Hackintosh anyone?

Macs are great. Best platform I've ever used. I love the style of most of the software available and I'm just more fluent on navigating a mac.

But damn...the price tag. They look pretty, but I can't afford that kind of price tag on a GOOD iMac. So I've come across this term a few times and I started doing some research on Hackintosh - in other words, building your own PC, and then loading OSX onto it.

One of the videos shows a guy loading a 6 core i7 processor and all kinds of other goodies for right around the $2k price range...compared to the almost equivalent Mac Pro for around $5k

The parts are cheap..getting cheaper every day...building computers is fun...so I think I'm gonna take the plunge and DO IT!!

Anyone had any experience with building your own Hackintosh??

I have never built a mac, but I have built PCs based for Windows and Linux. I stopped building them though because they are so cheap now. I can usually find good quality custom built PCs for cheaper than I can buy the individual parts.

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Originally Posted by Wh00h0069

I have never built a mac, but I have built PCs based for Windows and Linux. I stopped building them though because they are so cheap now. I can usually find good quality custom built PCs for cheaper than I can buy the individual parts.

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I agree, to buy all your own parts to build it isnt worth it any more. To the OP: I would try and find a PC that you like, either a base one or one with some of the different add ons youre already looking for instead of trying to build the whole thing from scratch. It will be much cheaper and then buy the software/add ons you want to go onto it.

I have. You have to be very careful in which components you choose, because EFI firmware is usually much larger than the stock firmware. I would suggest that you visit the forum over at Mac Rumors. They have a hackintosh forum and most of the people on the Mac Pro forum know what they are talking about.

I always wonder how it would be different than building any other computer. My last 2 systems have been prebuilts that I added a gfx card to, again cheaper than buying all the parts individually.

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Originally Posted by OhhWatALoser

I always wonder how it would be different than building any other computer. My last 2 systems have been prebuilts that I added a gfx card to, again cheaper than buying all the parts individually.

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The biggest difference is that you have to flash all of the components with EFI firmware. This can be very difficult and takes a long time to find/get working. I've personally gotten rid of my hackintosh now that I have a 2010 hex core Mac Pro with 24 GB of RAM. But I am using non-apple graphics cards. I have 2 NVIDIA Quadro 5000 GPUs that I flashed with the apple supported Quadro 4000 drivers/firmware.

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Originally Posted by Nate

Macs are great. Best platform I've ever used. I love the style of most of the software available and I'm just more fluent on navigating a mac.

But damn...the price tag. They look pretty, but I can't afford that kind of price tag on a GOOD iMac. So I've come across this term a few times and I started doing some research on Hackintosh - in other words, building your own PC, and then loading OSX onto it.

One of the videos shows a guy loading a 6 core i7 processor and all kinds of other goodies for right around the $2k price range...compared to the almost equivalent Mac Pro for around $5k

The parts are cheap..getting cheaper every day...building computers is fun...so I think I'm gonna take the plunge and DO IT!!

Anyone had any experience with building your own Hackintosh??

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There are 2 things I will warn you about. First off an i7 is not a Xeon. My Xeon hex core runs circles around my old i7 that was almost exactly the same spec for spec. The architecture of the processor itself it far better.

Second when using a hackintosh you loose a lot of the reliability and dependability that Macs are known for. They tend to have a mind of their own but if you are willing to put in some serious time they can work. This will not be a small project. It took me months to get everything right with mine.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't go this rout just that you should know that it isn't as simple as building a PC and will take a lot of time and parameter adjustments to get working well. Research and a strong knowledge of OS X's inner workings will be your best bet at getting this to work.

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

I agree, to buy all your own parts to build it isnt worth it any more. To the OP: I would try and find a PC that you like, either a base one or one with some of the different add ons youre already looking for instead of trying to build the whole thing from scratch. It will be much cheaper and then buy the software/add ons you want to go onto it.

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Prebuilt computers that are windows based are cheapr for a reason. Never should someone that knows how to build go out and spend money on prebuilt. As you get crappy parts that are all low end.

What one can buy in store i can build it with better components all name brand with warranties, windows installed for around 30-50% cheaper.

My last build cost close to 2k. Store bought one of this caliber would be over 4k in store and im sure would be low end Ram, Motherboard,Hard drive,Heatsink, and so on.

Its ALWAYS best to build your own computer saves time, money and you know what goes wrong if something does. Then send it out for repair rather Whole computer to Hp,Dell,Gateway .....


To the OP you can build one and put Apple OS on it. Ive done it for college class through a Virtual Machine off my Desktop.

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Originally Posted by RichsBallPythons

Prebuilt computers that are windows based are cheapr for a reason. Never should someone that knows how to build go out and spend money on prebuilt. As you get crappy parts that are all low end.

What one can buy in store i can build it with better components all name brand with warranties, windows installed for around 30-50% cheaper.

My last build cost close to 2k. Store bought one of this caliber would be over 4k in store and im sure would be low end Ram, Motherboard,Hard drive,Heatsink, and so on.

Its ALWAYS best to build your own computer saves time, money and you know what goes wrong if something does. Then send it out for repair rather Whole computer to Hp,Dell,Gateway .....


To the OP you can build one and put Apple OS on it. Ive done it for college class through a Virtual Machine off my Desktop.

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I don't agree. I buy prebuilt custom PCs from a company online. They have the exact same parts that I would use to custom build a PC for less that what it costs me to buy them individually. I am not referring to in-store PCs.

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Originally Posted by RichsBallPythons

Prebuilt computers that are windows based are cheapr for a reason. Never should someone that knows how to build go out and spend money on prebuilt. As you get crappy parts that are all low end.

What one can buy in store i can build it with better components all name brand with warranties, windows installed for around 30-50% cheaper.

My last build cost close to 2k. Store bought one of this caliber would be over 4k in store and im sure would be low end Ram, Motherboard,Hard drive,Heatsink, and so on.

Its ALWAYS best to build your own computer saves time, money and you know what goes wrong if something does. Then send it out for repair rather Whole computer to Hp,Dell,Gateway .....


To the OP you can build one and put Apple OS on it. Ive done it for college class through a Virtual Machine off my Desktop.

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Whoa easy dude, I have never built a computer so my knowledge is somewhat limited. My friend has built many of them though and I unfortunately get stuck listening to him rambling on about computer jargon occasionally lol. I was just saying this because I thought getting all your own parts and putting in the time to put it together would be about the same as buying one and adding on to it. On a side note; where do you get most of your computer parts from that are so much cheaper? I've gotten things off Tiger Direct before but I was wondering if theres somewhere else you get stuff from thats even cheaper?

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Originally Posted by Mike41793

Whoa easy dude, I have never built a computer so my knowledge is somewhat limited. My friend has built many of them though and I unfortunately get stuck listening to him rambling on about computer jargon occasionally lol. I was just saying this because I thought getting all your own parts and putting in the time to put it together would be about the same as buying one and adding on to it. On a side note; where do you get most of your computer parts from that are so much cheaper? I've gotten things off Tiger Direct before but I was wondering if theres somewhere else you get stuff from thats even cheaper?

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Try 3btech.net.

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Originally Posted by Wh00h0069

Try 3btech.net.

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Cool, thank you

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Originally Posted by Wh00h0069

I don't agree. I buy prebuilt custom PCs from a company online. They have the exact same parts that I would use to custom build a PC for less that what it costs me to buy them individually. I am not referring to in-store PCs.

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Not gonna happen, Somewhere in them online prebuilts something is low end, be it the PSU,heat sink, hard drive, motherboard, ram..

I built over 150 computers in past year and not could be found online cheaper.

Let me know when you can find my build online Cheaper than you can build it yourself.

CPU: i7 980x @ 4.3ghz @ 1.28v
RAM: 12gb G-Skill 'RipJaws' @ 1600mhz / 1.5v
Mobo: Asus Rampage 3 Extreme
GPU: 3 x Sapphire 6970 2gb @ stock clocks
OS Drive: OCZ Vertex 2 60gb
Data: 4 x Seagate Barracuda 1tb in RAID5
PSU: Enermax Revo 85+ 1020w
Case: Corsair 800D

No company will have anything CLOSE to that for what i paid to build it... You can get decent mid range i7 computers but nothing like that without paying a butt load.

I get my parts from newegg.com and local Micro Center. Since i buy A LOT of parts for customers i get discounts.

rich, not everyone builds 2k computers, my 400 dollar pre-built from microcenter would cost 550 for the exact same parts, nothing substituted, that's part for part. Maybe the higher end stuff doesn't compare, but it was a no brainer to go with the pre-built when I got this 2 years ago. Add a gfx card and fill the ram slots, does everything I need it for.

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Originally Posted by OhhWatALoser

rich, not everyone builds 2k computers, my 400 dollar pre-built from microcenter would cost 550 for the exact same parts, nothing substituted, that's part for part. Maybe the higher end stuff doesn't compare, but it was a no brainer to go with the pre-built when I got this 2 years ago. Add a gfx card and fill the ram slots, does everything I need it for.

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Lower end pre builts, you might be able to match the prices, But when you build your own, your wanting speed,reliability,clear performance. If you dont do Intensive stuff on a computer, then a 400$ HP or Dell will be fine. But keep in mind, the Motherboards and PSU in them are very cheaply made with small 12v rails which are known to popping resistors and or damaging everything plugged into the motherboard.

And thats where pre builts get you. You buy their ready to go out the box, but you have to upgrade ram and add in a gfx card so your not using the onboard one. In the end you done added 200-300 more dollars.

There will always be a difference between people who need more than a stock computer, Professionals that need a workstation, and people who just want the best of the best.

I personally fall under the professional workstation category and thats why I shelled out almost $10,000 for my set up. I needed something that will work 24/7 and could run circles around any other computer that I have used. I can justify the cost because the computer lets me get more work done in less time so that means that I make more money. But for someone who doesn't make money off of their computer spending $10,000 would be ludicrous.

Gamers and the people who just want the best of the best can get the same performance as I do but their system might be less reliable. The major difference here would be Xeon vs i7. (price wise as well)

Rich is right. Most pre-built PC's are crap, and I would be wary of Pre-built customs. If you know what you are doing/where to look you can build a monster of a computer for a fraction of the price that a Pre-built would.

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Originally Posted by RichsBallPythons

Lower end pre builts, you might be able to match the prices, But when you build your own, your wanting speed,reliability,clear performance. If you dont do Intensive stuff on a computer, then a 400$ HP or Dell will be fine. But keep in mind, the Motherboards and PSU in them are very cheaply made with small 12v rails which are known to popping resistors and or damaging everything plugged into the motherboard.

And thats where pre builts get you. You buy their ready to go out the box, but you have to upgrade ram and add in a gfx card so your not using the onboard one. In the end you done added 200-300 more dollars.

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pre-built is micro centers brand - powerspec, again not everyone needs to spend 200-300 dollars on ram and a gfx card, nvidia 9500 gt was 60 bucks when I got it. ram was 40 bucks. so i had 100 bucks more into it. I hardly game anymore, the most intensive thing going on is the compiz for desktop effects and run unity on ubuntu. I just wanted dual monitors to work and It also lets me run a svideo out so I can clone my tv and watch movies in the living room that I downloaded. 8 gigs of ram is all i felt like sinking money into, so thats the speed i render stuff at, photoshop runs flawlessly, videos take a while to render, but it is what it is. just saying, not everything has to be a powerhouse

Op,
I have played with building a Hackintosh. I own an older mac pro and built an equivalent machine it was somewhat cheaper and a lot slower. The reality of the situation is if you need speed and stability you need to use apple certified components and at that point you might as well buy one. The comparison between an imac and mac pro is not fair it is not in the same ball park at all. You can get a base macpro for 3000$ and add a lower end monitor and plan on upgrading later. I don't know what type of work you do but my pro quad xeon 10gb ram still is faster than most off the shelf PC even after 3 years. I often have video playing email photoshop with 40-80 36mb images open FTP software and web browser open all at once with not much drag on anything.

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Originally Posted by kitedemon

Op,
I have played with building a Hackintosh. I own an older mac pro and built an equivalent machine it was somewhat cheaper and a lot slower. The reality of the situation is if you need speed and stability you need to use apple certified components and at that point you might as well buy one. The comparison between an imac and mac pro is not fair it is not in the same ball park at all. You can get a base macpro for 3000$ and add a lower end monitor and plan on upgrading later. I don't know what type of work you do but my pro quad xeon 10gb ram still is faster than most off the shelf PC even after 3 years. I often have video playing email photoshop with 40-80 36mb images open FTP software and web browser open all at once with not much drag on anything.

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It all comes down to those server grade Xeon processors, and the fact that a Mac Pro isn't a glorified Laptop.

I'll give you an idea of what I'm going after.

I go bananas when I have to sit and wait for a simple process to complete. So with all the $400 computers that I've seen do this - It aint hapnin. I'm not buying a cheopo computer.

It's also about the fun of building out my own machine too. I've built one before, I loved it. Then, I was introduced to Macs and have been on macs for a few years. Now I need a new machine but don't want to shell out the 2k minimum for what I'm after.

With over 1,500 reviews and an overall 5/5 - I am going to go with the Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor. It's probably more than enough, because the most I've ever used is Dual Core, which I thought was awesome.

From reading up on Hackintosh - the Gigabyte motherboards have had a lot of success, so I will probably go with one of those.

Putting all of my applications on a 120gb SSD, and all of my other stuff on a 1tb hd.

Two of these 4 gig sticks of ram is just over 40 bucks from Amazon

The video card is undecided. I'm not a gamer, nor do I do any sort of motion graphics, video editing, etc. I need something good, but not the best.

Everything I've listed comes from the Hackintosh site - these are parts that people have used and successfully installed everything and set up as a fully working Hackintosh station.

After the case is added, the power supply, the CD drive, and probably a few extra components - I'm looking at around 1k. Not bad, in my opinion.

Already have a monitor. If my build doesn't go over 1k, I may get another one (or two :) )