[X4U] OS X On Generic PC Hardware

[Nick Scalise]

---- Nick Scalise <nickscalise at cox.net> wrote: 
> ---- "Zane H. Healy" <healyzh at aracnet.com> wrote: 
> > At 1:56 PM +0000 11/16/07, Stroller wrote:
> > >On 16 Nov 2007, at 04:58, Zane H. Healy wrote:
> > >>Since the $2,500 Mac Pro has two dual-core 2.66Ghz Xeon processors 
> > >>and can take 16Gb RAM, while this 2.2Ghz Core 2 Duo with 4Gb, you 
> > >>are right.
> > >
> > >If I recall the article the author fitted 4x 512meg of RAM, 
> > >presumably because it was cheap. I doubt if it'd be much more 
> > >expensive to fit 2x gig, and the motherboard would surely take 4x 
> > >2gig.
> > 
> > Wow, it actually will take 8Gb RAM (he is at 4Gb, 4x1Gb), I'm a bit 
> > surprised there.  I wish Apple would make a "mid-range" desktop with 
> > this chipset!  Something for those of us that want more drives and 
> > RAM, but not the full price of a Mac Pro.  Realistically the system 
> > this guy built will do everything I need with more RAM, though I'd 
> > use a better CPU.
> > 
> > >>Though it's more like the low-end Mac Book Pro thanks to the graphics.
> > >
> > >I was given to believe the graphics card in this hackintosh was the 
> > >same as in the low-end MacPro.
> > 
> > I believe it is, but otherwise it is closer to the Mac Book's and Mac 
> > Book Pro's.  Still system RAM will effect all performance, and 
> > therefore his benchmarks are unfair.  I'd be interested in seeing 
> > benchmarks with a faster Core 2 Duo (especially Quad Core), and the 
> > same amount of RAM between the system and the Mac Pro.  The Mac Pro 
> > in the benchmarks only has 1Gb, so is seriously crippled.
> 
> I don't have the original link, but could another factor in the price differential be the use of Xeons in the Mac Pro and standard Core 2 Duo's in the generic?
> 
> This would affect the price of the motherboard and the processors. 
> 
> Any have an idea how much the price differential would be if the exact same level of hardware was used?

For example, Apple, I think is using the Intel Xeon 5150 Woodcrest 2.66GHz 4M

<http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819117089>

This lists for $750, and there would be two of them in the Mac Pro.

The Core 2 Duo that the hacker bought only cost $130

So, take $800 for the hacker box subtract $130 for the lowend proc and the tack on $1500 for the high end Xeons

$2170

Not counting the different high end dual slot Motherboard.

--
Nick Scalise
nickscalise at cox.net