Hackintosh Hardware Recomandations


This will be a list of components that we recommend for compatibility with OS X. Please note that we do not have the money to test this hardware, and it is best to get a second opinion before purchasing anything for use with OS X.

Central Processing Units (CPU’s)


Because real Macs use Intel processors and OS X is only designed for Intel based architecture, you will want an Intel Processor for a Hackintosh. It’s generally best to go with the latest Haswell processors, as they will remain compatible for the longest, and are not significantly more expensive than previous generations. Note: Even if you plan on using a discrete graphics card, it is a good idea to have compatible integrated graphics in case something goes wrong with your graphics card and you need to troubleshoot. Guide to the Intel processor numbers

Intel Core i3

An i3 processor is the best choice if you plan on using your computer for web, email, streaming media and other light usage.
i3-4330
i3-4340

Intel Core i5

An i5 processor is best for users who want a bit more power out of their machines. i5′s are recommended for gaming machines.
i5-4670K (unlocked for overclocking)
i5-4670
i5-4670S
i5-4570
i5-4440
i5-4430

Intel Core i7

An intel core i7 is recommended for content creation machines and workstations as well as heavy gamers who wish to play the latest games while recording.
i7-4771
i7-4770K (Unlocked for overclocking)
i7-4770s
i7-4770

Motherboards


While OS X can function on motherboards without UEFI BIOS, it is much easier with UEFI. We recommend Asus and Gigabyte boards. The prefix number ‘z87′ or ‘h87′ refers to the chipset on the motherboard. A z87 board is required for overclocking as is a K model processor. H87 and b85 are targeted more at everyday computing; they cannot be overclocked, but are generally less expensive.

Asus

Asus UEFI cannot legacy boot to GUID partition tables. This does not matter when using Clover with UEFI, but it is the reason some people report not being able to boot from their HDD’s. The latest unlocked Asus boards (z87) do not contain locked MSR’s so the Kernel PM patch is not required.
ATX
z87 c z87 k z87 plus z87 pro Z87 Deluxe/Dual
mATX
Z87m Plus
mITX
Z87i Deluxe

Gigabyte

Gigabyte motherboards are pretty much the standard for hackintoshing. They have unlocked MSR’s on all chipsets and generally have no issues. Gigabyte boards are recommended for anyone with limited experience.
ATX
H87-d3h Z87-ud3h Z87-ud4h Z87-ud5h Z87-ud5-th Z87-ud7-th
mATX
B85m-hd3 Z87m-d3h
mITX
B85m-D3H Z87n-wifi H87n-wifi

Graphics Cards

Your integrated graphics card will work for basic usage, but if you plan on gaming or video editing you will want to purchase a discrete graphics card. For a hackintosh you can use either an Nvidia or ATI card. Apple has used both in their machines over the years, but Nvidia cards are more likely to work OOB.

Nvidia


Much like gigabyte, the 6xx and some of the 7xx Nvidia cards will work nearly OOB in OS X. They are recommended for beginners.
GTX 640
GTX 650
GTX 650 TI
GTX 650 TI Boost
GTX 660
GTX 660 TI
GTX 760
GTX 770
GTX 780*
GTX 780 TI*
GTX TITAN*
*Open CL support is now available with the Nvidia retail drivers. Guide for Nvidia retail drivers

ATI Radeon


ATI radeon cards by AMD are generally not as easy to install as Nvidia cards, but you can still get them working. The 6xxx series can work nearly OOB, but the 7xxx series may need some extra work to get full functionality. Slice (The lead Clover dev) has made some guides at Insanelymac so check them out if you have issues. The R9 2xx requires some very advanced work, but can work in OS X.
6xxx
6670
6850
6870
R9 2xx
R9 270
R9 270X
R9 280X

Memory (Ram)


Here you’ve got a bit more freedom. Generally speaking, any ram compatible with your motherboard will work just fine with OS X. We recommend you get at least 4GB for the most basic machines 8GB for gaming and 16GB for audio and video production. The ram listed here is pretty standard desktop 1600Mhz, DDR3 ram that should work with any of the motherboards listed, but double check the specs before you buy anything.
4GB 8GB 16GB

Storage HDD/SSD


These drives will store all your data. If you are building anything but a baseline machine, you should consider getting an SSD for you operating system and apps. There are really no restrictions on what drives you can use so long as they are compatible with the rest of your build.

Hard Drive (HDD)

I recommend Western Digital HDD’s; they have worked very well in my machine. There are 3 lines. WD Blue which are the baseline budget drives. WD Green is low energy consumption, but slightly slower than blue (these are great backup drives). WD Black is the fastest and the best choice for systems drives. There are also WD Red drives designed for Network Attached Storage (NAS); they are not recommended for internal machine storage.
HDD

Solid State Drive (SSD)

I recommend Sandisks for your Hackintosh. They are known to be some of the most stable SSDs on the market. Just be sure you enable TRIM post install.
64GB 128GB 256GB 480GB

Power Supply


This unit will power your devices. There are no special PSU requirements for a hackintosh. Just make sure you have enough power for your devices and any expansion you may need to do. Input your build into PCpartpicker and it will tell you how much wattage you need. I recommend Seasonic s12ii/m12 PSUs because they are the same design and quality as Corsairs.

Modular

These PSU’s come with cables detached. You can simply add in a cable for each device you need to add. This design leaves fewer spare cables in your case.
650W 750W 850W

Non Modular

All cabling will be built into the PSU.
430W 520W 620W

Wireless Adapter


OS X supports a very limited number of wi-fi chips, and due to the rapidly changing market many cards that are compatible are no longer in production.
TP-LINK TL-WDN4800 This card works out of the box in OS X. TP-LINK TL-WN951N This card is cheaper, but requires a patched kext. See Hackintosh Wifi for more options are laptop wi-fi cards.

Case

Your choice of case is completely up to you. I’m just going to recommend some that I personally think look cool. You really only need to spend about $40-50 on a good case, but if you really want an epic looking build you can shell out some more for a high end case. Make sure a case is compatible with your motherboard size as well as the number of PCI devices, hard drives and CD drives you plan on using. Some cases here are listed as silent. These cases include sound damping materials and you’ll probably want to go with one of them if you are working with audio or just have have your computer in your bedroom.

Compact mITX


These are compact cases designed for mITX motherboards.

Mid Tower


These cases will work with any motherboard ATX and smaller. They are the standard towers, and unless you need a massive amount of space you should be go with one of these.
Cooler Master
300R 400R 500R 550D (Silent Case) I use this for my build. I recommend it. 600T

Full Tower


These massive monoliths are perfect for studio builds or anyone looking for insane amounts of drives and expandability.

Peripherals

Most apple peripherals work fine with hackintoshes as well as many other components.
Apple Magic Mouse Apple Magic Trackpad Apple Wired Keyboard Apple Wireless Keyboard

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