Where does one buy a Core Duo + motherboard?

placeboplacebo
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Is it only available to large companies right now or something? I want to build a PC with a Core Duo for maximum OS X x86 compatibility, and I've heard of people replacing theire iMac's Core Duo with a faster one, but they didn't mention where they bought it.



?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 10
    deestardeestar Posts: 105member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Placebo

    Is it only available to large companies right now or something? I want to build a PC with a Core Duo for maximum OS X x86 compatibility, and I've heard of people replacing theire iMac's Core Duo with a faster one, but they didn't mention where they bought it.



    ?



    The main problem with getting an of the shelf core duo motherboard, if they were available, would be that Apple uses EFI(UEFI) as the motherboard firmware. Most other PC manufactures/motherboard use a traditional BIOS.



    They also use trusted computing technology which the Intel version of OSX looks for before it boots.
  • Reply 2 of 10
    thereubsterthereubster Posts: 402member
    yeah theres nothing to be gained by going with a Core duo processor amd MB and the released version of Intel 10.4.4. The EFI thing is going to prevent it happening on a generic PC motherboard anytime soon (I'd guess). Best to go for any old Intel chipset (915 for best compatibility) motherboard and P4 CPU and "obtain" the developer Intel version of 10.4.3.

    DIsclaimer: this post in NO way advocates pirating Apple OSX Intel version
  • Reply 3 of 10
    ciparisciparis Posts: 87member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Placebo

    Is it only available to large companies right now or something? I want to build a PC with a Core Duo for maximum OS X x86 compatibility, and I've heard of people replacing theire iMac's Core Duo with a faster one, but they didn't mention where they bought it.



    ?



    I'd wait a little while and buy whatever Intel Mini is released, perhaps. Then drop in a Core Duo in place of the Core Solo it's likely to have -- probably by then there will be *some* sort of native Windows solution as well (virtual machine or dual boot).
  • Reply 4 of 10
    robin hoodrobin hood Posts: 513member
    Have you seen the price of the Core Duo chip? They're like $700 just for the chip, without a motherboard or anything. This will come down, and lower end Core Duo chips are cheaper, but it's what I've seen in terms of pricing so far.
  • Reply 5 of 10
    robin hoodrobin hood Posts: 513member
    Also note that the Intel iMac is processor upgradable, so you can pop in a 3GHz Core Duo when they are available. At $1299 for the 17" iMac with mobo, screen and Core Duo chip, not to mention everything else, it is a good deal, and really not worth breaking the law for.
  • Reply 6 of 10
    wmfwmf Posts: 1,164member
    They seem to be available in Japan, but nowhere else.
  • Reply 7 of 10
    placeboplacebo Posts: 5,767member
    Well, right now I'm split between going with the better hardware (Athlon64) or the more-likely-to-work-with-OSX but inferior Intel hardware.
  • Reply 8 of 10
    akacakac Posts: 512member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Robin Hood

    Also note that the Intel iMac is processor upgradable, so you can pop in a 3GHz Core Duo when they are available. At $1299 for the 17" iMac with mobo, screen and Core Duo chip, not to mention everything else, it is a good deal, and really not worth breaking the law for.



    I believe the Core Duo isn't going to last long. Its a short term solution until Merom. I believe the Core Duo is supposed to max out at 2.4 Ghz or something and Merom starts there.
  • Reply 9 of 10
    placeboplacebo Posts: 5,767member
    I got the feeling that since the Core Solo and Core Duo are both primarily intended to be in notebooks, Intel hadn't bothered to put them in the hands of consumers, since so few people have the guts to upgrade their notebooks. Apple was probably the exception in using them, their justification being the thin layout of the iMac.
  • Reply 10 of 10
    ciparisciparis Posts: 87member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Placebo

    I got the feeling that since the Core Solo and Core Duo are both primarily intended to be in notebooks, Intel hadn't bothered to put them in the hands of consumers, since so few people have the guts to upgrade their notebooks. Apple was probably the exception in using them, their justification being the thin layout of the iMac.



    Intel's VIIV brand (coming to a PC near you real soon now) will feature Core Duo as a typical processor in the small form factor implementations (especially the entertainment-system-style living room boxes) from various manufacturers. Apple was just first out the gate with it.
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