Gigabyte B550 Vision D (Thunderbolt 3) + AMD Ryzen 7 3700X + AMD RX 5600 XT

[CaseySJ]

First of all, thank you SO much for such a detailed golden build guide. I read from beginning to end 3x before starting (then I clicked my ruby heels for good luck) - so far everything is running flawlessly. I have done everything except for the TB3 chip flash, which I intend to do tomorrow after my chip clip arrives.
I am currently running After Effects, rendering a heavy project (8k 360 output) and it's handling well. In fact I forgot all about the need for opening Adobe apps using the patches. I haven't added this build to my profile yet, but I'm running an AMD Radeon RX 5700XT GPU, so I might be having better experiences than others due to my beefy GPU. Is it possible the patches are only necessary for lower-powered (less than 2GB VRAM) GPUs?

Glad to hear the build went well. You certainly did your homework! After Effects might be one of the very few Adobe apps that work without patches. The GPU (RX 5700 XT versus RX 580 versus any other AMD GPU) should not make a difference.

 

[m4rk0]

Please can you advise me?

I started to get parts to build a 10900K system but I am tempted by a 5900X based one - maybe getting a cheaper CPU while waiting for the 5900X to be available.

What do you reckon? Would you consider it to be stable? I'd work on videos and the more generic stuff. Got to install a Titan Ridge board tho, as I have a 5k LG which I want to be able to use...

...it seems that most issues have been fixed, but that doesn't guarantee an almost pain free experience as it can be had on a 10900k + Vision motherboard, right? Or can both platforms be updated with the same chances of (un)success?

 

[CaseySJ]

Please can you advise me?

I started to get parts to build a 10900K system but I am tempted by a 5900X based one - maybe getting a cheaper CPU while waiting for the 5900X to be available.

What do you reckon? Would you consider it to be stable? I'd work on videos and the more generic stuff. Got to install a Titan Ridge board tho, as I have a 5k LG which I want to be able to use...

...it seems that most issues have been fixed, but that doesn't guarantee an almost pain free experience as it can be had on a 10900k + Vision motherboard, right? Or can both platforms be updated with the same chances of (un)success?

For professional applications I would still recommend an Intel-based system. But this Ryzen system should be fine for video editing. An AMD Zen 3 processor is currently known to produce audio stuttering, so I would be cautious (newer kernel patches may be necessary). AMD Zen 2 processors are okay.

I personally advise strongly against using any Thunderbolt monitor on a Hackintosh regardless of it being Intel-based or Ryzen-based. There are too many operational problems being reported, so it's best to avoid them.

Bottom Line: The safest option at this time is still an Intel-based system.

 

[hoeveler]

@CaseySJ, I replied on the Z390 thread about my Thunderbolt flash attempt, but you can reply here since it's specifically this board that I have. Thanks!!!

 

[m4rk0]

For professional applications I would still recommend an Intel-based system. But this Ryzen system should be fine for video editing. An AMD Zen 3 processor is currently known to produce audio stuttering, so I would be cautious (newer kernel patches may be necessary). AMD Zen 2 processors are okay.

So, for example, a 3900XT would be a better choice at the moment if willing to stick with an AMD build.
There's something I don't get. In another thread, someone asked for advices on a build and was unsure whether to go for an Intel 10th gen CPU or wait for the next gen. Someone else replied saying that it isn't guaranteed that the next gen will work on Hackintosh, basically it all depends on Apple, if they will be supporting the next gen of Intel CPUs. Simple and clear. So how come we talk about Zen2 compatibility, possibly Zen3 as well, which isn't Intel 'at all' ?

I personally advise strongly against using any Thunderbolt monitor on a Hackintosh regardless of it being Intel-based or Ryzen-based. There are too many operational problems being reported, so it's best to avoid them.

Yes, I crossed your opinion in another thread. Appreciate it. But, as a matter of fact, I own it so I'll try to use it. I could get a second monitor connected via DP if I need it to be working at boot, no?

Bottom Line: The safest option at this time is still an Intel-based system.

Safe and sound. Having said that, doesn't a Zen 2 based build provide the same experience as a Intel 10th gen one? Is it more likely, for example, that during system updates the AMD one gets screwed while the Intel one doesn't? I am trying to understand how safer (and better) is Intel overrall.

Thanks for your time

 

[CaseySJ]

So, for example, a 3900XT would be a better choice at the moment if willing to stick with an AMD build.
There's something I don't get. In another thread, someone asked for advices on a build and was unsure whether to go for an Intel 10th gen CPU or wait for the next gen. Someone else replied saying that it isn't guaranteed that the next gen will work on Hackintosh, basically it all depends on Apple, if they will be supporting the next gen of Intel CPUs. Simple and clear. So how come we talk about Zen2 compatibility, possibly Zen3 as well, which isn't Intel 'at all' ?

We have used "Fake CPU ID" to boot macOS on unsupported Intel CPUs. We can probably do that again with Rocket Lake and its successors. It may not provide optimum support for the new CPU, but the Hackintosh should run just fine.

..
Safe and sound. Having said that, doesn't a Zen 2 based build provide the same experience as a Intel 10th gen one? Is it more likely, for example, that during system updates the AMD one gets screwed while the Intel one doesn't? I am trying to understand how safer (and better) is Intel overrall.

...

We have a fairly large community of audio and video professionals using both the Z390 Designare and Z490 Vision D with various Thunderbolt devices. This constitutes a proven / field-tested endorsement. But we simply don't have that sort of data on this system. So those who are willing to experiment and take their chances are always free to do so -- and in fact their experience can be very valuable. But those asking for a recommendation for professional work will -- at this time -- get the following automatic answer from me: Use an Intel-based Hackintosh.

 

[hoeveler]

Glad to hear the build went well. You certainly did your homework! After Effects might be one of the very few Adobe apps that work without patches. The GPU (RX 5700 XT versus RX 580 versus any other AMD GPU) should not make a difference.

I tried again to see if the TB3 chip was readable by the Raspberry Pi method, and unfortunately it gave me the error that the EPROM chip could not be found and the process just ended right there. Does this mean there's little hope? Is there a chance that the CH341a programmer module can do what this isn't doing right?

 

[CaseySJ]

I tried again to see if the TB3 chip was readable by the Raspberry Pi method, and unfortunately it gave me the error that the EPROM chip could not be found and the process just ended right there. Does this mean there's little hope? Is there a chance that the CH341a programmer module can do what this isn't doing right?

I don't want to sound alarmist, but there is a chance that the flash ROM chip is unreadable. The same error message ("chip is in an unknown state") occurred to me on an Asus ThunderboltEX-3 card. I tried desoldering and replacing the chip, but the replacement did not work. Fortunately the ThunderboltEX-3 card is very cheap on the used market (i.e. eBay) so I simply replaced it.

But before giving up, it is still worthwhile to purchase the Arcelli for less than US$10 and give it one more try. Connect all 8 pins. If the Arcelli cannot read it (via flashrom) or write to it (feel free to attempt another write operation with the original or modified firmware) then we'll have to conclude that the chip is unrecoverable.

 

[hoeveler]

I don't want to sound alarmist, but there is a chance that the flash ROM chip is unreadable. The same error message ("chip is in an unknown state") occurred to me on an Asus ThunderboltEX-3 card. I tried desoldering and replacing the chip, but the replacement did not work. Fortunately the ThunderboltEX-3 card is very cheap on the used market (i.e. eBay) so I simply replaced it.

But before giving up, it is still worthwhile to purchase the Arcelli for less than US$10 and give it one more try. Connect all 8 pins. If the Arcelli cannot read it (via flashrom) or write to it (feel free to attempt another write operation with the original or modified firmware) then we'll have to conclude that the chip is unrecoverable.

Thanks. I was afraid of that. Let this be a warning to anyone else who's following instructions and mini-guides to pay close attention to WHICH forum post you're reading it in. I was following the mini-guide that was linked TO from the B550 thread that I'm now posting to. Unfortunately that supplemental advice was in the Z390 thread not the B550 thread.
If indeed the TB3 chip is bricked, I can only assume that my following of the supplemental advice (to avoid using the Y-split from pin 17) is what bricked it.

 

[CaseySJ]

Thanks. I was afraid of that. Let this be a warning to anyone else who's following instructions and mini-guides to pay close attention to WHICH forum post you're reading it in. I was following the mini-guide that was linked TO from the B550 thread that I'm now posting to. Unfortunately that supplemental advice was in the Z390 thread not the B550 thread.
If indeed the TB3 chip is bricked, I can only assume that my following of the supplemental advice (to avoid using the Y-split from pin 17) is what bricked it.

The supplemental procedure depends on the following:

• If we disconnect the Vcc pin from the SOIC clip, we must still supply power to the chip by turning on the PSU in the computer case.
• If we connect the Vcc pin to the SOIC clip (i.e. supply our own power), we must then turn off the PSU in the computer case.

In both cases the chip receives power on its Vcc pin. If we attempt to flash the chip without connecting any power source, then this can leave the chip in an unknown state.