Running Mac OS X on standard PCs
Published: 14 May 2008
Network, sound and graphics cards
Hardware support for network, sound and graphics cards is generally good, although problems can still arise. Realtek and Marvell network chips generally work, but some newer Intel chips can prove troublesome. Drivers are not usually available, so an additional network card will be needed. The same is true for Wi-Fi: Atheros and Broadcom chips are mostly OK, but Intel's 3945ABG is not supported. Some manufacturers, including Ralink and ZyXEL, now even offer Mac OS drivers for download.
Integrated audio, as often used on motherboards, is supported by default in the latest images. Drivers for a number of ALC88x-family chips are on the setup DVD. However, with Sound Blaster products, you'll have to accept some reduced functionality. Frequently, the 5.1 analogue output does not work, although the digital output does support this standard. Also, the sound inputs only rarely function.
Mac OS X is particularly animation-rich, so support for graphics chips is critical. Drivers are present, but work only rarely for newer ATI and Nvidia GPUs (Graphics Processing Units); older graphics chips from the Radeon X1000 series give fewer problems. With newer graphics chips it's best to perform the installation without selecting a graphics driver, so that Mac OS starts in VGA mode. In our test with an ATI HD 2600 X, however, even that failed. Installation is successful with some compatible graphics cards, though. We succeeded with ATI's X1400, X1600 and X1900, while newer graphics cards with HD 2600 XT, HD 2900, HD 3850, HD3870 and HD 3870X2 chips required Mac OS to be started in VGA mode.
After starting Mac OS X Leopard with a X1000 graphics card, drivers can be installed to ensure that newer GPUs offer full graphics acceleration. You can even use an ATI HD 3870 X2, although Mac OS X will not make use of the second GPU in this high-end card. Nevertheless the second chip is recognised and you can use the (four) DVI outputs to connect further monitors — similar to a Mac Pro with two graphics cards. Almost all graphics drivers in circulation support digital LCD connections, although it's possible that in some setups only the analogue VGA mode will be active. Multi-screen operation is no problem: after connecting a second monitor, Mac OS extends the desktop area automatically.
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