Stork's Thunderball III Build: Gigabyte Z690 Aero G (Thunderbolt 3/4) - i5-12600K - Gigabyte RX 6600 XT

[Stork]

Stork's Thunderball III Build:
Gigabyte Z690 Aero G Thunderbolt 3/4 - i5-12600K - Gigabyte RX 6600 XT

Contents

Components​

Comments​

The Build​

The Installation​

Making the OpenCore USB Thumb Drive​

BIOS Setup​

Installation Notes​

Summary​

What Works​

What Doesn't Work​

Benchmarks​

Updates​

Components:

Gigabyte Z690 Aero G DDR4 Motherboard
https://www.newegg.com/gigabyte-aorus-z690-aero-g-ddr4/p/N82E16813145346
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09L9DY4L1

Intel i5-12600K 10-Core (6 P-cores + 4 E-cores) 16-Thread Processor
https://www.newegg.com/intel-core-i5-12600k-core-i5-12th-gen/p/N82E16819118347
https://www.amazon.com/Intel-i5-12600K-Desktop-Processor-Unlocked/dp/B09FX4D72T

Cooler Master Hyper 212 Black Edition CPU Air Cooler (RR-212S-20PK-R2)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H25DYM3
https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16835103278

G.SKILL Trident Z RGB 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR4 SDRAM DDR4 3600 (F4-3600C18D-16GTZRX) Memory
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D97JWDR
https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16820232728?Item=N82E16820232728

Sabrent Rocket 1TB NVMe M.2 SB-ROCKET-1TB SSD
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LGF54XR
https://www.newegg.com/sabrent-rocket-nvme-1tb/p/0D9-001Y-00012

Gigabyte RX 6600 XT Eagle 8GB Graphics Card
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09J2NCD2L
https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16814932475

Corsair RMX Series, RM750x, 750 Watt, 80+ Gold Certified, Fully Modular Power Supply
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079HGN5QS/
https://www.newegg.com/p/N82E16817139233

Fenvi FV-T919 WiFi/Bluetooth 4 PCIe Card - Handoff and Continuity
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=0XM-00JK-00033
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VCCZS54/

Gigabyte Titan Ridge thunderbolt 3 PCI-e card flashed for use with Macs
https://www.ebay.com/itm/275026975173?hash=item4008e299c5:g:XF4AAOSwP~phkHDY

Already Owned

LG 32UN550-W 32" monitor
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08MV7B7WF
https://www.newegg.com/p/0JC-000D-00BN3

Lian Li PC-A05NB Mid Tower Case - Discontinued as is the PC-A05FNB.

SYBA Low Profile PCI-Express 1394B/A Firewire Card Model SD-PEX30009
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002S53IG8/?tag=tonymacx86com-20
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815124072

LG CD/DVD Burner Model GH22NS70 Amazon || Newegg

Logitech Wireless Solar Keyboard K750 for Mac - works boot up & in the BIOS
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005L38VRU/
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16823126277

Apple Magic Bluetooth Mouse (1st edition)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002TLTGM6/
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16826101010


Comments:

The Build
I've held off writing this build guide because...Well, it's almost a direct copy of @CaseySJ's Golden Build > Gigabyte Z690 Aero G + i5-12600K + AMD RX 6800 XT. I have to admit, I got lazy about being the first on a new build, and I decided to follow CaseySJ's lead. I'm glad I did because his approach to this build just works, even the Thunderbolt peripherals with hot plug.

So sit back and enjoy a build that just works.


The Installation

BIOS Setup
Update the BIOS to the latest version which is F8 as of August 12, 2022. (At this time, the newer versions, F20 and F21, do not work with macOS at this time. See @CaseySJ's thread for the latest information. ) Follow the USB BIOS Flashback method on page 35 of the Aero G's User's Guide (the latest version of the manual is is v1101, December 15, 2021). I will list the critical BIOS changes, some of which are Default, in case of a BIOS update that might change from this BIOS version settings. The BIOS users manual, which is no longer included in the motherboard's user manual, is located here.

First > Exit Menu
Load Optimized Defaults

Tweeker
Extreme Memory Profile(X.M.P) → Profile1
Advanced CPU Settings (I chose to have all the P & E cores enabled) > Hyper Threading Technology > Enabled
Advanced CPU Settings > All P-Cores and E-Cores > Enabled

Advanced Items
Settings > Platform Power > ErP > Enabled
Settings > IOPorts > Internal Graphics > Enabled (only for CPUs that support iGPU
Settings > IOPorts > Above 4G Decoding > Enabled
Settings > IOPorts > Re-Size BAR Support > Enabled (Not in the BIOS user manual)
Settings > IOPorts > Super IO Configuration > Serial Port > Disabled
Settings > IOPorts > Miscellaneous > VT-d > Enabled

Exit > Save Changes

Once the BIOS has been updated, boot into the BIOS and make the following changes per the OpenCore Guide (Note: I listed all the BIOS changes per the OC Guide which is for all motherboards/systems; you needn't worry about the ones labeled Default in the BIOS.)

Making the OpenCore USB Thumb Drive
I used the OpenCore (OC) guide to create USB Installation drive. So, just hunker down for several hours and follow the (very good) OC guide by Dortania: https://dortania.github.io/OpenCore-Install-Guide/. I then checked my EFI setup against @CaseySJ latest EFI configuration, and pressed onto setting up my BIOS.

Now, we have to modify your USB Installation disk EFI partition. I use MountEFI, located in the Dortania guide and OpenCore Configurator is best config.plist editor for OpenCore.

Spoiler: Setting OC config.plist

Thank you to @Casesj as he inspired me to document the OC settings in this manner.

Installation Notes

Note: I will not post my EFI folder as it's too easy to create. You just need to take the time with the above guide. It's the old proverb, give a man a fish to eat...or teach him to fish.

Now boot the USB Installer drive. Choose the installer drive at the OC boot screen, and complete the installation. If you haven't formatted your disk to install macOS onto, then the installer will let you do that after you pick your language.

After the Installation, still booting with the USB installer, at the OC Boot screen, choose the installation disk. At the Desktop,

Mount the USB Installer's EFI partition;​

Copy the EFI folder to the Desktop;​

Unmount USB Installer's EFI partition (highlight the USB Installer's EFI partition > right click> Eject);​

Mount the macOS drive's EFI partition;​

Move any EFI folder in the macOS drive's EFI partition; and​

Copy the EFI folder on the Desktop to the macOS drive's EFI partition.​

Here's some post install changes for the config.plist that are different from the OC Guide:
UEFI > Audio > MinimumVolume=40 & VolumeAmplifier=120 < This will keep you from going deaf at boot chime. Note: do not have a headset on during the boot process!

​

Now reboot into the BIOS > Boot Menu > Boot Option 1 > your macOS drive. Save the BIOS update and select your macOS installation drive at the OC Boot menu.

Done!

I've attached the Thunderbolt 3 SSDT below. A special thank you to @CaseySJ for helping me with the TB3 SSDT for this build.


Summary

This build is the best and easiest build to set up and use.



What Works
Just about everything I've tried.
Thunderbolt 3 works with my Other World Computing TB3 dock and TB3 external NVMe drive. Hot plugging works, too!

What Doesn't Work
Nothing that I'm aware of.

Benchmarks
One of these days.

Updates

December 03, 2022. At this time, the newer versions, F20 and F21, do not work with macOS at this time. See @CaseySJ's thread for the latest information.
December 18, 2021. Original draft.

 

[Going Bald]

Is that the least expensive GPU you could find? It costs more than the rest of the components together!

I like the look of the case. Get a double 2.5" hotswap bay for the 3.5" bay, a 3.5" one for one of the larger bays and a good DVD-RW Blu-ray for the other and you have a well equipped case. Like these:

Amazon.com

Amazon.com

and

Amazon.com

 

[Stork]

@Going Bald,

Have you tried the Pioneer Electronics BDR-212UBK 16x Internal BD/DVD/CD Writer Supports 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray Playback & M-Disc Format which you referenced? I ask because the Amazon description only mentions Windoze. If so, that drive would be a very nice replacement for my older CD drive.

 

[Going Bald]

I have not tried it, but I do not see any reason why it would not be OK for pre-Catalina. The external version BDR-X12UBK is a USB-C connected drive that is cross platform compatible according to Pioneer. For any version Mac OS after Mojave you may have problems with the drive firmware updater app and some of the other apps that come with the drive unless Pioneer has come up with fixes for the problems with Catalina and the way Apple changed how some of the systems work. Granted, the drives listed here are all external, but the internal versions would have the same problem I would think.
The BDR-206 drive is definitely Mac compatible but you might have to download the latest drivers. Same problems may occur post Mojave and Pioneer may have no plans to fix the apps because the drive is superseded by later versions.

 

[Stork]

OK. Thanks for the explanation. BTW, I have a LG UH12NS30 drive currently which works on testing with my Blu-rays and CDs.

https://www.amazon.com/LG-Internal-UH12NS30-Blu-ray-Optical/dp/B00DVTBM2W

Oldie but goody. However, I think I'll update to HD Blu-ray burner soon.

 

[Stork]

Three reboots and ~30 minutes later...

 

[Going Bald]

OK. Thanks for the explanation. BTW, I have a LG UH12NS30 drive currently which works on testing with my Blu-rays and CDs.

https://www.amazon.com/LG-Internal-UH12NS30-Blu-ray-Optical/dp/B00DVTBM2W

Oldie but goody. However, I think I'll update to HD Blu-ray burner soon.

What did you wind up getting (or have you got one yet)?

 

[Stork]

What did you wind up getting (or have you got one yet)?

Not yet. I don't know if I need a HD Blu-ray burner, yet. I'll add to my list of things to do to check if I have any Blu-ray DVDs that I was to digitize. Thanks for reminding me.

 

[Going Bald]

Not yet. I don't know if I need a HD Blu-ray burner, yet. I'll add to my list of things to do to check if I have any Blu-ray DVDs that I was to digitize. Thanks for reminding me.

That is not the only use for one. Blu-ray Discs hold more data than regular DVD's and can be used for backup of extremely large files on one disc.

 

[Stork]

Monterey Update to version 12.4 was surprising easy. Go for it.