Hackintosh Builder - (Mac OS)

[pboss]

I just ordered a beefy "Hackintosh" to be built by a guy in Davis, California, with a 3 year warranty. This may be of interest, because the machines are fast, and are cheaper than the same or similar components made by Apple. They run Mac OS, and support all the normal music apps that run on Mac. While knowing all about cores and all that is not my specialty, I have done enough research to be excited. The performance tests are impressive. The processor and cores used are at a high frequency. I'm having several internal solid state drives added internally, etc.

It can be hard to find good, solid, honest people to deal with for things like this. If you want to check it out, the builder's name is Cyra. http://daviswiki.org/PC_Repair_&_Education

The machine I have ordered goes a bit like this:
Custom Mac Intel i7-3820 @ 4.6GHz, ASUS P9X79 Pro Motherboard 120GB SATA III SSD (Application+Mac OS drive) Upgrade to 32GB DDR3-1866MHz RAM (4x8GB) [higher quality RAM helps on the VST plugins] 4x 240GB SATA III SSDs for Libraries; 3TB 7,200RPM 64MB Cache HDD (internal for storage). What is interesting to me is that he is already building machines that use a processor that the Apple machines won't come out with until this August, supposedly. The cores are different, so 4-core are as fast as Apple 8-core. Anyway, when it comes to specs and performance numbers, he can answer questions.

[andygabrys]

hey Patty,

this is interesting, but how did you come by this: "The cores are different, so 4-core are as fast as Apple 8-core" - where did you read about that?

I assume by 8 core, you mean a Xeon 8 core processor?

[pboss]

Hi Andy,

It's hard for me to properly answer your question, but the moral of the story is that the processors Cyra is currently using are faster, even though the actual 'number' of cores may be less in some cases, than Apple. I had to get some input from a knowledgeable friend about what I was going to order, and conveyed some of that info to the Hackintosh builder, who addressed in detail with metrics, the specs and the differences between what I'm ordering and some other examples. To really make sure I am not mixing metaphors (which I may already have done) I would refer you to the builder himself.

What I meant when I was comparing 4-core -- the type I have ordered run at a higher frequency, he described. I can't really engage in too much of a discussion about specs and comparing because I just don't know enough. But I got some help regarding what to order, and at first it did not make sense to me, so I asked a lot of detailed questions, like you have asked me, and shared the answers with my knowledgeable friend, who was impressed with the specs and the explanation. It all made sense to me. All I can say is, contact the builder if interested, ask your questions, and then if you wanted to order a machine, to use your own judgement about what you might be getting. I do endorse him, though. I originally contacted this guy a year ago, in prep for planning a new machine. He is responsive, articulate, intelligent, efficient. That is my personal experience and opinion.

[andygabrys]

all right - fair enough. thanks.

[pboss]

PS - overall the cost is about half what it would be from Apple (at least half, possibly more savings). I guess memory has come down in price, too, from what he said, which is cool. I think when we're running not just audio apps, but very specialized set-ups with many many tracks in an orchestral template, for example, - which you want to have loaded even if you don't use all of the virtual instruments, - my idea is that I want to try to use one machine, as opposed to a controlling computer running other computers, like many have done for years. I have kind of been waiting for this point in computer technology where it is more feasible. Proof, though, will be in the pudding. (and... if only the apps can catch up to the hardware!) I guess clock speed is where you get performance from; not just cores, because I think some of the apps currently are not utilizing the potential of the cores.

That was a mouthful. I need to wash my mouth out with soap! (and replace with beer).

[guitaroboe]

Hey Patty!
this is REALLY interesting! Keep us posted on how your system performs.
I looked into Hackintoshes a few months ago but I couldn't find a reputable builder.
So your case looks promising!
thanks for posting
Adonis

[mojobone]

Yeah, I think 4.6GHz is faster than most of what Apple currently offers, but I'd have to check. Four cores could well be faster than eight with this faster processor speed, a faster bus, more cache memory and speedier solid-state drives; there might even be a bit of a performance hit in the 'division of labor' for eight, rather than four, though I shouldn't think it would be much and might depend on the bus architecture. Any case, some softwares are better-equipped to take advantage of multiple cores than others, so there might be some very specific advantages, though the conventional wisdom is that 'more cores' is merrier. Trick is, music, video and animation production tend to be both processor and memory intensive; I'd imagine faster memory and drives are a big part of that equation.

[mazz]

Interesting! I'm probably going to do a high powered slave computer this year. This may save some bucks!

[pboss]

Hey Patty!
this is REALLY interesting! Keep us posted on how your system performs.
I looked into Hackintoshes a few months ago but I couldn't find a reputable builder.
So your case looks promising!
thanks for posting
Adonis

Hi Adonis, somehow being in the forum make it feel like you are just a town away.. Yes, so if you decided to entertain getting a machine like this, I can share notes after populating the beast with apps, and you could do like you did a few years ago regarding a machine ordered in the States.

[Silversun]

Interesting... Please let us know how it turns out. Especially since Mac are not going to building towers for much longer. There are a lot of people interested in viable alternatives.