Building Your First PC for Photographers | Dan Case A4 V4.1 Hackintosh Build

Were you team Apple for so long but now you're getting interested in building your own PC? DO IT! Building your own machine is honestly the best. Especially if you're building a Hackintosh. In this video, we're going to talk about the 3 reasons why you need to start building your own computer and also a walkthrough of my most recent build. Speaking of my most recent build I'm LOVING this small form factor PC. Building in the Dan Case A4 v4.1 and honestly, it's one of my favorite cases to build in.
Don't forget to check out this video's sponsor Squarespace. Follow this link to receive 10% off of your first website! www.squarespace...
Here are all of the parts I used for this build.
Case: Dan Case A4-SFX v4.1: www.dan-cases....
Motherboard: Z390 Aorus Pro Wifi ITX: amzn.to/30jdmgZ
Processor: Intel i5 9600k: amzn.to/3igiUyT
Memory: G Skill Trident Z RGB 32GB: amzn.to/34bbfNi
Storage: 970 Evo Plus 500GB: amzn.to/34dQdNS
Storage: Crucial SSD 2TB: amzn.to/3cH2uOM
Processor Fan: Noctua NH-L9i: amzn.to/3kY4jcZ
Case Fan: Noctua NF-A9x14:amzn.to/2SnGJKJ
Power Supply: Corsair SF600: amzn.to/34754tG
MacOS Wifi/BT: amzn.to/3cJ9V8a
Graphics Card: amzn.to/2S7d8VH
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HoneyBook for Client Management + Online Contracts (50% off of your account!): bit.ly/honeyboo...
Lightroom Classic + Lightroom CC for Photo Editing: bit.ly/2AYEtBz
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Backblaze to Backup my Data: bit.ly/2E1esUQ
GNARBOX 2.0 for Onsite File Backup: bit.ly/2SsGy1K
Rev.com the Best Way to Add Closed Captions to your KZbin Videos: bit.ly/30V6GVm
License Free Music for KZbin and Wedding Videos:
Artlist: bit.ly/2T1olqT
Epidemic Sound: share.epidemics...
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Follow Me Online:
Patreon: / jbivphotography
Instagram: / jbivphotography
Facebook: / jbivphotos
Twitter: / jbivphotography
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My Recording Gear:
Fujifilm XT30: amzn.to/2WOyIyy
Fujifilm XT3: amzn.to/2JHH9rZ
Fujifilm 23mm f/2: amzn.to/2vXtHZe
Mefoto Tripod: amzn.to/2Ppwumg
Rode VideoMicro: amzn.to/2MEaXYo
Liliput Field Monitor: amzn.to/2LaWM8k
SanDisk Extreme Pro: amzn.to/2wfqzHK
Logitech C922x: amzn.to/2r7eLow
Blue Mic Yeti White: amzn.to/2DLnLre
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DISCLAIMER: This video and description contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, we’ll receive a small commission.
#hackintosh #sffbuild #photography

[@jbivphotography]

Are you team Mac? Or do you love building your own computers?

[@ivormorris8142]

team pc but i havent built a pc since 2015.

[@RonnelPineda]

Diy all the way!

[@angelvelazquez1792]

Team Mac but curious to build a Hackintosh. Have you had any incidents of the computer crashing? Do external peripherals work, such as a Wacom Intous tablet?

[@svanesk]

Built my first early 2000s, never built in a SFF-case tho.

[@ArpadAmbrus]

PC all the way. Love to do things my way. :)

[@user-wj5hc3tp9v]

Oh wow impressive that you joined the sff gang

[@jbivphotography]

It's so fun. My main machine is still in a mid-tower but honestly I'm thinking about putting it in an SFF after this build.

[@majorculture7159]

You just love going against the norm lol. Fujifilm. PC builds. i can respect it

[@jbivphotography]

You figured me out. Lol

[@ivormorris8142]

as a sony and fuji shooter, ppl find it funny when i say i would choose my fuji over my sony.

[@forby_]

Dude, your shots are so clean! Love that case.

[@jbivphotography]

Thanks! it was such a fun case to work in.

[@MarcSwan]

I've got 2 hackintoshes, one of them was just for fun, and is actually my UnRaid server that I use to store photo and video projects for clients. My primary machine is a hackintosh: 9900K @ 5.1 GHz, 64 GB of Corsair Vengeance Pro RGB RAM, Popwercolor 5700Xt + Sapphire Vega 64 (reference), running macOS 11 Big Sur. The UnRaid server that can boot macOS at any time is a Ryzen 9 3950X, 64GB of G. Skill Trident Z RAM, Powercolor 5700XT + GTX 1080TI. Blazing fast machines and both are fractions of the cost of the iMac equivalent. Cheers on the new Hack, my man.

[@renatoioimo]

I've also install hackintosh to my pc but i think it doesn't work well. Can u help me? With payment. Machine: 8700k - vega 56 - maximus x code Z370

[@examen1996]

You could rotate you cpu cooler 90 degrees so that the fins pass the air up in dow, currently the fans and io cover block the little airflow that you already have. Also, big ups for your build log, as a avid pc builder I took can vouch for how hard it is to build in small cases, but you did a grand job out of it. Great vid

[@jbivphotography]

Thank you so much. That really means a lot. It was SUPER stressful filming and building at the same time. On top of that I still consider myself novice. It was a wild ride. lol

[@rajeshmohanty2070]

Nice video. and happy that u talked about Hackintosh. But what I want to know is how nervous you were while recording this build video. Posting a PC build video can even mess up huge tech company (coughs, Verge. lol)

[@jbivphotography]

😂😂😂😂😂 LOL the Verge video was so bad. I was actually pretty nervous to be honestly. I'm still pretty novice at building so I was waiting for the whole internet to come for me. 😂😂

[@briang6652]

Beautiful case that I would choose if not afraid of airflow in building my itx hackintosh couple years ago

[@jbivphotography]

Airflow seems to be pretty good. I didn’t show it in this video but I ended up installing an exhaust fan in the bottom under the PSU. This computer isn’t going to have much heavy use on it so it should be good to go.

[@SeaSharp]

Great video. You can absolutely build in a small form factor for your first build though. The cable routing and component compatibility with the case is the toughest part but with the right research you can do it. Best to follow a build done by a KZbinr like Optimum Tech.

[@jbivphotography]

Very true! I’m more so just talking about my own experience. Even after watching tutorials I had a hard time in an SFF build. Just because of my understanding of all the parts and how they interact with each other. I’m also impatient so that doesn’t help with SFF builds 😂

[@damayoclinic]

Good Morning John, hope all is well; Stay Safe. I'm team Mac, I have two MacBook Pro's 2016, 2019, IMac 27 2018, iPad 2019. I just purchased a Beelink GT-R running Windows10 Pro AMD Ryzen 5 3550H Processer Mini PC, that is Fast, upgradable, and all the bells and whistles. I would definitely love to build a Hackintosh machine, I'm gonna look into it; Thank You!

[@jbivphotography]

It really is a fun process. I've done it now twice and really it's kind of addicting. If you like to tinker and troubleshoot it's a fun hobby.

[@mleedeppeutah]

I noticed you have a 27" monitor, what kind do you like? I have been a Mac user for years and was a canon shooter, but I'm loving Fuji, Capture one, and want a hackintosh. thanks for the video and computer parts list.

[@jbivphotography]

Awesome. I'm currently using BenQ Pd3200Q monitors. They're 34" 2K monitors. REALLY awesome for photo editing. I'm upgrading now to the BenQ Ultrawide PD3420Q which I'll have a video about that soon but I'm REALLY enjoying it so far.

[@renatoioimo]

Can i ask u why prefer hackintosh to classic windows? If suite adobe works well on windows 10

[@jbivphotography]

I really do love MacOS. I prefer it over all. But honestly I only use it for design and video editing. I like Final Cut better so far for all of my video editing and then being able to use programs like Pixelmator and things. But honestly I do the majority of my work on windows.

[@renatoioimo]

@@jbivphotography yes i've also hackintosh for Final Cut. Thanks for answer :) but for adobe ps / lr i prefer windows

[@saphy9805]

Funny thing, I built my first pc last April in a Dan Case A4 V4.1 and although I was able to put it all together properly, it was very tough to cable manage, so I would definitely have to agree to not make your first pc build in a SFF case.

[@jbivphotography]

Congrats on that first PC. Yeah I think it's very true for first builds. It's like if you haven't built your own PC at least 3 times your mind just doesn't work correctly in understanding how to cable manage. So finding the easiest case to cable manage and build in is a must when starting. I hope other people see this before taking on an SFF for their first build.

[@saphy9805]

@@jbivphotography I was lucky enough to know people who had some experience in pc building. I think the main issue is that stock cables simply take up a lot of space, and in a case like the Dan Case, every bit of space matters. I have been looking into making or buying custom length PSU cables to help reduce the space the cables take up.

[@callmesalcedo]

Just got this same motherboard and am thinking of doing a Hackintosh as well! By any chance can you show your bios settings and you efi?

[@jbivphotography]

I'm so novice at this stuff that I'm not even sure how to do that correctly. But one thing I can tell you is you're going to have a hard time with the wifi. I ran into a whole issue with this board and I wouldn't recommend it for anyone wanting to hack. Check out my reddit post on it. www.reddit.com/r/hackintosh/comments/j2p26s/opencore_61_catalina_10157_z390_aorus_pro_wifi/?context=3

[@johnnozzi-photovideo6543]

John; have you games at all on this? Looking for something to run warzone decently too!

[@DenisMcD]

I feel like we'd be friends lol, Fuji, iPad pro and small form PCs

[@jbivphotography]

TOTALLY! I shouldn't have done this build. I want to switch my main machine to a SFF build now. lol

[@R1S0.]

nice build! please what is the total weight of the case with all components inside?

[@callmesalcedo]

Did you use clover or opencore for the Hackintosh boot loader?

[@jbivphotography]

I used OpenCore. It was my first time and OMG it's so much better than Clover!

[@callmesalcedo]

John Branch IV Photography I definitely have to agree with you! Awesome video 🤙

[@zenjirusina]

Hey John! Id love to know how the thermal performance is? Is your setup silent in idle? does it get loud when youre editing your 4k videos & how are the temperatures then? Thought about building a small PC for a while but I also want it to be silent. Kinds regards from Germany :)

[@jbivphotography]

Thermals aren't too bad. MacOS isn't the best for being able to track and see the thermals but my CPU is idling around 35C and the GPU is doing pretty well. Under load the GPU gets pretty loud. But that's only if I'm like playing a game or something. I did put a custom fan curve on my one case fan as well because it was running a little loud at all times. Thermals are probably always the hardest thing for SFF builds.

[@davidabarak]

Argh, no static control? ; ) I built a PC for video editing a LONG time ago and it worked out well. After a lapse of a few years I became a Mac user again in 2011... and I'm now fed up with the cost and poor "it just works" performance and reliability of Macs. I hadn't even considered building a computer again until I saw your video, and I think that'll be my plan. I have a question for you... do you know of any good Thunderbolt cards for PCs? (That's assuming they even make them.) I have a small Thunderbolt RAID that I'd want to use with a PC I build. If you know of one or more options, add them to your list of affiliate links. You didn't pound the KZbin universe with a hyperbolic video title intended to draw in buyers, so for that (and for the useful information) you deserver the affiliate sales. As I buy parts I'll go through your links.

[@jbivphotography]

LOL. I know. The scariest build. I really need to get something for static.

[@sagerequiem]

Hi, does the Wifi BT card you installed provide bluetooth and air drop capability with that mobo?

[@jbivphotography]

It does. It’s an apple official one so it works with all of the features.

[@tomasurban6887]

beautiful build

[@jbivphotography]

Thanks a bunch. This case is SUPER fun to build in.

[@TKGZONE]

So how come content creators pefer macos over windows 10? If most of the software the same, what makes macos better?

[@oricbui4943]

Hey John, I love this build. Would you mind share the cost of this build?

[@Cloud09x]

Small form factor builds tend to be kinda pricy. Just for parts before the case, you're looking at $1,021 and the case alone is about $253 about.

[@pirojfmifhghek566]

Even in that toaster of a case, the thermals are probably a million times better than any apple computer. Apple likes to boast about their specs and build quality all the time, but what good is a sleek-looking computer with a "4ghz" CPU that can only hit those clock speeds for thirty seconds before dropping back down to 3.4ghz on a full load? That's not a workhorse. That's no better than a web surfing gadget. Meanwhile I'm over here running this practically ancient pc from five years ago that never drops below 4.3ghz, still transcoding files for hours without breaking a sweat. If I wanted similar performance and longevity, Apple would've told me to shell out five grand for one of those cylindrical Mac Pros. And I wouldn't have been able to upgrade my graphics cards either, because some knob on the design team thought it would look cooler if they jammed everything into that little trash can with no room for anything but a couple of OEM Firepro cards. I don't care what my computer looks like! My eyes are on the monitor. If I have to look at the computer itself, it's because it's taking too long to render and I'm glaring at it.

[@ronaelrojas6993]

Moving away from apple and move to pc... Yess!

[@damayoclinic]

Where would get the Mac OS from, I would love to build one?

[@philmaddocks9995]

Only Apple computers have MacOS.... it’s not something you can install on a custom Pc... at least not legally or easily anyway

[@jbivphotography]

It's a bit of a longer process but first you do have to have a Mac to be able to download MacOS. Searching around for Hackintosh and you'll find more info on it.

[@callmesalcedo]

Would you edit photos on the Hackintosh? Or do you just prefer windows for photo editing?

[@bastiencolas]

nice build ! :D Can i have the reference of your monitor please ? I am looking for one. THX

[@jbivphotography]

Thanks a bunch. I'm using the BenQ PD3200Qs. They're 32" 1440p monitors.

[@natashanicole7408]

Wonderful Now to find something to edit my 10bit 4:2:2 R5 files on 😅

[@jbivphotography]

Time to build a BEASTY machine it sounds like.

[@MarcSwan]

If you're on Premiere, a 10th gen Intel i7 or i9, and RTX 2080Ti/RTX 3080 or 3090 would be the sweetest spot for you. If you're on Davinci, a Ryzen 9 3900X or 3950X, with 2x 2080/2080Ti or 2x 3080/3090 is the sweetest spot. 64GB of RAM minimum. I can get through the R5 & R6 footage without issues. :)

[@natashanicole7408]

Marc Swan Thanks for the reply! No issues as in you don’t even transcode or create proxies?? The dream!

[@MarcSwan]

@@natashanicole7408 I've never created a proxy file. Never had to. Davinci is a MONSTER, and handles almost any codec better than Premier.

[@JWest1]

I want to build my own computer, but I have not done so yet. I want to build a computer on the inside of a slab wood desk. Built it in such a way that there is a glass top on it that lifts up to install and work on the computer parts in the desk and once you are done you lay the lid down and you're done! in the meantime, I am doing research on that, but I want to build a computer specifically for photography and video editing. As I am wanting to learn photography and start making a career out of it at some point. I like the idea of weddings and all that, but I feel a lot of people do that already, I think real estate photography and marketing photography would make a great living, anyone else think this would work out well? I would also love to do weather photography and video, tornados and that kind of thing, its always been a dream of mine to be a storm chaser and document natures destruction and beauty.

[@jbivphotography]

Photographing storms and things would be SUPER awesome. And I love your idea of building the PC inside of the desk. I think I've seen a couple of videos where folks have done that and it's super cool.

[@pogzie]

4:45 to the build itself.

[@yojanamamgain2732]

NC👍

[@jbivphotography]

Good ol NC!

[@zaykow.k]

Люблю маленькие компьютеры. Маме собирал похожий.

[@Learn2TradeLLC]

you want to build a "hackintosh" that's the fastest way to mess up a GPU. i know from experience lmao

[@kassidybopp3137]

Do you need a PC to start out? I’m just beginning and do not have a PC.

[@jbivphotography]

You don’t. If you’re going to build yourself a windows machine all you need are the parts and then to purchase windows. After you’ve put everything together and confirm it turns on you can load your operating system and have a new computer.

[@Tristarr21]

so much thermal paste...

[@jbivphotography]

I want it to be COOOOOOOL 😂😂 It really was too much.

[@motivation849]

*John Branch IV Photography* how to do clickbank step by step