i7 950 DAW Build Advice

[cupachump]

Hi,

I'm a newbie here looking to purchase components for a DAW for SL / Logic 9 as well as Windows 7 operating on a separate HDD. I'm greatly encouraged hearing the stability that other users here have achieved on their Logic setups.

As stability and power are the most important factors for me, the i7 950 is my preferred choice of CPU.

On the PC side of things (as any readers of the 'Sound on Sound' forum might know), Scan (based in the UK) sell systems and 'bare bones bundles' with their BIOS settings specially tweaked for audio (http://www.scan.co.uk/shops/audio/bundles) and their systems come well reviewed (I have no connection with them, BTW).

Because of this, and because I have always found installing CPU coolers a PITA, I am interested in buying their pre built 3XS Core i7 Audio Bundle, which comprises:

Mobo: Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R Intel X58 Express 1366 Motherboard
RAM: Corsair XMS3 Classic 6GB DDR3 PC3-10666 (1333)
CPU: Intel i7 950 Quad Core Processor Overclocked to 3.5GHz
CPU Cooler: Thermalright Venomous X
Case Fan: 120mm Sharkoon Silent Eagle

In addition to this, I am considering purchasing:

Graphics: 512MB Gainward 9500 GT
Optical Drive: Samsung SH S223C
Power Supply: 625W Enermax Modu82+
HDD: 2 x 1TB Western Digital WD1002FAEX Caviar Black, SATA 6Gb/s
Case: Silverstone KL03B Kublai Tower Series

Firstly, anyone suggest any weak points of this system, from a Hackintosh compatibility point of view?

Secondly, would a system without any overclocking / Bios tweaks be a safer option, as I'm not entirely sure what these are? Would these settings be replaced during the Hackintosh install anyway?

Thanks all.

 

[SMHI]

I dont see any problems to get this system working for Mac OS X.

BIOS is a fun place to be. It for dont know what a setting does dont change it. You have to change some settings in there like boot order and other small changes. You overclock in the BIOS (You can do it via software in Windows for "lamers". ha ha ha). BIOS isnt going to bite. If you changed a setting and dont remember what is was, just run the default reset and play around again. You cant fry a harddrive (now days. Buy you could to that in the old times when auto detect of harddrives didnt exist. You had to type in data manually and if you typed one number wrong data on the drive could start to be corrupt.) of anything serious.

BIOS isnt hell because it is more user friendly then Windows.

That system you think of buying is overclocked from the vendor. From 3,06GHz to 3,5GHz.

 

[sportsnapper]

Hi,

you should look at http://www.tonymacx86.com/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=10401 - pretty much the same config. there's also another build thread at http://www.tonymacx86.com/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=11228

Good deals on the component parts at scan today...

 

[cupachump]

Thanks for your replies guys - those similar builds have made me think about adding a SSD to the system for extra va va voom.

On the BIOS / overclocking front, Scan have advised me that they can set the system up with dual BIOS settings, such that i can load in a 'tweaked and overclocked for audio' version for use in Windows 7, and an unmodified version for use with the Mac OS (if the other one gives me any grief). Sounds like a winner to me....