Mac Pro V.S Hack Pro

[rabidz7]

Would you recommend me to build a Hackintosh with the below specs, or wait until the WWDC and get the 2013 Mac Pro. I am very experienced with building linux rigs.

GUIDE:
http://www.tonymacx86.com/user-buil...e-core-i7-3930k-radeon-hd-7970-ghz-3gb-3.html

CPU: i7-3820 Socket LGA-2011 230$ OR 3930K for 500$
http://www.microcenter.com/product/383144/Core_i7_3820_36GHz_LGA_2011_Boxed_Processor

GPU: Use 7970 from amd pc in hackintosh. use old 7850 in amd pc

Motherboard: Rampage IV Extreme 430$
http://www.microcenter.com/product/...2011_X79_Intel_Extended_ATX_Intel_Motherboard

RAM: 1x8 Crucial Balistix 1866 Mhz CL9 80$
Or bAlistix sport 1600 cl9 2x8gb
http://www.microcenter.com/product/...el_Desktop_Memory_Kit_(Two_8GB_Memory_Modules)
Or Trientx 1 or 2 kits CL15 2800MHz
http://www.microcenter.com/product/...R3-1866_(PC3-14900)_CL9_Desktop_Memory_Module

PSU:1000 watt Kingwin 110$
http://www.microcenter.com/product/380840/KX_Series_1000_Watt_ATX_Modular_Power_Supply

Or use old 120GB SSD.
HDD: Seagate Barracuda: 1TB 70$
http://www.microcenter.com/product/...Internal_Hard_Drive_ST31000524AS_-_Bare_Drive

SSD: OCZ vector 128GB 140$ (optional)
http://www.microcenter.com/product/...ive_(SSD)_with_Indilinx_Barefoot_3_Controller
Or use old 120GB SSD.

Cooler: NZXT kraken X60 150$ Watercooler!
http://www.microcenter.com/product/406967/Kraken_X60_Ultra_Performance_Liquid_CPU_Cooler

Case: NZXT Phantom 820 260$ Get the white version!
http://www.microcenter.com/product/403375/Phantom_820_Full_Tower_ATX_Computer_Case_-_Gunmetal_Black

Total 1200$

 

[simsaladimbamba]

It depends on what you need it for.

 

[rabidz7]

It depends on what you need it for.

I will use it mainly for gaming.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

I will use it mainly for gaming.

Then build the Hackintosh, cheaper and your have a lot of GPU options already available.
Building the Hack yourself is easy, installing Mac OS X too, do not forget the GraphicsEnabler=No option though, it cost me a day or two to figure that one out with my i7 3770K and GTX670 Hackintosh.

Btw, as games are still not taking that much advantage of so many cores, maybe leave it at a four core CPU like the 3770 or 3770K and get more RAM. I built my Hack for around 1,300 USD and used the following components:

• Gigabyte UD-3H motherboard (UD5H and UP5-TH were unavailable, but are highly recommended and I will probably upgrade to one in the next months or so)
• i7-3770K CPU
• Asus GTX670 GPU (due to silent fans)
• beQuiet Dark Rock 2 fan (quite silent)
• Samsung 840 256GB SSD
• Corsair TX650 PSU (silent and no issues yet, but may get a P10 from beQuiet at a later time)
• Fractal R4 case (due to having space for eight to ten HDDs)
• and some other parts I forgot
• ah, 32 GB Corsair Vengeance RAM

 

[martinm0]

I will use it mainly for gaming.

Is the intention to game in OSX or Windows? I recently built a Hac Pro (Ivy Bridge 3.5 i7, 16GB RAM, HD7950) and it definitely has quirks. My intention was to game in OSX on this, but I'm dual booting Win7 and find gaming is just better under windows.

If you're looking for solely gaming, I'd recommend the Hackintosh since the Mac Pro will be way over priced for just Boot Camp gaming in my opinion. If not, its still a toss up. You'll need to be prepared to manage the Hackintosh updates and all that jazz; it's not all that hard, but its annoying at times.

All in all, nothing beats a real mac. But, I'm pretty pleased with my setup for the cost (about $1k for CPU, mobo, RAM and GPU; reused old case, PSU and optical drive).

 

[juanml82]

I will use it mainly for gaming.

Then why do you want a hackintosh? Windows has a much bigger gaming library

 

[tamvly]

Then use Bootcamp.

 

[Wardenski]

I will use it mainly for gaming.

Build an ordinary DIY PC and forget about OSX.

 

[i make movies]

Then why do you want a hackintosh? Windows has a much bigger gaming library

THIS! Came here to say the same thing.

It would be like saying you want a diesel car, but you buy a gasoline car and a diesel engine thinking it's just an easy engine swap, which couldn't be further from the truth.

 

[Tesselator]

Nah, that would suck - just turning him over to the dark side like that. He obviously wants OS X or he wouldn't be here. So of course hackintosh with a dual boot is what's needed. And at first maybe not even the dual boot depending on what games he already owns and what he's planning to get.

 

[GermanyChris]

2011 has no sleep and no speed step..Unless you need the 40 pci lanes that 2011 offer's go with 1155 especially if you're going 3820

 

[CaptainChunk]

2011 has no sleep and no speed step..Unless you need the 40 pci lanes and 2011 offer's go with 1155 especially if you're going 3820

Agreed.

If you're using the machine primarily for gaming, there's very little value in spending extra money on an LGA 2011 platform.

1. Quad-core LGA 1155 Ivy Bridge chips are plenty fast for games.

2. The LGA 2011 platform has ZERO power management on the OS X side because there are no official Macs built around this platform yet, and thus no drivers for it. So, no sleep and no SpeedStep. (i.e. the CPU will be running at full speed ALL the time)

3. Most gamers don't need 40 PCIe lanes and support for over 32GB of RAM. Aside from hex-core CPU support, those are the other advantages of building an X79/2011 machine. In most cases, it's totally overkill for gamers. Stick with Z77 and you'll save a lot of money.


On a side note, I'm not even sure why you want to build a Hackintosh in the first place if you're a gamer - unless you really feel the need to use OS X outside of gaming.