Optiplex 755 - Graphics card for ML?

[muranb]

Having successfully installed Lion on my D630 laptop I have kind of caught the Hackintosh bug and am currently trying to configure a decommissioned Optiplex 755 destop for use with ML after giving up on my HP Compaq Pro 6200 SFF!

 

I have Lion installed and booting using unifail / multifail but the resolution is stuck at 1024 x 768. I am assuming there is no way around that and that I will need to add a dedicated gfx card to achieve higher? If I can get 1440 x 900 using the on board graphics I'd love to know as that would suffice for now.

 

I'm not too fussed about hardcore gaming so graphics performance does not have to be amazing but I would like to be able to run the latest O/S with all the bells and whistles of iCloud and notification centre etc.

 

Having read many posts on here I am seeing the following gfx cards mentioned often:

 

- ATI 5670

- nvidia 7300se

- Radeon 6450

 

Anything I should be aware of with these and are they all capable cards? Anything else I should consider?

 

I'm also going to need a compatible wifi card if I press on with this build so any recommendation there would be useful also

 

Thanks.

[Hervé]

I've no experience with the above cards but I would recommend you to check the wiki pages of InsanelyMac for a list of validated cards in the Components pages of each OS X version.

 

Now, having very recently installed one, I can tell you that the nVidia GeForce GT610 works OOB in Lion and ML. There are various models of such cards (I used a Twintech 2GB DDR3 model). It's not a high-end card by any means, but it does quite a good job as an entry/mid-level card. It's cheap too. There are 1GB and 2GB versions.

 

There's a good chance the GT620 would work just as well but can't say for sure, I've not tried it.

[muranb]

Thank you, I will look into the nVidia cards.

 

Can't help thinking that with the expense of the screen and the card / wifi I might as well think about a new laptop entirely! The D630 is my main machine at the moment so possibly long overdue an upgrade... just need to convince myself and the other half now

[Hervé]

You definitely need a new graphics card in the Optiplex: the on-board GMA 3100 is not supported by any OS X versions. But you'll find cards (such as the one I mentioned - fits all Optiplex models, including SFF ones) in the $30-50/25-40€ bracket, possibly cheaper on the 2nd hand market. For wifi, you should be able to get a USB dongle for pennies.

 

nVidia 7300 SE is quite old and unsupported in ML (ok under SL and Lion though). Avoid it. The Quadro NVS 110M of the D620 is based on that 7300 chip.

 

On the ATI front:

• the Radeon HD 5450 is a budget/entry-level card, capable to fit in low-profile desktops. It is supported in ML (OOB I think). Very cheap card.
• the Radeon HD 6450 is probably quite comparable to the nVidia GT610/620. Again, it's low-profile capable. It appears very problematic in ML...
• the Radeon HD 5670 is, I believe, more targetted for games. This is a full height card, so it won't fit into low-profile desktops such as the 755 SFF. It is supported in ML (may require kexts patching, depending on model/manufacturer).

[muranb]

Thanks once again for a comprehensive reply

 

I will stay away from the 7300 and will look towards the others you recommended if I decide to dabble further with the 755. In much the same way as the D630 is ageing I'm not sure spending on that would be the best option.

 

As you might have seen in another thread of mine I am still battling with the idea of a replacement laptop - more use to me than a desktop anyway for my use and of the the models I'm considering, one I already know to be fully compatible with OSX  and the other has the fairly modern nVidia Geforce GT-640M so I'm thinking that compatibility shouldn't be an issue there.

 

As yet though ... still undecided!