# Can i use a gpu using mac



## DailymotionGamer (Jan 12, 2011)

I want to build a mac computer, you know, buy a MB/CPU , etc , but can we use video cards using a Mac(OS)?
What is the best way to about having a powerful computer using Mac?


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## mlee49 (Jan 12, 2011)

Urine luck! Some manufactures like Evga make a Mac specific card, EVGA GTX285 MAC edition.


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## Soylent Joe (Jan 12, 2011)

There are plenty of guides on the interwebs that point out exactly which hardware you should buy for 100% Hackintosh compatibility.

Here's you a start.




mlee49 said:


> Urine luck! Some manufactures like Evga make a Mac specific card, EVGA GTX285 MAC edition.



And be prepared to pay out the ass for it


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## hat (Jan 13, 2011)

Macs basically use the same hardware as PCs these days. I would dig around about how to build a "hackintosh" out of ordinary parts.


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## T3kl0rd (Jan 24, 2011)

Mac is only for enthusiasts, go IBM PC clone if you want serious software/hardware support.  Build that i7 already!


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## timta2 (Feb 13, 2011)

> Urine luck! Some manufactures like Evga make a Mac specific card, EVGA GTX285 MAC edition.





> And be prepared to pay out the ass for it




You can usually flash a PC card with a Mac Bios if you can find one. I wouldn't recommend it unless you are technically inclined. There is also the moral issue about supporting these companies. The reason the Mac cards are usually so expensive is economies of scale. They have to have someone write custom Mac bioses for these cards and I'm pretty sure that isn't cheap for them to do. Especially when you consider the lower numbers of Mac cards sold per market share.



> Mac is only for enthusiasts, go IBM PC clone if you want serious software/hardware support. Build that i7 already!



Says the enthusiast on the enthusiast's site. There is little to no software (besides games) that is available for Windows that doesn't have a similar version equivalent or better on Mac OS X. Your argument used to be more true a number of years ago but is no longer the case. And as far as hardware goes, usually similar hardware is available, albeit sometimes with a slight delay and higher prices (thanks Nvidia, AMD, and partners!). And at times in the past hardware has been available for Macs before PCs.


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## n-ster (Feb 14, 2011)

timta2 said:


> You can usually flash a PC card with a Mac Bios if you can find one. I wouldn't recommend it unless you are technically inclined. There is also the moral issue about supporting these companies. The reason the Mac cards are usually so expensive is economies of scale. They have to have someone write custom Mac bioses for these cards and I'm pretty sure that isn't cheap for them to do. Especially when you consider the lower numbers of Mac cards sold per market share.



I'm sorry but nothing justifies the price premium for most Mac parts. The price difference is just too big


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## ShiBDiB (Feb 15, 2011)

n-ster said:


> I'm sorry but nothing justifies the price premium for most Mac parts. The price difference is just too big



I'm confused.. is this the MAC bashing section? I want in!

lol

But theirs websites dedicated to building hackintosh computers (homemade macs) but wheres the fun in that... You'd be missing mac's biggest selling point! No not that crappy OS that no1 really understands, but the exorbitantly overpriceness for that cool apple logo on the side of the case.


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## hellrazor (Feb 15, 2011)

n-ster said:


> I'm sorry but nothing justifies the price premium for most Mac parts. The price difference is just too big



Yeah, but if you own a Mac you:
a)Are rich out the ass
b)Don't know crap about computers, and
c)Were probably convinced it would make your desktop performance faster

They're scaling the price to the market. Rich people can pay a bajillion dollars and not give a crap, where the rest of us have to budget and make sure we're getting the best bang for our buck.


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## ste2425 (Feb 15, 2011)

ive built a hackintosh, using it now. The main problem i faced was which version of the mac osx you use. As different kernals have support for different cpu's and gpu's. Plus you need a motherboard that has an intel chipset, then theres boot loaders. 

The rig in my sig is what's running it but i had to modify the kernal to run on my cpu, then i had to download special drivers as 4850's and osx arnt best friends

ill pm you if you want

If you research and build a rig from scratch that is fully supported then get the right osx and boot loader for that osx then theres no modifications of the osx to be made, the boot loader means no bios flashing is required either. Sadly i couldn't afford to do a new build so had to make do with what i had.

But it is ten times faster at loading up and shutting down, i think its the way macs cache files but running aps is exactly the same.


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## Reefer86 (Feb 15, 2011)

yeah! mac bashing session!!!!

shite computers that cost more money as people dont know what that are buying!

wrap it up pretty and charge the earth!


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## Wrigleyvillain (Feb 15, 2011)

ShiBDiB said:


> I'm confused.. is this the MAC bashing section? I want in!



Yeah that would be pretty much every section.



hellrazor said:


> Yeah, but if you own a Mac you:
> a)Are rich out the ass
> b)Don't know crap about computers, and
> c)Were probably convinced it would make your desktop performance faster



Or someone who works in the creative industry? Or who wants a powerful UNIX-based machine with all the bells and whistles of a consumer-level OS? Or simply prefers Mac OS X to Windows?

And, frankly, the fact that Macs are essentially PCs running OS X now and partly as such are priced much more competitively, anyone using these same old tired arguments from 1997 is the idiot who actually doesn't know anything about modern computers.


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## ste2425 (Feb 15, 2011)

tbh ive learnt that macs are great for anything creative  if you want to game use a pc, dont get me wrong  i use some windows based audio editing programmes but it is ten times smoother faster and more reliable in a mac environment.


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## n-ster (Feb 15, 2011)

OS X is a dumbed down more user friendly linux, which is a good thing. I don't mind hackintoshes, and this is what this thread is about right?


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## ste2425 (Feb 15, 2011)

n-ster said:


> and this is what this thread is about right?



exactly so please lets not start flaming how windows is great or how macs is great, and not try to insult people then hide it within an ambiguous statement. and stick to the point


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## T3kl0rd (Feb 16, 2011)

timta2 said:


> Says the enthusiast on the enthusiast's site. There is little to no software (besides games) that is available for Windows that doesn't have a similar version equivalent or better on Mac OS X. Your argument used to be more true a number of years ago but is no longer the case. And as far as hardware goes, usually similar hardware is available, albeit sometimes with a slight delay and higher prices (thanks Nvidia, AMD, and partners!). And at times in the past hardware has been available for Macs before PCs.


U2K is a huge gamer, so a Mac is a waste of time for him.  He won't even construct a PC himself that is state of the art.  The chances of him putting together a Hackintosh are nil.  I remember Macintoshes, Amigas, etc from the early/late 80's.  Very cool PCs for enthusiasts of those brands BACK THEN, but now, meh not so much.  Like everyone else is saying in this thread, price to performance ratio is unjustified for Mac.


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## MxPhenom 216 (Feb 16, 2011)

n-ster said:


> I'm sorry but nothing justifies the price premium for most Mac parts. The price difference is just too big



nothing from Apple justifies the insane price tag *cough* ipad *cough*


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## Wrigleyvillain (Feb 16, 2011)

It was the first tablet on the market by far. What company wouldn't charge a premium? Apple gets such shit for stuff anyone else in their place would and in some cases do. If they charge more (and they don't so much anymore relatively) it's because they _can_ and at least in their case the product is usually great and different unlike too many "luxury brands" for dumb people with more money than sense.


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## sneekypeet (Feb 16, 2011)

If you are just here to bash the idea, move along. Stay on topic, or enjoy the points; the choice is yours


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## n-ster (Feb 16, 2011)

Gaming on Mac has become much better believe it or not. I say a hackintosh can be done by him and he would even like it


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## ste2425 (Feb 16, 2011)

how many titles are available for mac osx? i mean games. I wonder if that will grow? The number of people with macs has grown considerably, every student on my uni course has one, so i gues it would be a large market dev's are missing out on. But in saying that i gues its an expensive process to make a game play on a different platform.


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## pantherx12 (Feb 16, 2011)

Wrigleyvillain said:


> Yeah that would be pretty much every section.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Reason one sucked, I've more programs to run on windows, I've a greater number of tools to play with to create something.  ( so theoretically more variables for creativity!)

I've never seen ANYTHING creative wise ( I assume you mean photomanip and video editing things like that) that a MAC pc can do that a regular one cannot.

2 and 3 are cool though.

How ever last statement is rediculous, that's the reason most pc enthusiasts hate macs.
(I.E you pay up to 1.5 times as much for the same hardware :S )

Because they're BRANDED pcs and that's all. ( oh yeah different os too but hey, software can be made to run on most things )






Now I'm all for "each to their own" but when people say macs are better than PCs ( in anyway, even just "creative media" it just really annoys me, they're both pcs for a start so at the end of the day it should come to do performance, productivty,price and ease of use.

The first ones are measurable ( £2000 pc vs £2000 mac. pc wins!) 

So the only real deciding factor is if you prefer the OS. Which is more than fair enough, if I don't like an OS I try other ones too.


That or your just into cheap allu being plastered all over the place and the brand image.



/end rant. sorry!





Incase this all seems to negative, I'm trying to say at the end of the day it's preferance.


Do Macs hold any performance crowns for anything by the way?





*edit* @ sneeky just saw your post, delete this one should you see it fit.


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## IndigoGoose (Feb 16, 2011)

timta2 said:


> There is little to no software (besides games) that is available for Windows that doesn't have a similar version equivalent or better on Mac OS X. Your argument used to be more true a number of years ago but is no longer the case


That is true 

You can use some software which i have forgotton the name of. To run windows on it anyway. So the statement Macs can't play many games is stupid. Also on steam when you buy a game you can click Mac version anyway.

Performance crowns i think yes the apps, booting up, shuting down are so much faster than a regurlar PC. And the general look and feel about the OS is brillant. Snow leopard would be a great example of this.


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## Frick (Feb 16, 2011)

pantherx12 said:


> How ever last statement is rediculous, that's the reason most pc enthusiasts hate macs.
> (I.E you pay up to 1.5 times as much for the same hardware :S )



Most of them are priced spot on actually considering what you get. Size, looks and power consumption are should be considered features. Not all their products though.


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## qubit (Feb 16, 2011)

Why bother with a Mac at all? The PC does everything you want and more and doesn't lock you into the DRM walled garden like Apple likes to. You also won't have any problems or limitations regarding stuff being supported with a PC and therefore working.

So scratch the Mac idea and just build yourself an uber PC!


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## Yukikaze (Feb 16, 2011)

IndigoGoose said:


> That is true
> 
> You can use some software which i have forgotton the name of. To run windows on it anyway. So the statement Macs can't play many games is stupid. Also on steam when you buy a game you can click Mac version anyway.
> 
> Performance crowns i think yes the apps, booting up, shuting down are so much faster than a regurlar PC. And the general look and feel about the OS is brillant. Snow leopard would be a great example of this.



1. There are Linux distributions which are completely free, look far better than OS X, boot faster, and are completely open. However, they tend to lack the die-hard following that comes with Apple devices and systems, and so rarely come up in these arguments.
2. Very (very, very, very) few games on Steam have a Mac version.

I tend to steer away from these arguments because they are pointless and amount to religious arguments where no side ever wins, but I had to bring up these two facts here.


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## pantherx12 (Feb 16, 2011)

Frick said:


> Most of them are priced spot on actually considering what you get. Size, looks and power consumption are should be considered features. Not all their products though.





Not in the UK at-least.


There's not a single thing that Apple are competitive with here.



Anyway to avoid being a complete dick.

There is lots of tutorials online with how to rsetup a hackintosh and what motherboards/gpus etc things like that will work.

Simply google hackintosh how to  ( bare in mind that it's a breach of Apples terms of service and their copywright of their OS to do a hackintosh system)

If you were thinking of building an actual Mac, you can't, they're a brand.


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## Frick (Feb 16, 2011)

They're still expensive. 

BTW, I have a virtual machine with OSX and that works pretty darn good, at least for just looking around and minor tech support.


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## brandonwh64 (Feb 16, 2011)

U2K always has a crazy idea. MAC cards are expensive BTW, 

i know im beating a dead horse by saying this but build a mid level PC and be done with it


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## ste2425 (Feb 16, 2011)

unless your doing anything where you would benifit from the mac osx just stick to windows but you can make any gpu work within osx theres no need to buy a gpu that says its compatable with a mac. There are many sites out there who provide installers which you select the right drivers and bit for your set up and it will modify the osx to run with them. Snow leopard doesnt support 4850 as stock thats how i got mine to run, and the onboard sound. You just click next it does all the hard work. That is if you actualy need to go through the hassle. I myself had to for the fact that there are audio programmes that are mac only that are far superior to the windows counterparts, if they were windows compatable i would not have installed a mac.

look through this website if you still want to build a mac pc. 

TonyMacx86

And look at the Iboot and Multibeast software that will do the hardwork for you. Just get the right version for the right version of the osx.

Just bear in mind it is illegal to install a mac on non mac hardware or to modify the osx.


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## Wrigleyvillain (Feb 16, 2011)

brandonwh64 said:


> build a mid level PC and be done with it



OMG like everyone has the knowledge, skills and patience to just build their own PC. And this doesn't even bring software into the mix. I'm sorry, as better as Windows 7 is the internet is still a dangerous place for a Windows box and moreover all of Apple's software starting with the OS is very well designed and intuitive for the average non-computer-savvy user.

Of course this doesn't mean jack to us PC enthusiasts but we are far from the average masses that truly keep these companies in business.


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## qubit (Feb 16, 2011)

Wrigleyvillain said:


> OMG like everyone has the knowledge, skills and patience to just build their own PC. And this doesn't even bring software into the mix. I'm sorry, as better as Windows 7 is the internet is still a dangerous place for a Windows box and moreover all of Apple's software starting with the OS is very well designed and intuitive for the average non-computer-savvy user.
> 
> Of course this doesn't mean jack to us PC enthusiasts but we are far from the average masses that truly keep these companies in business.



Well, hopefully our OP isn't such a clueless user or he wouldn't be posting on here.

It sounds like he wants to build his own Mac, therefore, if he can manage that, then he can manager building a regular PC much more easily, as there's no tricks and gotchas like you've got with building a hackintosh.

And as you say, Macs are designed for "the average non-computer-savvy user." and that's where they should stay. They offer no practical advantage in any area to a PC.


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## ste2425 (Feb 16, 2011)

guys come the op asked how to build a hackintosh not for your, nor my, opinions.


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## qubit (Feb 16, 2011)

ste2425 said:


> guys come the op asked how to build a hackintosh not for your, nor my, opinions.



To be honest, with such an anti Apple feeling on here, it's probably the wrong place to ask, lol.


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## ste2425 (Feb 16, 2011)

qubit said:


> To be honest, with such an anti Apple feeling on here, it's probably the wrong place to ask, lol.



true but still...


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## qubit (Feb 16, 2011)

ste2425 said:


> true but still...



Yeah, I know and I'm one of the "worst".  I don't think he should bother at all and haven't minced my words. Some others seem to have given some decent pointers though.


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## ste2425 (Feb 16, 2011)

In the end everyone has given very good advice on every aspect of his question. The op has been provided with links and more then enough information to full fill the task if he so requires. He has also been provided with very good personal opinions on weather the hassle is worth it, and i wont lie installing an osx on a pc does take time. Unless he has any more questions id consider it answered.

I dont mean to sound rude or obnoxious, its hard in text .


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## T3kl0rd (Feb 16, 2011)

I have U2K in my Steam friends list and I've played L4D2 with him.  The games list for Mac is much much smaller than the PC list.  Go to any game site and a vast majority of PC games reviewed won't have a Mac version.

I remember Amiga had superior sound and video editing software for its time but it became a dinosaur nonetheless.  I don't know how Mac even retains it's niche market TBH.  Probably won't forever.  Building a high end PC would be simpler than a Hackintosh and have much better yields to a gamer.


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## ste2425 (Feb 16, 2011)

it all depends on what he wants to do with it if its gaming then id say 100 percent go for a pc, image editing not too sure as photo shop runs in windows, audio editing/producing 100 percent mac, video editing not too sure as i have never done it. If its just general web browsing and watching movies then either could full fill those tasks just as well. But if you have any media centres, xbox etc id go for windows as i dont know or if a mac can connect to a 360 or other windows based pc's.


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## IndigoGoose (Feb 17, 2011)

Yukikaze said:


> I tend to steer away from these arguments because they are pointless and amount to religious arguments where no side ever wins, but I had to bring up these two facts here



Same but i thought i would put in a input considering everyone was saying they can't play games. Personally i wouldn't mind a Mac or Pc both do their jobs great


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