Memory modules, M.2 drives and SSD's that have been tested and are supported by this motherboard along with a 10th Gen CPU. Most if not all motherboards have a similar page/link and this should be the first place you look after making a motherboard selection.

If you stick with the AMD RX 6900 XT graphics card, you should know that you can only run Big Sur (11.3+) and Monterey with this card. I assume you want this for your gaming.

I would change the 2 x Samsung 970 EVO 500GB NVME drives for a pair of WD SN750 500GB drives, as the Samsung drives have an issue with their Firmware when booting macOS. The Western Digital drives do not have the same issue and can be sourced at a lower price.

 

[etorix]

As said, replace at least one Samsung by something that works well with macOS. Z490 is the last native platform, but Z690 would work.

Although it’s a really expensive setup . It’s already ~ 3200 usd. I live in Poland so the exact price for now it’s 13845 PLN, I still need to find case, coolers, power supply and my max budget is 14k pln. Any suggestions what power supply, case I should choose? And maybe replace something in my config in order to actually be able to fit in that 14k pln (3290 usd).

However you're over budget because you need good quality power supply and cooler, plus the case. These are at your taste and discretion (no driver = no incompatibility), but will cost over 155 zlotys…
So either expand your budget or scale down some components (RX 6800 XT rather than 6900 XT; non-K CPU if no overclocking and/or i7 or i5 rather than i9).

 

[empirewar]

Thank you for your reply

If you want a Vanilla installation then you need to look at the 400-series motherboards with a 10th Gen Intel CPU. As those were the last Intel chips/CPU's/IGPU's to be natively supported in macOS.

Damn I see. So I'm not sure if I'll be going full vanilla then . But even if I'll decided to stick with that i9-12900K, macOS should work just fine? Any downside to using this processor? I guess it won't be recognised as i9-12900K but the performance should be great anyway. But to be honest I think I'll replace this CPU with Intel Core i7-12700KF, 3.6GHz, 25 MB, BOX (BX8071512700KF) I think it still should be a monster and it's cheaper.

If you stick with the AMD RX 6900 XT graphics card, you should know that you can only run Big Sur (11.3+) and Monterey with this card. I assume you want this for your gaming.

What do you mean? I won't be able to update to something higher than Monterey?

Yes I decide to use AMD because I want use this GPU for gaming but also I want it be compatible with macOS.

I would change the 2 x Samsung 970 EVO 500GB NVME drives for a pair of WD SN750 500GB drives, as the Samsung drives have an issue with their Firmware when booting macOS. The Western Digital drives do not have the same issue and can be sourced at a lower price.

Thanks brother. I just removed Samsung from my list. I checked the support doc for that ROG STRIX motherboard and WD SN750 was not on the list so I replaced it with 2x ADATA XPG SX8200 PRO 512 GB M.2 2280 PCI-E x4 Gen3 NVMe (ASX8200PNP-512GT-C).

As for RAM: Kingston Fury Beast, DDR5, 32 GB, 5200MHz, CL40 (KF552C40BBK2-32)

However you're over budget because you need good quality power supply and cooler, plus the case. These are at your taste and discretion (no driver = no incompatibility), but will cost over 155 zlotys…
So either expand your budget or scale down some components (RX 6800 XT rather than 6900 XT; non-K CPU if no overclocking and/or i7 or i5 rather than i9).

For case I decided to use this one: Nzxt H510 Flow (CA-H52FW-01)

Power supply: EVGA Supernova 850GQ 850W (210-GQ-0850-V2). Not sure if 850W will be enough though.

And now it's 13 972 PLN but I don't have any cooler . Any suggestion?

Also I wonder about Wifi/BT with that motherboard.

 

[Edhawk]

There are a few Guides/Golden Builds for Z690 series systems.

CaseySJ's would be ones to read if you are serious about building this type of system.

Gigabyte Z690 Aero G + i5-12600K + AMD RX 6800 XT

CaseySJ's Intel Alder Lake i5-12600K: Gigabyte Z690 Aero G + Intel i5-12600K + AMD RX 6800 XT Please do not quote this guide in its entirety. Post a link instead. 10 Dec 2021: All P-cores, E-cores, and Hyper Threads now working!! This guide is made possible by the wonderful teamwork on...

www.tonymacx86.com

Asus Z690 ProArt Creator WiFi (Thunderbolt 4) + i7-12700K + AMD RX 6800 XT

CaseySJ's Intel Alder Lake i7-12700K: Asus Z690 ProArt Creator WiFi + Intel i7-12700K + AMD RX 6800 XT Please do not quote this guide in its entirety. Post a link instead. This build guide applies to Asus Z790 ProArt Creator as well, but BIOS parameters may need to be adjusted All P-cores...

www.tonymacx86.com

 

[etorix]

But even if I'll decided to stick with that i9-12900K, macOS should work just fine? Any downside to using this processor? I guess it won't be recognised as i9-12900K but the performance should be great anyway.

MacOS does not know about P and E cores, so performance is Win10-like, not Win11-like. But it works.

What do you mean? I won't be able to update to something higher than Monterey?

You won't be able to run an OS earlier than 11.3. Beyond Monterey depends on what Apple will do.
Probably the hack will run with future versions until Apple drops support for x86.

Thanks brother. I just removed Samsung from my list. I checked the support doc for that ROG STRIX motherboard and WD SN750 was not on the list so I replaced it with 2x ADATA XPG SX8200 PRO 512 GB M.2 2280 PCI-E x4 Gen3 NVMe (ASX8200PNP-512GT-C).

Not sure about this one. To be on the safe side you should really consider a recommended drive for macOS.
Monterey brought some nasty issue with TRIM on NVMe SSDs (all SATA SSDs are fine).

And now it's 13 972 PLN but I don't have any cooler . Any suggestion?

Whatever is powerful enough for the CPU and fits in the case…
I'd go for Noctua NH-U14S or NH-D15S but it's your choice.

Also I wonder about Wifi/BT with that motherboard.

You'll need a supported adapter such as Fenvi T919.

Building a CustoMac Hackintosh: The Ultimate Buyer's Guide

www.tonymacx86.com

 

[empirewar]

Thank you guys.

Not sure about this one. To be on the safe side you should really consider a recommended drive for macOS.
Monterey brought some nasty issue with TRIM on NVMe SSDs (all SATA SSDs are fine).

If I'll choose WD Black SN850 1 TB M.2 2280 PCI-E x4 Gen4 NVMe (WDS100T1X0E) it shouldn't be a problem to split it into two partitions - one for macOS, second for win11? By default I wanted to have two separate ssd's but buying 1 TB instead of two 500 is cheaper.

 

[etorix]

One disk for each OS is easier to manage, but having both on the same drive can work.

Dualbooting on the same disk | OpenCore Multiboot

 

[tedyun]

Thank you guys.

If I'll choose WD Black SN850 1 TB M.2 2280 PCI-E x4 Gen4 NVMe (WDS100T1X0E) it shouldn't be a problem to split it into two partitions - one for macOS, second for win11? By default I wanted to have two separate ssd's but buying 1 TB instead of two 500 is cheaper.

@empirewar -- I have each OS on its own SSD. In Windows 10 and previous, Windows would insert its own files on the EFI partition where OpenCore exists, and neither co-existed peacefully. I seem to remember there were some workarounds, but the cleaner method was just to have 2 NVMe's.

I also seem to recall that Win11 plays nicer with the EFI, but don't quote me on that. By the time Win 11 came out, I already had 2 NVMe's set up and it is working for me. At boot time, I just choose "Select Boot Drive" then select either the Mac or Win drive.

You can set it up to do this at the OpenCore Bootloader

[HOW TO] Custom entry in OpenCore to boot Windows

These instructions are already posted on various Internet sites but from time to time they are requested by a user so I publish them in the guides). To add an entry in Misc> Entries of config.plist you need to know the path to the operating system boot loader. For a Windows disk, you must know...

www.tonymacx86.com

But the way I have mine setup is to bypass the Bootpicker and by default go to MacOS.

Good luck!