Pre-purchase Hardware advice please

[Beavy]

Hi all,

 

I am looking to build a hackintosh specifically for doing all my uni work on, and possibly dual booting for CAD software in windows. I may also delve into video editing at a later date.

 

I have looked around the forums, at at a few other guides, but all seem to be aimed at getting osx86 running on awkward hardware, on an existing machine. Are there any guides which cover a list of motherboards and their compatability? Do I need to get an intel chipset for best results?

 

Can someone also explain why some SSE3 cpu's work under SSE3, and others default to SSE2?

 

I am not looking for earth shattering performance (I would run osx86 on my current pc, but its an athlon w/SSE1), nor am I going to be gaming. Something relatively trouble free, using an E6300 or D-805 would be ideal. I currenlty have a PPC 1.33Ghz ibook, and it's fine except for making spreadsheets on the small screen, and the inability to run some programs I use.

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

BV,

 

Australia

[Colonel]

I have looked around the forums, at at a few other guides, but all seem to be aimed at getting osx86 running on awkward hardware, on an existing machine. Are there any guides which cover a list of motherboards and their compatability? Do I need to get an intel chipset for best results?

The Wiki has a large list of supported motherboards and other hardware.

 

Intel is the most supported, but AMD will work too.

Can someone also explain why some SSE3 cpu's work under SSE3, and others default to SSE2?

If a CPU has SSE3, it won't default to SSE2. It will take advantage of SSE3 and use it. Other CPU's only use SSE2 because they are lacking SSE3.

 

I am not looking for earth shattering performance (I would run osx86 on my current pc, but its an athlon w/SSE1), nor am I going to be gaming. Something relatively trouble free, using an E6300 or D-805 would be ideal. I currenlty have a PPC 1.33Ghz ibook, and it's fine except for making spreadsheets on the small screen, and the inability to run some programs I use.

You might want to look into either a Mac-Mini or a MacBook, depending on whether you want a desktop or a laptop. I have a MacBook and it works relatively well for typing up documents and using spreadsheets.

[Beavy]

The Wiki has a large list of supported motherboards and other hardware.

 

Intel is the most supported, but AMD will work too.

 

If a CPU has SSE3, it won't default to SSE2. It will take advantage of SSE3 and use it. Other CPU's only use SSE2 because they are lacking SSE3.

You might want to look into either a Mac-Mini or a MacBook, depending on whether you want a desktop or a laptop. I have a MacBook and it works relatively well for typing up documents and using spreadsheets.

 

Thankyou for your prompt reply! I had not thought of getting a mac mini, I will look into it! Are the new ones able to run bootcamp?

 

I also have a TE2100 1.6P4M which I may try and get running instead of buying the new stuff. I will have a look in the wiki.

 

Thanks again.

[Colonel]

All of the current Intel Macs can run Boot Camp.