Just make sure to use SMBIOS iMac15,1 if you would like to eventually upgrade to Big Sur. You can also use HD4600 exclusively with Big Sur, no dedicated graphics required. HD4600 is preferred because it has full support in macOS Mojave and Catalina. Every Intel i5 or i7 CPU that came pre-installed in these has the HD4600 graphics built in. Here are the Optiplex CPU, Memory and Graphics specs from the Dell Owner's Manual. This will require that you change the DVMT pre-allocation to 64MB. Dual 4K monitors via the 2 DP 1.2 outputs can also be utilized. It also gives you the option of using multiple (4) 4K monitors via the NVS 510. In the SFF version a 2.5" Sata SSD can be placed in the Optical drive bay once that is removed. Optional 4K LG monitor, a separate NVMe drive and a 1TB mechanical hard drive not being combined as a Fusion drive. This OptiMac build includes your choice of either a Mini-tower Dell or a Small form factor Optiplex you can put on your desk. (Cost of a used/working 2014 iMac logic board would be well over 200 USD)
Compare that to what the 2014 iMac board would cost and how difficult it is to install one. I recently purchased a like new Optiplex 9020 MT motherboard for fifteen USD shipped. You can do them yourself in a matter of minutes whereas iMac parts, repairs and upgrades are expensive and time consuming. When you buy a Dell Optiplex and install macOS, repairs and upgrades are easy and as low cost as possible. The downside of any iMac is that it's an enclosed all in one that is difficult to repair or upgrade. You get a lot more performance for a lot less money.Ī 2014 5K iMac in good condition on Ebay will cost you from $600 to $700 currently. The Core i7 CPU will not thermal throttle as it does in the airflow restricted iMac. The AMD Radeon RX580 is much better than the older R9 M290X that comes with the Late 2014 iMac. You can configure a Dell Optiplex MT with 32GB of ram, an i7-4790 and an AMD RX 580 8GB for about 1/3 of the price of an iMac with similar specs.
A 27" Retina 5K iMac like the one mentioned previously can cost you a hefty sum of money. I can highly recommend either of the Z390/Z490 Intel Guides right here in Golden Builds by moderator CaseySJ.Īny six year old iMac in good condition, that is fully functional, maintains a high resale value. This build will not work for you if you'll need 6 to 8 cores and more than 32GB of ram for the work you do on a daily basis. All new ninth or tenth gen Intel based hardware will cost about 3x more. The primary advantage of the Dell Optiplex 7020/9020 is that you'll get a lot of performance for a lot less money. If you are a video editing professional and need HEVC, H.265 encoding and decoding you'll be better off building a new Intel based system with an i7 or i9. There are also low cost Nvidia graphics cards that you'll see listed in the Buyer's Guide above. This would imply that you use a CPU with HD4600 graphics.
You can buy a complete system in the 200-300 US Dollar range if you search for good deals. If you want to record and edit music while using Logic Pro or Pro Tools, this build will get you started, without breaking the bank. The Dell OptiMac will work well for home video and photo editing with FCP X and the Adobe suite of apps. This OptiMac guide builds upon what I learned from my Optiplex 7010/9010 guide that I posted back in May of 2018. There is a separate thread on this topic located in Big Sur Desktop Guides.
See my gibMacOS guide for how to download older versions of macOSĭownload from the Mac App Store on an eligible Mac or Hackintosh See this post for more info on this cooler and the 5 pin adapter needed. Power Supply Upgrade(Get at least a 550W for a 580/590)ĮVGA 500 BQ 500W (Semi-Modular) Budget PSUĮVGA SuperNOVA 550W G3 80+ Gold (Fully Modular)Ģ4 To 8 Pin Power Supply Adapter (Needed if you upgrade to an ATX PSU)Īmazon See this post for more info about the adapterĬR2032 Energizer CMOS Lithium Battery - 2 packĬoolerMaster i70c 95W TDP LGA 1155 Intel Cooler USB Type - C PCIe Adapter( Asmedia 3142 Chipset)
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They have TRIM problems.įenvi FV-HB1200 Broadcom 94360CS2 Wifi/BT Adapter Building a CustoMac Hackintosh: Buyer's GuideĭisplayPort to HDMI 2.0 Adapter - Amazon a dedicated card to a 4K television or Monitor w/HDMI 2.0)ĭisplayPort Cable Nylon Braided - Amazon and SSD UpgradesĪVOID all Samsung NVMe drives.