motherboard decisions

[horacebork]

hello

[i am noob, but steadily understanding more thx to tmx86'ers]

i've been researching parts for my october/november hackintosh build. one thing that i need some info on is how to decide between mobos. i'm not specifically concerned with money. the right parts are worth the money. but what i'm having trouble with is why one mobo would be preferred over another.

is there a good site/page to describe not just the differences, but the (dis/ad)vantages of different mobos on the recommended build list? or if people can chip in on the good/bad of mobo features, i would be very appreciative.

thanks.

 

[insidiator]

Which motherboard you select depends on how you plan to use your system both now and in the future. My examples are all from the Ivy Bridge era because that is the kind of Hackintosh I built.

For example, if you you need a compact system for a small workspace you will probably want to get a motherboard in one of the smaller form factors (e.g. micro-ATX) to go with a smaller case. Then, if you want lots of bells and whistles you'll probably want to get a motherboard with a Z77 chipset (which tend to be more expensive). After those decisions it comes down to specific features and ease of setup (as I understand it, some motherboards are easier to use than others as the basis for a Hackintosh for various compatibility reasons). For example, if you think you will ever use Thunderbolt, you would probably want to get one of the motherboards that has that interface, even if it isn't fully supported right now (Gigabyte Z77X-UP5-TH; Z77X-up4-TH). If you plan to use the computer in an environment where you will need two gigabit ethernet ports, then you'd probably pick a motherboard with that feature (e.g. Z77X-UD5H). There are also advanced features such as SLI and Crossfire that are useful for those who plan to do heavy graphics work with lots of displays but really probably aren't important for someone who just plans to have one simple display for everyday use.

I guess the most straightforward way to pick your motherboard is to first decide what you plan to do with your Hackintosh (hard core video production, podcast production, basic word processing, large workspace, energy use limitations, etc) determine the hardware features that you need to achieve your plan, and then select a motherboard that represents the best compromise between hardware needs and available budget.

As an aside, if you can wait a couple months to assemble your Hackintosh, try to hold off until the Black Friday sales. You can get some real bargains! Just make sure you make your final purchase through the vendor links on this site so the site gets some money!

 

[horacebork]

thanks insidiator.. my need is to use fcpx to produce videos. working off my machine is so slow right now - imac 2.9ghz, core 2, 8gb, firewire outboard drives. it just bogs down. for me, what i need is a solid video production computer. we won't be winning video awards, so i guess it doesn't need to be a hardcore box. reliability and stability is higher value than cutting edge (thunderbolt).

i'm thinking: i7 3770 (k? maybe), 660ti 2gb gfx, 16+gb ram. i've given up on a small box - just won't work for me. jury's still out on the case.

what would be helpful is some way to decode the features of different mobos. for example, those that you list-- will they work with ivy bridge, osx 10.8.x like the ones listed in the builds section from august?

i also want to balance all of this against my level of experience building hardware (2/10). simplicity has a good deal of value.

thank you so much.