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Mini vs i5 Hackintosh

MacFanUK

MacFanUK

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 29, 2009
546
0
UK
Sorry if this is the wrong place to post this but didn't really know where to put it.

For some time I've been contemplating the new Mac Mini as I really want to go from the world of hackintosh to a real Mac.

I've currently got the system in my sig (apart from having a 2.5GHz Core 2 Duo now instead of the Q6600) but looking at component prices, I could get the following for £482:
  • Intel Core i5 3.2GHz Processor
  • Gigabyte Motherboard
  • 4GB DDR3 Ram
  • Samsung 1.5TB Hard Drive
  • Pioneer SATA DVD ReWriter
With the above list, I would need to use my current case/psu/graphics card and would still need to find an OSX compatible wifi card.

However, for £550 (including HE Discount), I could get a Mac Mini with the following specs:

  • Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz Processor
  • 2GB DDR3 Ram
  • 320GB Hard Drive
With the Mac Mini, I could then sell the parts from my current PC and claw back maybe £100-£150 of the cost.

The hackintosh I currently have was used for Web Design (new system will need to run Adobe CS5 perfectly), and basically running my business.

Which option would you go for? I've found my current hackintosh to be very stable but I'm not able to use it at present because I haven't found a compatible wifi card/usb adapter.

Any advice would be appreciated.
 
It depends on what you currently use the hackintosh for? Would a Mini be comparable and allow you to achieve the same tasks?
 
A Mini would run CS5, albeit not as fast as a more powerful machine (duh?!?!:D) For that reason I would go for the Hackintosh.

However, on the other hand it would make better business sense to have the greater reliability of an official Apple product.


Helpful aren't I?

Thought about stretching for an iMac?
 
stridemat said:
A Mini would run CS5, albeit not as fast as a more powerful machine (duh?!?!:D) For that reason I would go for the Hackintosh.

However, on the other hand it would make better business sense to have the greater reliability of an official Apple product.


Helpful aren't I?

Thought about stretching for an iMac?
Click to expand...

To be honest, I did consider an iMac but I find the 21.5" screen too small and the 27" too big (fussy I know :))
 
I thought about going for a mini before they were "updated" because I hoped there might be an i5 version.
Now I'm absolutely not willing to pay the ridiculous amount of money for the technology offered – not even for unibody, most of all not for an integrated PSU.

That's why I built the i5 system in my sig. I'm using it as my main system now and am about to sell my Mac Pro. The i5 is rock solid, faster than my Mac Pro, and absolutely reliable; it runs the 64-bit kernel (in contrast to my 2006 Mac Pro) etc.

Long story short: I'd definitely do it again.

As for compatible wireless: There are mini-PCIe to PCIe adaptors available on eBay as well as Mac Pro (= Broadcom 4321 or 4322) mini-PCIe cards. => ~$40 for out of the box AirPort.

As for compatible USB cards: Any NEC-chip based PCI/PCIe card should work out of the box. (Have one running in my Mac Pro; no need in my Hack since it has 10 compatible USB ports off of, I think, three controllers.)
 
flatfoot said:
I thought about going for a mini before they were "updated" because I hoped there might be an i5 version.
Now I'm absolutely not willing to pay the ridiculous amount of money for the technology offered – not even for unibody, most of all not for an integrated PSU.

That's why I built the i5 system in my sig. I'm using it as my main system now and am about to sell my Mac Pro. The i5 is rock solid, faster than my Mac Pro, and absolutely reliable; it runs the 64-bit kernel (in contrast to my 2006 Mac Pro) etc.

Long story short: I'd definitely do it again.

As for compatible wireless: There are mini-PCIe to PCIe adaptors available on eBay as well as Mac Pro (= Broadcom 4321 or 4322) mini-PCIe cards. => ~$40 for out of the box AirPort.

As for compatible USB cards: Any NEC-chip based PCI/PCIe card should work out of the box. (Have one running in my Mac Pro; no need in my Hack since it has 10 compatible USB ports off of, I think, three controllers.)
Click to expand...

Did you have to use any particular kexts for your hackintosh? Would you mind sending me a PM of the hardware you decided on?

Beaverman3001 said:
Running your business off of a hackintosh sounds like a pretty bad idea, in my opinion.
Click to expand...

Why's that? It's been proven that a hackintosh is just as stable as a genuine Mac and it's not my fault that Apple have made bad decisions and overpriced their 'entry level' Mac!
 
I thought about building a Hackintosh - but I could not do it for much less than a mini (though you do get a lot more computer).

Since I am not doing 3D graphics or heavy duty computing the mini was fine, and 4 cores would not really be used much.

So I would get a cooler, faster, more powerful machine that didn't save me any money and I had to worry about each time a new update came out.

I ended up installing a 1TB 3.5" drive that got me a much snappier mini, but still a full Macintosh.

--

I ended up building a Hackintosh netbook, and have built it twice and can not upgrade the OS without building it again.
 
MacFanUK said:
Why's that? It's been proven that a hackintosh is just as stable as a genuine Mac and it's not my fault that Apple have made bad decisions and overpriced their 'entry level' Mac!
Click to expand...

Hacks do have their own problems but the support has been improving a lot lately, meaning that more and more HW can be used without issues. I doubt your clients actually care what are you using and you can always run Windows if needed (there is CS5 for it too). Take a look at InsanelyMac, they have a lot guides etc
 
ADent said:
I thought about building a Hackintosh - but I could not do it for much less than a mini (though you do get a lot more computer).

Since I am not doing 3D graphics or heavy duty computing the mini was fine, and 4 cores would not really be used much.

So I would get a cooler, faster, more powerful machine that didn't save me any money and I had to worry about each time a new update came out.

I ended up installing a 1TB 3.5" drive that got me a much snappier mini, but still a full Macintosh.

--

I ended up building a Hackintosh netbook, and have built it twice and can not upgrade the OS without building it again.
Click to expand...

Again, I completely understand where you're coming from which is why I was looking for some advice. As I said, the Hackintosh will only cost me less than the mini if I use parts I already have (graphics, psu, etc), so not sure.

Hellhammer said:
Hacks do have their own problems but the support has been improving a lot lately, meaning that more and more HW can be used without issues. I doubt your clients actually care what are you using and you can always run Windows if needed (there is CS5 for it too). Take a look at InsanelyMac, they have a lot guides etc
Click to expand...
For me, it's not about whether clients care about whether I use OSX or Windows and I am liking Windows 7 more and more as I use it, but I prefer OSX and I prefer the software available for OSX. Thanks for the heads up about insanelymac, I will be using their guides if that's the direction I choose.
 
voyager03 said:
Consider the ethics of using 'pirate' software for making money. Is running Apple software on non-Apple hardware strictly legal?
Click to expand...

As to what I know 'pirate' software is software you haven't paid for. With the method I used, you can use a non-modified retail Snow Leopard Install DVD (you should have paid for).
There are countries where Apple's EULA isn't lawful. Thus, it's legal there to install Snow Leopard on non-Apple hardware.
Furthermore, the normal way is Windoze->Hackintosh->Mac, which brings more customers to Apple.
But let's not start the legality discussion all over again in yet another thread.
 
voyager03 said:
Consider the ethics of using 'pirate' software for making money. Is running Apple software on non-Apple hardware strictly legal?
Click to expand...
I have absolutely no intention of using 'pirate' software for making money, in fact I have no intention of using 'pirate' software full stop. As flatfoot says, pirate software is illegally obtained software. I'll be buying all my software.

At the end of the day I'd love to own a genuine Mac computer but I am asking for advice to help me decide which route to go down. If Apple still did a 24" iMac, I'd buy one but it's either the mini or hackintosh I'm afraid.
 
Thanks. I have looked at second hand 24" iMacs but a bit more than I want to pay to be honest.
 
MacFanUK said:
At the end of the day I'd love to own a genuine Mac computer but I am asking for advice to help me decide which route to go down. If Apple still did a 24" iMac, I'd buy one but it's either the mini or hackintosh I'm afraid.
Click to expand...
Really, the difference in cost between a mini and whatever Hackintosh you build (legal or not) will be pretty small beans in the grand scheme of things.

If you are any good you should be able to make enough money to pay for whatever computer you need and it is a capital expense and can be used against your tax. Have a chat to your accountant. It may well make sense to get the mini and, when work goes well, buy an additional, perhaps higher spec, machine in 12 months time.
 
voyager03 said:
It may well make sense to get the mini and, when work goes well, buy an additional, perhaps higher spec, machine in 12 months time.
Click to expand...

I didn't think of that. Makes sense! Expand the power of your machine as an when your business requires it.
 
voyager03 said:
Consider the ethics of using 'pirate' software for making money. Is running Apple software on non-Apple hardware strictly legal?
Click to expand...

No need to use pirate version, retail version of 10.6 costs 29$. In some countries, the EULA is not valid, for example Finland. There is German company that has been selling hacks for years but Apple can't do anything.

voyager03 said:
Really, the difference in cost between a mini and whatever Hackintosh you build (legal or not) will be pretty small beans in the grand scheme of things.

If you are any good you should be able to make enough money to pay for whatever computer you need and it is a capital expense and can be used against your tax. Have a chat to your accountant. It may well make sense to get the mini and, when work goes well, buy an additional, perhaps higher spec, machine in 12 months time.
Click to expand...

Why to buy multiple machine if you can get one and upgrade it when needed? I doubt webdesign is that fruitful that you can afford a new computer every year, especially now as economy is bad and people do stuff for less money. Also, I doubt computer is OP's only expense, you have to live and eat plus you later on may want your own apartment and car (assuming OP doesn't have these). The money saved can be used for a holiday for example
 
Hellhammer said:
No need to use pirate version, retail version of 10.6 costs 29$. In some countries, the EULA is not valid, for example Finland. There is German company that has been selling hacks for years but Apple can't do anything.
Click to expand...
I was considering the issue rather than an making an objection.
Hellhammer said:
Why to buy multiple machine if you can get one and upgrade it when needed?
Click to expand...
Because the OP 'really wants to go from the world of hackintosh to a real Mac.' and if a mini is not up to it (and I expect it would be) there may be the opportunity (not a necessity) to upgrade and save some income tax with the capital spend!
 
As Hellhammer said, whether I'm good at what I do or not, I don't have loads of money to throw at a computer and yeah, maybe that means I should stick with Windoze, but if I've got the option to be halfway in between then why not?
 
MacFanUK said:
As Hellhammer said, whether I'm good at what I do or not, I don't have loads of money to throw at a computer and yeah, maybe that means I should stick with Windoze, but if I've got the option to be halfway in between then why not?
Click to expand...

Here is OS X 10.6 compatible USB Wi-Fi adapter. I wouldn't do more than upgrade your hack if it works well as Mini won't do anything more and is even slower
 
Hellhammer said:
Here is OS X 10.6 compatible USB Wi-Fi adapter. I wouldn't do more than upgrade your hack if it works well as Mini won't do anything more and is even slower
Click to expand...

Thanks for your reply. Have been looking at CPU's, etc, and maybe I don't need anything like an i5 yet. How about the below improvements on my current system:

Upgrade CPU from E5200 2.5GHz to Intel E6700 3.20 GHz
Upgrade Ram from 4GB to 8GB
Upgrade main system hard drive to 64GB SSD
Add Wifi card
 
Why do you need to bother about a wi-fi adapter? The box you've got works doesn't it? This is going to be a work tool. Blowing money on processor upgrades, memory and SSD's won't help you earn you anything.

Get a length of cat 5 and plug it into your router (or use power line networking if necessary) and spend money on kit when you've actually earned something!
 
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