Hackintosh from Start to Finish (Part 2): Picking your Hardware

If you missed the first part in my series, be sure to watch that first. I say this because the decision to build a hackintosh isn't a light one. You want to really make sure that this is a world you want to get yourself in to. You can watch the first part of the series by clicking here. Assuming that you've watched that video, let's move on to picking out the perfect hardware.

Before you start shopping around for hardware, think about the hardware that you really need. For example, if you simply want to browse the web, sync your iPhone, and browse photos in iPhoto, then there's no need to buy a Core i7 system with 12GB of memory. You'd be fine with a Core i3 and 4GB of memory in that scenario. However, if you're a person like me that uses their computer for HD video editing, casual gaming, and multi-tasking, then a core i7 system might be right for you. Bottom line: Don't spend more than you need to! Let's take a closer look at things to look for when buying your hardware.

  Processors

• AMD chips don't work, so don't ask!
• Any Intel core i'X' Chip will work great, including the 6-Core 980x! Sandy Bridge is supported and works great, no word on Ivy Bridge yet.
• Xeon chips work as long as you get the right motherboard
• I personally own and recommend the Core i7 over any other chip (if you need the power)
• Third party cooling; Stock cooling isn't that great.
• Get the right socket, make sure it fits in your case.
• Some older CPU's work, others don't. I don't recommend using an old cpu.
• Core 2 Quad, Core 2 Duo should work, but you'll probably run into problems with the motherboard.
• Not sure about Pentium CPU's, You're on your own for those.

 Motherboards

• Intel motherboards, AMD not supported
• I recommend Gigabyte and ASUS most.
• Check DSDT Database on TonyMac. 
• I recommend getting a motherboard that uses a DSDT edit (A.K.A: in the database)
• i7 cpu? Make sure you get an i7 motherboard! (Look at CPU socket, etc)
• Look at how much memory you want
• Most Sandy Bridge boards have memory in sets of 2.

Graphics Cards

• I recommend AMD/ATI cards
• Lots of NVidia cards work, some take work.
• Dual graphics cards is an iffy area.
• Dual displays work great on most cards! 

Memory 

• Most memory works great, I recommend DDR3, but DDR2 works just fine.
• I personally own and recommend Corsair XMS3 memory.
• Look for memory increments for your motherboard
• Depends on the number of slots your board has

 Power Supply

• Get one compatible with your motherboard.
• Don't just buy a 1 KW PSU!
• Look at the power requirements for your parts, add 50-100W for expansion.

Hard Drive/SSD 

• I recommend getting a SSD, but a HDD will work just fine
• Make sure it's SATA
• Get a SSD big enough for your OS and your apps
• Store other media on other hard drives to save a ton of money.
• Also good for backup purposes.

DVD Drive

• Any SATA optical drive should work without problems
• Some Blu-ray burners/writers work, but not all. Do your research!

Third-Party Hardware

• Includes Wi-Fi cards, FireWire cards, Sound cards, bluetooth adapters, etc
• Ask around before buying if you're not willing to take a chance of it not working.

I hope this list has helped you pick out your hardware. If you follow my advice when picking out hardware then you'll have a very fast and stable machine! If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out my YouTube channel for a variety of other technology based content.

Hackintosh From Start to Finish (Part 1): Is it Right for you?

One of the biggest reasons people buy a Mac is because of their simplicity and stability. On a Mac, you can hit the power button and know that it will boot perfectly. When you build a hackintosh, you're basically throwing a key selling point of Macs out the window. Building a hackintosh from scratch and getting it to run Lion isn't a very easy task. It takes time and a lot of work, unlike a legit Mac. What I'm trying to say is simple. If you want to buy a system, hit the power button and not have to worry about a thing, then don't do this. Save up and buy a real Mac because honestly, they're worth it.

I built my hackintosh for many reasons. First of all, I'm a poor college kid. While a Mac Pro is worth the price tag, I simply can't afford it. Price was a huge factor in the building of my hackintosh. Putting price aside, I'm a 20 year old nerd that's going to college for computers. Bottom line: I like to tinker. I love getting inside of a computer, swapping components, diagnosing problems, etc. If you don't like diagnosing, experimenting, or upgrading your hardware often, then a hackintosh isn't for you. 

When it was time for me to get a new computer, I knew I needed a fast machine. I knew that I wanted to do 1080p HD editing for YouTube, play some games, and even work on my school assignments. Sometimes even all of those at once! In order to have my computer keep up with me, I knew I needed some powerful hardware. I was growing sick of Windows for various reasons and made the decision that I wanted to switch to a full time Mac OS X user. Once I realized that I had a limited budget, a need for power, and the desire to run Mac OS X, a few things happened. First of all, any OEM PC was out of the question. Also, a Mac Pro was no longer a possibility. I was thinking about getting an iMac until I realized that I wouldn't be able to upgrade any of my components, other than the memory. At this point is when I started looking into the Hackintosh world. I researched, picked my hardware, and I can now say that I'm the proud owner of a very powerful and stable hackintosh. As stated, my primary uses are for video editing and school, and it excels at both! Every video I've produced in the last year or so has come through this machine.

 As someone that has gone through the entire process many times and helps others daily, I can definitely say that this isn't a route for everyone looking for a new computer. 

 A Few Things to Ask Yourself Before going further:

• Are you capable of building a PC from scratch? 
• Are you willing to tinker with both hardware and software?
• Are you willing to research all of your parts?

Pros:

• Great performance for a fraction of the cost
• Tons to be learned about OS X and computers in general.
• Works almost too good!
• With the right hardware, the system is very stable
• Hardware can be upgraded as you want it
• Vast choice of hardware

 Cons:

• Not Apple Quality
• Things can go wrong at the worst possible time
• You'll be lost without somewhat decent computer skills/logic
• Updates can be problematic
• No warranty- You're responsible if a component dies

  Once you get your system up and running, it will be stable as long as you don't try experimenting with it. Every machine will have a problem or two from time to time, and a hackintosh is no exception. If you want to build a hackintosh for a specific purpose, such as producing/mastering audio in your studio, a hackintosh can be a very stable and viable solution for you. The only problematic areas are updating to newer versions of OS X. Don't update right away. Wait a few days and research around for people with similar hardware configurations. More often than not, updates only make you re-install a kext or two from MultiBeast. 

Be sure to stay tuned to my YouTube channel for the other videos in this series, as well as a variety of other technology-based content!