Any suggestions for a budget graphics card that works with Catalina/Big Sur?

vanquish

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I think I may need to update my graphics card in order to use my new Gigabyte A520M DS3H motherboard. At the moment the bios won't allow me to disable CSM so I cannot boot into Catalina or do a Big Sur install.

My current graphics card is an XFX 7870 2GB. It works with Catalina on the B450 I motherboard and I think in theory it should also work in Big Sur but, as I say, there is this issue with being able to disable CSM on the A520 board and having tried every other suggestion it now comes down to trying a different graphics card.

So any suggestions? I don't need anything high end. The most taxing game I play is World Of Warcraft and we are definitely not talking high res graphics there! Everything else is just day to day email, browsing, social media stuff. The most important thing is that it works with Catalina and Big Sur without any problems or needing intricate modifications to files.
 

slehc84

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I think I may need to update my graphics card in order to use my new Gigabyte A520M DS3H motherboard. At the moment the bios won't allow me to disable CSM so I cannot boot into Catalina or do a Big Sur install.

My current graphics card is an XFX 7870 2GB. It works with Catalina on the B450 I motherboard and I think in theory it should also work in Big Sur but, as I say, there is this issue with being able to disable CSM on the A520 board and having tried every other suggestion it now comes down to trying a different graphics card.

So any suggestions? I don't need anything high end. The most taxing game I play is World Of Warcraft and we are definitely not talking high res graphics there! Everything else is just day to day email, browsing, social media stuff. The most important thing is that it works with Catalina and Big Sur without any problems or needing intricate modifications to files.
RX570 or 580 they both work in my 4.1/5.1
 

vanquish

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Thanks. Not exactly "budget" though. Either of those cards bought here in the UK would cost more than my complete Hackintosh. Even were they available. They are hard to get hold of. But in any case, there is no way I am paying £500-£600 for a graphics card!
 

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Shaneee

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there is this issue with being able to disable CSM on the A520 board

How confident are you in BIOS flashing the card? I grabbed a XFX VBIOS for the 7870 from TechPowerUp and I've modified it for UEFI if you're comfortable with flashing it. There's no guarantee it'll then work on Big Sur though.
 

vanquish

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How confident are you in BIOS flashing the card? I grabbed a XFX VBIOS for the 7870 from TechPowerUp and I've modified it for UEFI if you're comfortable with flashing it. There's no guarantee it'll then work on Big Sur though.
I have no problem flashing the bios on the card. As long as it lets me disable CSM on the A520 motherboard it has to be worth a go.
 

Shaneee

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I have no problem flashing the bios on the card. As long as it lets me disable CSM on the A520 motherboard it has to be worth a go.
It should do. Save a copy of your current VBIOS first. This bios simply has GOP added to it.
 

vanquish

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Can you give me a link to the bios?

I did check my card spec:


 

Shaneee

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I was sure I'd attached one lol. Save and upload the one from your card just to make flashing it back easier. I'll add GOP to yours.
 

vanquish

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Ok, I think I have done this correctly?
 

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Shaneee

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Shaneee

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I flashed the bios and the card is still working so that is a plus :) I will now try with the A520 board and let you know how it goes.

GPU-Z should also report its UEFI now.
 

Shaneee

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vanquish

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No, I still got the black screen with the Apple logo.

For one reason or another, this just doesn't seem to work. However thanks to another member of the forum, AudioGod, I now have wifi and Bluetooth working on my B450 board. And that was the aim of doing all of this. The downside is I spent a lot of money on the A520 board, 3600 CPU and the Fenvi 1200M wireless card. The motherboard I can return but the CPU and wireless card I will have to take a hit on. Still, I am happy with the end result. The only thing not working is Airdrop.
 

Moozuki

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You should be able to use the 3600 with the B450, what cpu do you have now?
 

vanquish

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You should be able to use the 3600 with the B450, what cpu do you have now?

I have the 2600 but it is 2nd gen. Apparently, this motherboard is not compatible with it.


EDIT! I mixed up which one was compatible with what. The B450 is compatible with the 3600 CPU. It was the 2600 that was not compatible with the A520.
 
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slehc84

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Thanks. Not exactly "budget" though. Either of those cards bought here in the UK would cost more than my complete Hackintosh. Even were they available. They are hard to get hold of. But in any case, there is no way I am paying £500-£600 for a graphics card!
Did not realise they was so expensive , I have a 4gd 570 MSI , A 580x XFX 8 GB XXX , Aorus 5700XT and a Nitro + 6800XT , maybe I should sell them and retire :) , also in the uk
 

vanquish

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They were not so expensive in the past but with bitcoin mining, covid and shortage of supply, prices have shot up. Even used they are often well over £300.

Luckily I have everything working now. No update to Big Sur yet but I guess it can wait. I m now running the 3600 CPU in the B450 I board and have wifi and Bluetooth working so, that is a result at least :)
 
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