Need help to pick new hardware - questions inside :)

[OSXLion]

Hey everyone

 

I am up to get a new PC. The reason is easy - I am a Mac user, but Apple does not provide me with the kind of computer I need. Therefore, I want to buy a PC with the hardware I need (which is in particular a decent grafikcard) and run Mac OSX x86 on it. Thanks to all you guys who actually make that possible!

 

Since I will get everything from the scratch I want to buy only hardware components that allow me to run OS 10.4.10. If possible w/o to much hazzle. I already checked the wiki and read here in the forum but I need some more help. Can you guys please help me to pick the right hardware? And I have a lot of questions...

 

I want to build up a computer that can run todays games in a decent speed at 1600x1050 resolution. AMD or intel is just a matter of price, not of taste. OSX should be my main operating system and Win XP or Vista should be installed only for games. So I want a mid range dual core CPU, a fast grafik card and 2 gigs of memory.

 

Questions:

 

CPU:

- I use virtualization a lot (parallels or VM) to run winXP on OSX. Does it matter whether I go for AMD or intel? I.e. does Mac OSX support vanderpool (intel) AND "Pacifica" (AMD) or only the intel solution? Can I use virtualization with any CPU supporting it? Problem is that I would have to go for an E6XX0 in order to have virtualization on intel while I could get a lot cheaper system with an overclocked AMD X2 4000+, includung the option to upgrade to the new AMD CPUs as soon as they hit the market. I would prefere the later solution.

- What about energy saving? Does OSX support speedstep (intel) and Cool and Quite (AMD)? Will my system clock down and save energy with any dual cora CPU?

- Are there any other things I have to take care of when I choose the right CPU for OSX or are AMD and intel dual core CPUs likewise supported? Would you rather recomend an intel system for OSX or can I also go for AMD?

 

Mainboard:

I want a microATX board w/ firewire. Everything but video should work under OSX since I would like to use onboard sound / firewire / LAN / SATA but not onboard GPU

- For intel I would like to pick a G33 Board, in particular this one:

Gigabyte GA-G33M-DS2R, G33 (dual PC2-6400U DDR2)

Specs: G33/ICH9R • µATX • VGA/USB 2.0/FireWire/Gb LAN/6x SATA II RAID/7.1 Audio (ALC889A) • 1x PCIe x16, 1x PCIe x4, 2x PCI • unterstützt Intel Core 2 Duo/Extreme/Quad 45nm • unterstützt FSB 333MHz (1333MHz)

Is everything supported or can I get everything to work? Or would you recomend another board? Can I get SATA to work (I'd like to use a external eSATA drive and need hot plug).

 

- for AMD I would pick a G690 board (or a 780 if they come to the market soon enough). In particular this one:

Gigabyte GA-MA69GM-S2H, 690G (dual PC2-6400U DDR2)

Specs: AMD 690G/ SB600 • µATX • VGA/DVI/HDMI/USB 2.0/FireWire/Gb LAN/SATA II RAID/7.1 Audio (ALC889A) • 1x PCIe x16, 1x PCIe x4, 2x PCI

Is everything supported or can I get everything to work? Or would you recomend another board?

 

Grafikcard:

I wont need full 3D power in Mac OSX. However, I need full support of Core Image. I want to use software like Apperture that make heavy use of the GPU in order to render pictures in real time. And I like to have a quiet system, so the fan should turn down in 2D mode.

- Am I right that I need a hacked BIOS for every nvidia card while ATI cards work out of the box (if supported)? And am I right that all new nvidia cards (8x00) and the new ATI cards (HD 2x00) are not yet supported? So the fastest I can go would be a Radeon 1950XTX. Is this correct?

In that case I would try to get a 1950 XT or XTX. Will this be fully supported in OSX and allow me to make full use of programs like Apperture? What grafikcard would you recomend instead?

 

Other hardware:

- Bluetooth: I want full working BT 2.0 in order to use iSync with my cell phone and in order to use my BT mouse and keyboard (Mightymouse and Apple BT keyboard). Is this possible? What is a good sollution? A PCI card? It should be a solution that uses the OSX integratet BT system (which is sooo great).

- Apple remote: Is it somehow possible to male use of the apple remote? What kind of hardware would I need? Can I use frontrow?

 

Any more things I should take care of in order to get a good working OSX system?

 

Thank you all in advance! This is a great project, keep up the good work.

 

Best

Lion

[OSXLion]

Hey everyone!

 

I understand that my posting is way to long - sorry for that.

 

However, I would also be greatful for a partial answer... anyone?

 

Best

Lion

[karmatose]

Go Intel. Save yourself some headaches.

 

I dont know anything about the mobo you want off the top of my head. Your going to want to look up individual devices on the mobo and search the forum for them to see if anyone else has got them working.

 

As for gfx card, I use a GeForce 7600GT. It works fantastic. Aparently the HD 2400 works now as well, however ive not tested it myself so your on your own there. The rest of the info you have is correct on video though.

 

For Bluetooth, Im using an MSI StarKey. It works well.

 

On the remote topic, I use a WiiMote with DarwiinRemote. Remote Buddy looks way cooler though.

 

 

... Theres your partial answer.

[OSXLion]

Hey karmatose, everyone:

 

Thanks for the answer! Helped a lot so far.

 

Could you give me some hints what the problem with AMD CPUs might be? Where can I find information about that? In the osx x86 wiki I could only find reports from people that had no problems running osx on an AMD prozessor. But I don't know whether they actually make use of the virtualization technology. Need that one! Or is the problematik side more on the platform (i.e. the mainboard with AMD chipset).

 

About the gfx card - did you have to flash your 7600 or did it work right out of the box? however, since I'd like some more horsepower I'll go for the 1950XT.

 

About the mainboard - if I go for intel it would be a G33/ICH9R chipset and a ALC889A soundchip. Don't know about the LAN chip, but this might be included in the southbridge. Anyone info about that?

 

Thanke and regards

Lion

[Dr. Hurt]

Hey karmatose, everyone:

 

Thanks for the answer! Helped a lot so far.

 

Could you give me some hints what the problem with AMD CPUs might be? Where can I find information about that? In the osx x86 wiki I could only find reports from people that had no problems running osx on an AMD prozessor. But I don't know whether they actually make use of the virtualization technology. Need that one! Or is the problematik side more on the platform (i.e. the mainboard with AMD chipset).

 

About the gfx card - did you have to flash your 7600 or did it work right out of the box? however, since I'd like some more horsepower I'll go for the 1950XT.

 

About the mainboard - if I go for intel it would be a G33/ICH9R chipset and a ALC889A soundchip. Don't know about the LAN chip, but this might be included in the southbridge. Anyone info about that?

 

Thanke and regards

Lion

 

The problem is since Macs use only Intel processors, the AMD processor id is not included in OS X so you will have to patch every os x binary with the cpuid but after that all will work fine. Also, whenever system updates are available you will have to wait until someone patches it with AMD cpuids, while on intel you can install most updates with little to no patching. Also most motherboards which use AMD cpus have chipsets that are not well supported by OS X like nfore.

 

As for the graphics cards, no graphics card will work out of the box except for the GMA 950. All NVidia and ATI cards needs an enabler called natit (kind of like a driver). However no flashing is needed for any card, NVidia or ATI, unless they have a VRam greater than 256. I prefer that you get an NVidia because they seem to have better support than ATI. Also the ALC889 doesn't work very well with OS X until now.

[OSXLion]

Hi Ahmad Moawya, all:

 

thanks for the illustrative respond! An intel CPU it will be then. Prob I'll pick the E6550 or E6750.

 

With "out of the box" I just ment that there is no need for a flash or anything like that. I understood from the wiki that all nvidia cards would have to be flashed. Even better, if that is not the case.

 

I still would like to get a 1950 XT or maybe pro since these cards seem to be quite powerfull and have a decent pricetag. However, 512MB is a must in my eys. You just mentioned that flashing is obsolet given the card has only 256Mb or less. What about a 512MB card? Would it be a lot of work the get a 512MB card running? What would I have to do, i.e. to get a 1950XT with 512MB to work with CI/QE?

 

Thanks!

Lion

[starkruzr]

Hi,

 

Can we all agree that this is a good list of hardware to buy right now in order to get yourself a fairly easy-to-install Hackintosh?

 

More to the point, is there a list of the latest "best hardware packages" to get in order to have a smoothly-running system?

 

Thanks.

[zippod]

bump

 

[OSXLion]

Hi,

 

I would still like to know about this 512MB issue. How can I get a 512MB card to work? Is there a difference b/w ATI or NVIDIA 512MB Cards?

 

 

AMD/ATI just presented a new card - the 2900pro with 512MB. this seems to be the card I was waiting for and I would love to buy it.

 

But the 2900XT is not supported, am I right? How does this whole thing work? Is it likely that there will be support in a near future or would I have to wait until there is an officiall "Mac" Version of this paritcular gfx card? Will the open source driver for Linux eventually help to develop ATI drivers for OSX?

What would I get with an unsopported cad? Nol QE/CI/OpenGL and no resolution switching?

 

 

What if I would just get a second "smal" card (i.e. a 128MB 7200) or use the onboard solution just for work with OSX and use the "fast" one only for wndows gaming?

 

And about the onboard soundchip - what do you mean with "not ver well supported"? I would just need stereo sound, that would be fine. Is that possible?

 

Thanks an best

Lion