Building a Mac (Hackintosh) in 2018

[niceties55]

I have mainly used multiple Mac computer for the past 12 years most of my work (video and photos). I love the power new iMac Pro, but it is incredibly expensive so I am looking at building my own. I have successfully built 4 gaming Windows computers in the past 10 years so I know how to do that.

I know that building a Mac is harder to do!

Researching, I see a ton of different tutorials out there, so I was wondering what the best or your favorite ones.

I mainly need it for Raw 1080p or 4K videos. So it has to be powerful, but not too crazy!

Thanks for your help!!

 

[jasnw]

You might start here: https://www.tonymacx86.com/

 

[robo456]

You might start here: https://www.tonymacx86.com/

Exactly what jasnw said... that site has hardware guides as well as tons of people in the forums with user builds, "golden builds", and troubleshooting.

 

[Gwendolini]

I have mainly used multiple Mac computer for the past 12 years most of my work (video and photos). I love the power new iMac Pro, but it is incredibly expensive so I am looking at building my own. I have successfully built 4 gaming Windows computers in the past 10 years so I know how to do that.

I know that building a Mac is harder to do!

Researching, I see a ton of different tutorials out there, so I was wondering what the best or your favorite ones.

I mainly need it for Raw 1080p or 4K videos. So it has to be powerful, but not too crazy!

Thanks for your help!!

I can recommend this X99 build, I have copied it with a 6 core processor, but the original poster is using a 10 core CPU.

I am using my Hackintosh for video editing in FCP X 10.4, but having an Nvidia GPU introduces some bugs when using Sierra, but High Sierra has ironed them out (haven't updated yet, as I am still editing a 26-part video and don't mind the small bugs that much, as I still have a slow MacBook to circumvent then).

 

[pastrychef]

I've been hackintoshing for about 1.5 years. It's not as hard as many people think. At the beginning of the month, I decided to upgrade from an i7-7700K (4 cores) to an i7-8700K (6 cores). All I had to do was swap out the motherboard and CPU. I didn't even have to reinstall macOS. Just made a few changes to the bootloader configuration and I was done. It took a few minutes.

In my signature below, you can find a link to my build description.

 

[sevoneone]

I built my first hack in 2007. A Core 2 Duo based system. Compared to what you had to go through back then, today it is a breeze. The hardest thing used to be just finding information on comparable hardware and getting an install working without a custom/hacked kernel was a dream. Eventually the community grew, sites like TonyMac emerged with tons of knowledge, and more PC and parts makers started using the same components Apple was.

I've built about 6 or 7 hacks for different reasons over the years, but 3 main workstations that lasted as long as any Apple made desktop I have ever had: The C2D machine, an i5 2500k based one and just recent finished an i7 8700k build.

Depending on your needs and budget your best choices are going to be Z370 (Coffee Lake) build with an 8700k, or an X99/X299 build with a higher end CPU. The 8700k will give you the best cost to CPU performace most likely. If you can get a stable 4.8GHz - 5GHz overclock as most are with this chip, you will destroy the iMac Pro in single core performance and be just under the performance of the 10-core model in multicore. However, if you are looking to built a truly highend 4k workstation with multiple GPUs and lots of flash storage, X99/X299 will be better for you for reasons like more PCIe lanes and quad channel memory where as Coffee Lake would leave you bottlenecked.

Choose your GPU based on the applications you plan to use most frequently. For Apple apps like Final Cut or apps that support Metal, you'll want to go AMD. Adobe apps, Blackmagic or games, get Nvidia.

 

[Synchro3]

Here are some builds with Clover EFI already prepared: http://hackintosher.com/builds/

 

[koulmj]

One thing about tonymac86 stuff, dont be afraid to try stuff addon hardware. My mobo’s sound card wouldnt work. So a cheap usb external soun device does just fine. The Wireless Belkin USB can replace onboard lan. Post in the tonymac forums and people will help if you follow the guidlines.

 

[Jack Neill]

I pulled my old Hack a C2D out of the closet and rebuilt it. New PSU,GPU and a SSD and 12.6 is running great. Nice little iTunes and photo machine. Tonymac86 has some great info and kexts to get you going.

 

[Mumford]

I converted an old G5 into a hackintosh last year. It's been serving me very well. Stick to the parts list on tonymacx86, and do a Clover-based install/boot and you'll do fine.

I mainly need it for Raw 1080p or 4K videos.

The general recommendation here is to look at the same Radeons that are being used in the modern Mac Pros, as OS X will support them out of the box. New NVIDIA Pascal based cards work and will give slightly better performance on some applications, but you have to load a separate driver that you will manually need to update each time OS X updates.

 

[StoneJack]

I found Radeon Pro to be much more stable than Nvidia

 

[fridgeymonster3]

I've been hackintoshing for about 1.5 years. It's not as hard as many people think. At the beginning of the month, I decided to upgrade from an i7-7700K (4 cores) to an i7-8700K (6 cores). All I had to do was swap out the motherboard and CPU. I didn't even have to reinstall macOS. Just made a few changes to the bootloader configuration and I was done. It took a few minutes.

In my signature below, you can find a link to my build description.

I was thinking of doing a similar upgrade to my hack (i7-6700k). So you are saying I only have to change the bootloader configuration? Im still rocking Sierra, would I have to update to High Sierra for this to work?

 

[pastrychef]

I was thinking of doing a similar upgrade to my hack (i7-6700k). So you are saying I only have to change the bootloader configuration? Im still rocking Sierra, would I have to update to High Sierra for this to work?

I just answered the same question at tonymac. Lol

"That depends on how you installed your hackintosh files on your current system. If you have all of your hackintosh kexts in your EFI folder, it should work fine.

If you have hackintosh kexts in /L/E/ and/or /S/L/E/, you would need to clean up all that stuff prior to the transplant. Also, if you have done any patches to system files, you will probably want to restore them.

One way to help reduce the chance of any issues would be to run the 10.13.3 combo update on your system prior to the transplant."

 

[Flint Ironstag]

If I were in the market, I'd buy a HP Z series and Hack that. They depreciate quite nicely. Thunderbolt readily available, as well.

 

[DmitriGuk]

Can I install hack? I have these in my pc:
(I3-7100 with Intel Hd Graphics 630
16 gb
Motherboard-Gigabyte Z270-HD3P)

 

[Gwendolini]

Can I install hack? I have these in my pc:
(I3-7100 with Intel Hd Graphics 630
16 gb
Motherboard-Gigabyte Z270-HD3P)

TonyMacX86 is a better source, and according to the Buyer's Guide, your CPU and mainboard are supported. As for the RAM, it may or may not be supported, as 16 GB of RAM can come in a lot of variants from a lot of vendors. Crucial has worked best for me in my three or four Hackintoshes.

Take a look here: https://www.tonymacx86.com/buyersguide/march/2018/

 

[pastrychef]

Best Motherboards For Hackintosh In 2018 review
https://www.amazontedx.com/best-motherboards-for-hackintosh-in-2018-review/

The list seems a little outdated. I don't see any Z370 motherboards listed and I know first hand that they work great.

 

[kirkbross]

The list seems a little outdated. I don't see any Z370 motherboards listed and I know first hand that they work great.

I'd love to see a component list for someone who successfully built a Threadripper 16 core [or] 32 core build.

 

[pastrychef]

I'd love to see a component list for someone who successfully built a Threadripper 16 core [or] 32 core build.

Other than the fact that it's possible, I know nothing about hackintoshing with AMD CPUs. Discussion of the topic is not allowed on tonymacx86.com.

 

[Jack Neill]

Other than the fact that it's possible, I know nothing about hackintoshing with AMD CPUs. Discussion of the topic is not allowed on tonymacx86.com.

There is a site that deals with nothing but AMD hackintoshing, I am sure with a Google search you could find it.

 

[pastrychef]

There is a site that deals with nothing but AMD hackintoshing, I am sure with a Google search you could find it.

Thanks, but I was just replying to kirkbross. Personally, I would only consider it if Apple started using AMD CPUs in real Macs.

 

[Steven 141186]

I can recommend this X99 build, I have copied it with a 6 core processor, but the original poster is using a 10 core CPU.

I am using my Hackintosh for video editing in FCP X 10.4, but having an Nvidia GPU introduces some bugs when using Sierra, but High Sierra has ironed them out (haven't updated yet, as I am still editing a 26-part video and don't mind the small bugs that much, as I still have a slow MacBook to circumvent then).

[doublepost=1542947715][/doublepost]I need to use Logic x pro. ..just like you using fcp...so I've a laptop that has i3 processor...need help

 

[Gwendolini]

[doublepost=1542947715][/doublepost]I need to use Logic x pro. ..just like you using fcp...so I've a laptop that has i3 processor...need help

Have you checked with TonyMacX86 and InsanelyMac and the Hackintosh subreddit? Notebooks can be a fiddly thing due to the non replaceable components you are stuck with and if one component does not work correctly (motherboard or some chipset most likely), you are stuck with Windows or Linux or any other x86 compatible OS.