It used to be that any tiny system was too underpowered to be a real workstation. Mini-ITX systems with Atom processors and integrated graphics are no good for gaming or HD, let alone having enough horsepower to run professional applications.
Over the past year, many manufacturers have put out Socket 1156 (Intel Core-i3/i5/i7 compatible) Mini-ITX motherboards, completely changing the custom mini-build landscape. Now one can build a tiny powerhouse capable of running a full-sized graphics card, and a modern quad-core CPU.
The transition to 1156 has also altered people's ideas of an HTPC, as now your television can be the centerpiece of a very fast, and quiet computer build. We've put together the following spec build based on a rig that was contributed to the site earlier this year. It's meant to be a jumping off point for further customization, but if purchased verbatim would work 100% with audio + video through HDMI. This system is fully supported by iBoot + MultiBeast and the CustomBeast Project.
CustoMac Mini
Core i3-540 - Gigabyte GA-H55N-USB3 - NVIDIA GT 240 1GB - 4GB DDR3 RAM
$616.96
Case + PSU: SilverStone SG05B with SFX 300 Watt PSU $104.99
or
SilverStone SG05BB with SFX 450 Watt PSU $119.99
Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 7200RPM 1 TB $56.99
or
SilverStone SG05BB with SFX 450 Watt PSU $119.99
Hard Drive: Seagate Barracuda 7200RPM 1 TB $56.99
RAM: OCZ 4GB DDR3 1333 (2 x 2GB) $61.99
Adapter: Micro Sata to Sata (for Slim Optical) $14.99
Operating System: Mac OS X Snow Leopard $26.99
Adapter: Micro Sata to Sata (for Slim Optical) $14.99
Optional Accessories
Apple Magic Mouse $69.00
Targus USB Bluetooth Adapter $22.98
NOTE: Only MODEL NO: ACB10us v1.0 will wake from sleep.
SSD: Corsair 120 GB Force Series Ultra Fast TRIM Supported Solid State Drive $248.68
Oh, and don't forget, if you end up buying anything, click through one of these links. That way, you'll be supporting the site, as well as getting the best prices. Thanks in advance!
Building a CustoMac: Three Updated LGA 1156 Builds for OS X
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Targus USB Bluetooth Adapter $22.98
By request, here are three updated builds, based on the original CustoMac post from June 2010. These builds are our most current 1156 recommendations for fully compatible budget builds running Mac OS X as the primary operating system.
All three builds include:
- Gigabyte LGA 1156 Motherboard
- Intel Core i-series Quad-Core CPU
- 4GB or 8GB of RAM, expandable up to 16GB
- 1 TB Hard Drive
- CD/DVD Burner
- Case and Power Supply
- Mac OS X Snow Leopard Retail DVD
We've included all components besides monitor, as any standard monitor will do. You can use these recommendations as a jumping off point for further customization, or as a shopping list. Prices reflect those as of February 2011, and do not include shipping or tax.
Budget Power Build 1
Core i5-760 / Gigabyte GA-H55M-UD2H / GeForce GT 240 / 4GB DDR3 RAM
$683.88
CPU: Intel Core i5-760 2.8 GHz $209.99
Hard Drive: Samsung Spinpoint 1 TB $62.99
Power Supply: Antec 550W Continuous Power $64.99
Operating System: Mac OS X Snow Leopard $29.00
Budget Power Build 2
Core i7-870 / Gigabyte GA-H55M-UD2H / Radeon HD 5770 / 4GB DDR3 RAM
$991.23
CPU: Intel Core i7-870 2.93 GHz $289.99
Hard Drive: Samsung Spinpoint 1 TB $62.99
CPU Cooler: Scythe Mugen 2 $47.35
Case: COOLER MASTER II ATX Mid Tower $89.99
Power Supply: Corsair 650HX Modular 650W $119.99
Operating System: Mac OS X Snow Leopard $29.00
Budget Power Build 3
Core i7-870 / Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD3 / Radeon HD 5870 / 8GB DDR3 RAM
$1211.41
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD3 $130.22
Graphics: Diamond ATI Radeon HD 5870 1GB $234.99
Hard Drive: Samsung Spinpoint 1 TB $62.95
CD/DVD Burner: Sony Optiarc Black $36.95
CPU Cooler: Scythe Mugen 2 $47.35
Case: Antec 900 $99.99
Power Supply: Corsair 650HX Modular 650W $119.99
Operating System: Mac OS X Snow Leopard $29.00
Optional Accessories
Apple Magic Mouse $69.00
Apple Magic Trackpad $69.00
Targus USB Bluetooth Adapter $22.98
NOTE: Only MODEL NO: ACB10us v1.0 will wake from sleep.
Oh, and don't forget, if you end up buying anything, click through one of the links above, or in the sidebar. That way, you'll be supporting the site, as well as getting the best prices. Thanks in advance!
-tonymacx86 & MacMan
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