I want to build a system for Final Cut Studio and Adobe CS5 (god I hope this thing runs CS5). I'm probably going to buy this system tomorrow, but I was hoping you guys could take a look at it before I drop the $1200-1400 and point out any switch outs I should make.

The toughest decision I've been wrestling with is on the GPU. I'd love to get a GTX 460 or any of the GTX 4XX cards because of their supposed ability to speed up CS5, but I've read in a few places that they're not that stable, so I figured I should just get an EVGA GeForce 9500 GT for $70 and just wait until the GTX 4XX series is really working and then just upgrade then. (PLEASE CONVINCE ME I SHOULD BUY A GTX 4XX IF THAT'S THE RIGHT THING I SHOULD DO!! Haha). Otherwise, I need to get to cutting video, so I'm just going to take the plunge with the 9500 GT.

Also the RAM might be controversial. I'm going for 4gb sticks instead of 2gb sticks. Haven't seen anyone here do that.

Motherboard - Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R - $210
Amazon.com: Gigabyte LGA1366 SATA3 ATI CrossFireX ATX Motherboard GA-X58A-UD3R: Electronics

CPU - Intel Core i7-950 3.06ghz - $295
Amazon.com: Intel Core i7 950 3.06GHz 8M L3 Cache LGA1366 Desktop Processor: Electronics

RAM - 12GB GSkill 1600 DDR3 - (3 x 4gb) - $250
Newegg.com - G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 12GB (3 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-12800CL9T-12GBRL

GPU Video Card - EVGA GeForce 9500 GT 1GB - $70
Newegg.com - EVGA 01G-P3-N959-TR GeForce 9500 GT 1GB 128-bit DDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

SSD - OCZ Technology 60 GB Vertex Series SATA II Solid State Drive - $105
Amazon.com: OCZ Technology 60 GB Vertex Series SATA II Solid State Drive (Black) OCZSSD2-1VTX60G: onSale

Harddrive - Samsung 1 TB Spinpoint 7200 RPM 32MB - $65
Amazon.com: Samsung 1 TB Spinpoint 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.5 inch Bulk/OEM Desktop Hard Drive HD103SJ: Electronica Direct

DVD Writer - Sony Nec Optiarc AD-7241S-0B 24X Dual Layer DVD+/-RW SATA Drive with LightScribe - $38
Amazon.com: Sony Nec Optiarc AD-7241S-0B 24X Dual Layer DVD+/-RW SATA Drive with LightScribe, Bulk (Black): Electronics

Bluetooth - D-Link DBT-120 Wireless Bluetooth 2.0 USB Adapter - $23
Amazon.com: D-Link DBT-120 Wireless Bluetooth 2.0 USB Adapter: Electronics

Case - Cooler Master HAF 932 Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case - $140
Amazon.com: Cooler Master HAF 932 High Air Flow ATX Full Tower Case Black - (RC-932-KKN1-GP): Electronics

Power Supply - Antec CP-850 850 Watt - $120
Amazon.com: Antec CP-850 850 Watt CPX Power Supply Unit for Antec Twelve Hundred, P183 and P193: Electronics

CPU Cooler - Corsair Cooling Hydro Series H50 - $70
Amazon.com: Corsair Cooling Hydro Series H50 All in One High-performance CPU Cooler CWCH50-1: Electronics

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WiFi - ASUS USB-N13 Wireless-N Adapter - $23
Amazon.com: ASUS USB-N13 Wireless-N Adapter: Electronics

WiFi - Build your own - $40
x86 wifi: How To: Build your own "Real" Airport Card for your Hackintosh
What to Buy (DVD, Blu-ray, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi) - NoFilmSchool

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Mouse - Logitech MX 518 Optical Gaming Mouse - $45
Amazon.com: Logitech MX 518 High Performance Optical Gaming Mouse (Metal): Electronics

Keyboard - Microsoft Comfort Curve Keyboard 2000 - $16
Amazon.com: Microsoft Comfort Curve Keyboard 2000 (B2L-00002): Electronics

ttt. I need a hackintosh that runs these apps without any hiccup. Did you buy this machine??? Still looking for the right mobo for myself..

Here's my system specs:

Motherboard - Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R
Processor - i7-920
CPU Heatsink - Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus
Memory - 12 GB Corsair XMS3 (6x2GB) @ 1600
Video Card - GIGABYTE GV-N250ZL-1GI GeForce GTS 250 1GB
Case - Cooler Master HAF 922
Power Supply - hec Raptor 1100CM 1000W
SATA Harddrives - (2) 1TB WD Gr/Bl, (1) 2TB WD Green and 120GB OCZ SSD
Lots of extras

Ok, I had read on several 'hackintosh' websites that the Gigabyte motherboards were the easiest to use and they were right. I used the TonyMac x86.com version and had no troubles at all using iBoot and MultiBeast. I also bought a retail version of the Snow Leopard Update DVD for 29.00us and used it during the install. Wow does this system run good!

Remeber that you need to only have one harddrive plugged in during installation.

If you are looking at the list of components that I have listed at the top, it comes to close to $2000 usd. I bought a few things here and there and basically had the system like it is after several months of this. really an easy way to have a system that you want.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

Originally Posted by WhoDoctorK9

Here's my system specs:

Motherboard - Gigabyte GA-X58A-UD3R
Processor - i7-920
CPU Heatsink - Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus
Memory - 12 GB Corsair XMS3 (6x2GB) @ 1600
Video Card - GIGABYTE GV-N250ZL-1GI GeForce GTS 250 1GB
Case - Cooler Master HAF 922
Power Supply - hec Raptor 1100CM 1000W
SATA Harddrives - (2) 1TB WD Gr/Bl, (1) 2TB WD Green and 120GB OCZ SSD
Lots of extras

Ok, I had read on several 'hackintosh' websites that the Gigabyte motherboards were the easiest to use and they were right. I used the TonyMac x86.com version and had no troubles at all using iBoot and MultiBeast. I also bought a retail version of the Snow Leopard Update DVD for 29.00us and used it during the install. Wow does this system run good!

Remeber that you need to only have one harddrive plugged in during installation.

If you are looking at the list of components that I have listed at the top, it comes to close to $2000 usd. I bought a few things here and there and basically had the system like it is after several months of this. really an easy way to have a system that you want.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

Sounds like a SICK set up! So is that to say, ANY Gigabyte mobo will work? Or still have to stay to specs from the HCL?

Also, how can I run a 2 processor set up? Does Gigabyte offer any mobo's that support 2 processors? I want to run 8 or 12 core if possible (probably 8).

Thanks for the help!

From what I've read, almost all P55 and X58 motherboards by Gigabyte are easy to use for a hackintosh. I don't think Gigabyte has made a dual processor motherboard since their socket 370 board GA-6VXD7 for mainstream. I recently read a report from maximumpc about a great dual processor board by EVGA called the Classified SR-2. It can hold 2 Xeon processors for 24 streams, up to 48 gigs of memory(24 each processor) but it is HUGE...HPTX style - 13.6 X 15 inches. It also has 7 PCI-E slots.

Originally Posted by WhoDoctorK9

From what I've read, almost all P55 and X58 motherboards by Gigabyte are easy to use for a hackintosh. I don't think Gigabyte has made a dual processor motherboard since their socket 370 board GA-6VXD7 for mainstream. I recently read a report from maximumpc about a great dual processor board by EVGA called the Classified SR-2. It can hold 2 Xeon processors for 24 streams, up to 48 gigs of memory(24 each processor) but it is HUGE...HPTX style - 13.6 X 15 inches. It also has 7 PCI-E slots.

Yeah I have been reading up heavily on the Classified SR-2. Gorgeous mobo. Had no idea it was that big though! I think I'm going to go after the Gigabyte models for my first hackintosh, then upgrade to a 2 processor set up in time...when there's more support for the SR-2. I keep reading that people have been unsuccessful with it.