How smoov are the Custo-Macs?

[sporkman]

Like, reaaall smoov?

Basically, looking at the current CustoMac page and considering either the Mini or the Budget ATX as the base (board, CPU). I'm looking to not spend on a graphics card unless I later find it necessary, so working onboard graphics are a must.

I know with some other builds within the forums, there can be many caveats. Are the CustoMacs generally caveat-free? I know it's a broad question, but I'd like to set my own expectations before plunking down to upgrade my current machine.

 

[Going Bald]

Take a look at the User Builds / Golden Builds forums - most posters will list any problems/fixes found in their build write-up.

 

[sporkman]

I've seen that forum, but I was hoping the "official" builds were the "Golden Builds". Are these actually tested combinations of hardware or more a speculative endeavor?

 

[Going Bald]

I've seen that forum, but I was hoping the "official" builds were the "Golden Builds". Are these actually tested combinations of hardware or more a speculative endeavor?

The posts in the Builds section are all actual builds. The OP has purchased and assembled the parts and installed OS X on the completed build. Many of them do a write-up explaining problems they ran into and what they did to overcome the problem.
Especially well documented builds are voted by the mods and admins to be "Golden".

 

[sporkman]

I hate to be a pest, but let me re-state this to be sure.

The builds described in the CustoMac Buyer's Guide (https://www.tonymacx86.com/buyersguide/september/2016) are put together based on what? Just knowing what chipsets and peripherals are involved? But they are not necessarily tested? Meaning, I could buy all the parts listed there and not have a "turn key" system?

I just searched for each mainboard listed as part of a CustoMac in the Golden Builds forum and came up empty. So is the bottom line advice here to ignore the CustoMac guide and pick through the Golden Builds thread if I want the least hassle?

 

[P1LGRIM]

I could buy all the parts listed there and not have a "turn key" system?

None of the builds on this site are turn key systems, they all require some effort on your part.
A look at the build guides will give you an idea of just how much effort is involved.
The bottom line is that if you want it to work OOB you must buy a Mac.

 

[trs96]

Like, reaaall smoov?

Basically, looking at the current CustoMac page and considering either the Mini or the Budget ATX as the base (board, CPU). I'm looking to not spend on a graphics card unless I later find it necessary, so working onboard graphics are a must.

I know with some other builds within the forums, there can be many caveats. Are the CustoMacs generally caveat-free? I know it's a broad question, but I'd like to set my own expectations before plunking down to upgrade my current machine.

You really have to be ready to learn new things and make a dedicated effort. If you do a good amount of research and make good choices of components it should not present any major problems. If you expect it to be a cakewalk with little effort involved, just buy a Mac and have instant effortless success, even though it costs significantly more than a successful CustoMac build.

 

[sporkman]

None of the builds on this site are turn key systems, they all require some effort on your part.
A look at the build guides will give you an idea of just how much effort is involved.
The bottom line is that if you want it to work OOB you must buy a Mac.

Oh, I understand that. I currently run two hackintoshes and two prior to that. I'm a unix sysadmin and developer by trade. I am however, adverse to wasting time when it's not necessary.

My question is simply where do the CustoMac recommendations come from? For example, if there's some board with onboard ethernet or audio or similar that doesn't work, is that considered for the list, or is the list speculative (ie: the board has this that and the other chipset, so it should be compatible)?

Also, on sorting the Golden Builds forum by first post date, it seems like the list is all dated configurations that in many cases are no longer available.

I'm really not trying to argue here, I just am very unclear on what the origin of the CustoMac list is.