Mac Mini Pro - Graphic Design - Help me finalize some parts

[daft_soul]

I am a first time hackintosher. First FULL computer build as well. I've been doing A LOT of research preparing for this build on the software compatibility side since I am a freelance graphic designer. So I've got my main components and need help picking out the small stuff. Lets skip some unneeded information here about the programs I'm using...I'll talk forever about that...

Ok, so I'm lucky and have a local microcenter. This will be a MICROCENTER ONLY BUILD. If I put "???" in this table please suggest me a product for that category from microcenter. http://www.microcenter.com/
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CPU - Intel Core i7 3770k - Plan to OC to 4.2ghz
Motherboard - GA-Z77N-WIFI - Best compatibility, limited OC = no voltage control, correct?
RAM - ??? - I want the full 16GB (see note*)
Case - Black BitFenix Prodigy
PSU - ??? Just something adequate and reliable
Graphics - IntelHD 4000 - Until the Nvidia 700 series are unveiled I'm waiting. Otherwise a 3GB 660 Ti
Storage - ??? - 1 SSD, then adding another SSD later (see note*)
CPU Cooler - Cooler Master TX3 - 92mm coolers are the only thing that will fit my MB from my research
Bluetooth - Integrated on MB - I want to use apple wireless keyboard and mouse.
Ethernet - ??? - I plan to buy a random USB wifi to connect to home wireless.
Optical Drive - ??? (see note*)
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*RAM - Overclocking ram I still have to learn more about. However kingston hyper x red is $85. Corsair vengeance is $110, among other choices. I just want "best bang for the buck". If it doesn't offer significant performance/reliability upgrade I don't care about it.

*SSD - First initial SSD is for OSX boot drive, the entire adobe creative suite apps, and other graphic design apps. So I would think I would be able to get by with a 60-ish GB SSD. Then later purchase 2nd SSD for windows OS, autodesk 3DS Max, Zbrush, etc. Again "best bang for the buck". Samsung? OCZ? To many ssd makers...I'm lost.

*Optical Drive - I still haven't got my head around this. If I buy OSX from the apple store do I still need a optical drive to get the hackintosh up and running initially? If not then I won't buy it right now. If so then I might as well go ahead and buy a internal Blu-Ray drive at this time since some clients like physical media.
______________________________________________

That's it guys. I hope I brought the information together well. Any questions about the build please ask. When I get my money back from uncle sam I want to go into microcenter and walk out with a cart full of stuff ready to go home and build!

 

[callmeshadrach]

I myself don't know much about overclocking RAM just yet - however, this is what I just purchased:

http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Vengeance-1600MHz-Desktop-CMZ16GX3M2A1600C10B/dp/B009M0TCK8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1362971071&sr=8-2&keywords=corsair+vengeance+blue

$95 with prime (and matches my MSI motherboard).

The "best" SSDs on the market currently are well argued to be the Samsung 840 PRO series (emphasis on PRO). However the best 'bang for your buck' has a ton to do with what you can find on sale. I'd recommend the 128GB or larger SSDs for boot drives - simply because you can run out of room a lot faster than you think. Adobe CS likes to cache a ton of data on your boot/app disk especially if you're using Bridge and CameraRAW. It's also nice to have a little bit of working room on your SSD for current projects.

 

[daft_soul]

I got my money today so its going down this weekend.

Suggest some parts people

 

[aaron97]

I am a first time hackintosher. First FULL computer build as well. I've been doing A LOT of research preparing for this build on the software compatibility side since I am a freelance graphic designer. So I've got my main components and need help picking out the small stuff. Lets skip some unneeded information here about the programs I'm using...I'll talk forever about that...

Ok, so I'm lucky and have a local microcenter. This will be a MICROCENTER ONLY BUILD. If I put "???" in this table please suggest me a product for that category from microcenter. http://www.microcenter.com/
________________________________________

CPU - Intel Core i7 3770k - Plan to OC to 4.2ghz
Motherboard - GA-Z77N-WIFI - Best compatibility, limited OC = no voltage control, correct?
RAM - ??? - I want the full 16GB (see note*)
Case - Black BitFenix Prodigy
PSU - ??? Just something adequate and reliable
Graphics - IntelHD 4000 - Until the Nvidia 700 series are unveiled I'm waiting. Otherwise a 3GB 660 Ti
Storage - ??? - 1 SSD, then adding another SSD later (see note*)
CPU Cooler - Cooler Master TX3 - 92mm coolers are the only thing that will fit my MB from my research
Bluetooth - Integrated on MB - I want to use apple wireless keyboard and mouse.
Ethernet - ??? - I plan to buy a random USB wifi to connect to home wireless.
Optical Drive - ??? (see note*)
__________________________

*RAM - Overclocking ram I still have to learn more about. However kingston hyper x red is $85. Corsair vengeance is $110, among other choices. I just want "best bang for the buck". If it doesn't offer significant performance/reliability upgrade I don't care about it.

*SSD - First initial SSD is for OSX boot drive, the entire adobe creative suite apps, and other graphic design apps. So I would think I would be able to get by with a 60-ish GB SSD. Then later purchase 2nd SSD for windows OS, autodesk 3DS Max, Zbrush, etc. Again "best bang for the buck". Samsung? OCZ? To many ssd makers...I'm lost.

*Optical Drive - I still haven't got my head around this. If I buy OSX from the apple store do I still need a optical drive to get the hackintosh up and running initially? If not then I won't buy it right now. If so then I might as well go ahead and buy a internal Blu-Ray drive at this time since some clients like physical media.
______________________________________________

That's it guys. I hope I brought the information together well. Any questions about the build please ask. When I get my money back from uncle sam I want to go into microcenter and walk out with a cart full of stuff ready to go home and build!

I would recommend a corsair 430 or 500 watt psu. The micro center was having a sale on it a week or two ago, may still be on. Get whatever RAM you want thats compatible with your board. While comparing RAM just make sure to compare timing, frequency, and voltage. Also don't bother overclocking your RAM 1600mhz is already crazy fast and you will see tenuous gains going any faster. Plus you technically void your warranty on your cpu, because you have to up the voltage to the memory controller. For the SSD get at least 120GB because it will be much faster, as there is more flash chips in parallel. To answer your last question, no need for an optical drive whatsoever.

Just a note: I'm not sure if the integrated Bluetooth is supported on your board with OSX. you may have to buy a USB adapter.

 

[daft_soul]

UPDATE! Got these items the other day.

I'm at a stand still though until I can meet up with a local friend with OSX. I only have a windows laptop...nothing OSX.

Question: I don't have a large enough flash drive. Once I get to a friend with OSX can I create the unibeast bootable partition on my current windows usb external drive? Its a seagate 250GB. Then bring that back, plug it in and install to my SSD?

Anything I might need to do let me know. I don't want to mess anything up so I haven't done anything except open the prodigy case.

 

[Alienraygun]

Just a note: I'm not sure if the integrated Bluetooth is supported on your board with OSX. you may have to buy a USB adapter.

I can confirm this, I have the same mother board. The mini PCIe card that comes on the board is a wifi/bluetooth combo card and won't work with OSX. If you want Wifi AND a video card you will have to get a wifi card that fits in the same slot (I got http://www.amazon.com/Wireless-AR5BHB92-Dual-band-802-11b-Toshiba/dp/B009HN63QQ/ AR5BHB92 atheros wireless PCIe card ). You will also need to get a bluetooth dongle if you want bluetooth (I got the http://www.amazon.com/IOGEAR-Bluetooth-Micro-Adapter-GBU521/dp/B007GFX0PY/ IOgear GBU521 BT 4.0 dongle). Both work fine for me, though I recently got the Logitech K750 solar keyboard/mouse combo and use their "unifying" dongle instead.

 

[daft_soul]

ThanQs for the help alien.

Now to just find out if I can make this OSX boot drive on my external. I know there is still alot to do but atleast I'll have a functioning system.