Hackintosh Build Plan: Would appreciate a quick off-the-top-of-your-head appraisal by you guys

[misformac]

Hi guys. I've been doing a few hours of research on this forum and the internet, and i think i have a reasonable build plan.

 

but i guess it never hurts to ask/reconfirm before i go out and buy the parts, so i would really appreciate any comments or major issues/problems i should be aware of regarding the following plan for a hackintosh (my focus is on achieving an easy and fully working/compatible osX installation as possible):

 

 

Motherboard: GA-EP45-DS3R

CPU: Intel Q6600 OR Intel Q9400

Graphics Card: nVidia GeForce 8800 GT 512mb OR ATI Radeon HD3850 512mb PCI-E

 

my main confusion is with the graphics card choice, because there doesn't seem to be one that general consensus has determined to be the easiest to use.

 

I would really appreciate any guidance!

 

Thanks!

Ronny.

[hackintom]

Gigabyte is a good choice, but I wouldn't buy a P45 mobo.. I'd rather have a GA-EP35-DS4.

Or even better, a GA-EX38-DS4.

If I were you, I would buy a 8800 GTS 512... it's quieter and more powerful, for a few more bucks.

 

Choose the Q6600 !!

[MaaseyRacer]

Why do you not recommend the P45 boards? The price point on them is quite favorable these days. The X series the newest and greatest, but newegg does not even sell the GA-EX38-DS4 anymore (listed as deactivated). Which probably means it is on its ways out. I have had no issues with the GA-EP45-DS3R. I should have another one arrive today that I am going to build for a friend. I have also read good things about the GA-X48-DQ6. However that board is a large price jump over the P45 boards.

Personally I would buy the Q9400. It is a faster processor, and it has a 1333 MHz bus. Then again, I am not an over clocker and most of the guys here are.

[Zaap]

I have an EP35-DS4- it's a great board, but it's also been discontinued.

 

The EP45-DS3R is the board I would get if building a Hackintosh today. It's also compatible with the EFI-X, which is a major plus. (Allows retail DVD install with no hacks, and full System Updates).