I know I can DIY a PC Hackintosh but I want to buy a PC and put my legal OS X onto it. So what PC can I buy today?
Ask HN: PC I can buy today to add/make Hackintosh?
1–10 of 25 posts
Re: Ask HN: PC I can buy today to add/make Hackintosh?
#2Even if you don't build it, it's not a plug and play process. I'd read everything here: http://www.tonymacx86.com/
Re: Ask HN: PC I can buy today to add/make Hackintosh?
#3There are few OEM that are actually Plug'n'Play, and even with those, you will most likely have problems with OS X updates.
If I were you, I'd really go with DIY, fewer problems and you will gain experience.
johng linked to tonymacx86 which is a useful resource, although I don't really like MultiBeast since it's not actually the All-In-One solution it's supposed to be.
insanelymac.com is also quite useful :)
Re: Ask HN: PC I can buy today to add/make Hackintosh?
#4https://www.reddit.com/r/hackintosh is another useful resource.
Re: Ask HN: PC I can buy today to add/make Hackintosh?
#5I would really advise agains even trying, unless you are simply bored. I created a system with exact parts recommended by tonymacx86 and it took days to get everything up and running. Even then basic stuff kept braking like sound. Speed stepping didn't work at all so I abandoned that ship...
Re: Ask HN: PC I can buy today to add/make Hackintosh?
#6There are optimized parts for a hackintosh, which is why it is best to DIY.
As far as buying, the retailers will skimp on areas that are negligible or ignored by the consumer, e.g. motherboard, RAM, PSU. This makes it difficult to work with compatibility & OSX from a straight buy perspective versus choosing each optimized part in a custom build.
As a warning, you might run into issues with seamless integration that is normally experienced with Apple products via MBP/iPhone/iPad. The 'ecosystem' doesn't like Hackintosh :D
Seconding Korni22 and insanelymac forums.
Re: Ask HN: PC I can buy today to add/make Hackintosh?
#7Been running Hackintosh for 5 years and have always used Gigabyte Motherboards. They generally work out of the box using tonymacx86 installation tools including upgrades.
Get an Nvidia Card (Any current model will work) if you want to avoid installation issues and get the best performance (Nvidia have native drivers for OS X) and make sure to enable TRIM on SSD's.
Re: Ask HN: PC I can buy today to add/make Hackintosh?
#8Would you be assembling a desktop machine or buying a laptop?
Re: Ask HN: PC I can buy today to add/make Hackintosh?
#9Depending on why exactly you want a Hackintosh you might want to check out Elementary OS [1]. It's a Linux distro that has the same sort of feel as Mac OS (and it's free).
If you're looking to do development for Apple products though you're probably better off just buying a Mac.
Re: Ask HN: PC I can buy today to add/make Hackintosh?
#10If it's a hobby machine go for it. They can be a lot of fun and a good way to learn more about OS X, but if it is a work machine I wouldn't recommend it. Things break all the time, updates will Bork your system. Sometimes the App Store won't work. Power use issues, it's just a lot of work.
If it's a work machine I recommend buying a base Mac mini, then adding an ssd as a second drive and maxing the ram yourself. You will get a screaming fast machine for anything that isn't too graphics intensive like hardcore gaming. And it will probably cost you about the same or less as building your own hackintosh.