My 15" 2011 MacBook Pro is about to turn 8 years old. Despite it’s age, it’s still a powerful and reliable machine for my everyday use.

• Intel Core i7-2720QM 2.2GHz (4 core/8 thread)
• 8GB 1333MHz DDR3 RAM
• 500GB Samsung EVO 850 SSD
• Intel HD Graphics 3000 (Integrated GPU)
• AMD Radeon HD 6750M 1GB (Dedicated GPU)

Unfortunately, it’s had a few problems throughout the years - problems that were serious enough to make me reconsider buying another Mac.

• June 2014: logic board and disk drive failed. Replaced for free via AppleCare.
• December 2015: GPU/logic board failed. The GPU failure was notoriously common in the 2011 MacBook Pros - the Radeon HD 6750M was prone to failure in the heat-sensitive, unibody aluminum case. Fortunately, a class action lawsuit by consumers prompted Apple to offer an extended warranty program for this, so this was replaced for free
• November 2018: GPU/logic board failed (again). Apple’s extended warranty program had expired at this point, so they refused to replace it either for free or at cost.

I was able to modify the BIOS to bypass the failed dedicated GPU and force macOS to use only the integrated GPU. While this keeps the system usable, it makes things like 1080p video and external displays impossible.

Eyeing a Hackintosh

Given these new limitations of my MacBook, I started looking at buying or building a new computer. I wanted the fastest computer I could get for around $1000. Given that your money goes a lot further with a desktop than a laptop - and that a cheap low-powered laptop can be used to access a desktop via ssh or VNC, I decided on a desktop.

Like many Mac users, I am somewhat dependent on macOS for software and hardware compatibility, so I needed a system that could run macOS. I started looking at the iMac or the Mac Mini but was a bit disappointed by the offerings. Mac Mini is small and (relatively) cheap, but it lacks a dedicated GPU and only the RAM can be upgraded after the fact. The iMac has a dedicated GPU and a gorgeous 4K Retina Display, but it still isn’t modular and the price is a lot higher than I was willing to pay (especially since I didn’t really need a gorgeous display).

This prompted me to start looking at building a Hackintosh a non-Apple computer that runs macOS. Setting up a Hackintosh is a bit more complicated than setting up a computer for Windows or Linux. However, the folks over at tonymacx86.com have setup a website dedicated to helping users create their own Hackintosh systems, and there is ample information available for first time Hackintosh-ers like myself.

Building the Hackintosh

I decided to follow the build outlined by tonymacx86 user ModMike in this thread. In it, he builds a system which is fairly comparable to the high-end Mac Mini and 21.5 inch iMac available in early 2019. With his build, everything in macOS works out of the box: integrated + dedicated graphics, even Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for features such as iMessage and Handoff.

I followed ModMike’s build more or less to the letter, and put together the following build:

Installing macOS

I decided to install macOS on the 500GB SATA III SSD, and install Linux (Pop!_OS) on the PCIe SSD. The installation of macOS was very simple. Detailed steps are provided in ModMike’s thread on tonymacx86.com, but basically the steps were

1. Download macOS Mojave
2. Prepare a bootable USB device using Unibeast, software from tonymacx86.com
3. Adjust some settings in the BIOS, and boot from the USB
4. Install Mojave
5. Copy some additional congifiguration files to the macOS SSD

Altogether the process took about an hour, most of which was waiting for the macOS Mojave installer to run to completion. The machine powered down a few times during installation, but booting it back up and re-triggering the install made it pick up where it left off.

The end result was an fully functional installation of macOS.

The only features which do not work out of the box are Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Apple uses very specific types of Wi-Fi/Bluetooth cards, and the Intel card which comes pre-installed in the ASUS motherboard is not compatible. The solution is an easy swap of a compatible card, which can be had for $50 - $100.

Macintosh vs. Hackintosh

Hardware & Cost

In terms of hardware specs, my Hackintosh is comparable to to the 21.5" iMac (Early 2019) and Mac Mini (Late 2018). They each have roughly identical CPUs, RAM, and storage.

The Hackintosh is $500 cheaper than Apple’s “accessible” Mac Mini and $1000 cheaper than the entry-level 21.5" iMac. Not only is it substantially cheaper, but it also boasts a more powerful dedicated GPU and greater storage capacity. It is also completely modular, which is a huge advantage over the Macs in which everything but RAM is soldered to the motherboard.

Performance

The Hackintosh performs slightly above the 21.5" iMac and Mac Mini.

A Hackintosh performs as well as the Late 2018 Mac Mini and Early 2019 21.5" iMac

The numbers are fairly tight, so I don’t read too far into the seemingly increased performance of the Hackintosh, especially given that Geekbench is a fairly quick “one-size fits all” benchmarking application. However, given the issues Macs have had with thermal throttling in their airflow-restricted cases, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Hackintosh performed substantially better over long periods of heavy usage.

Hackintosh-ing is Easier than People Think

Hackintosh computers have been gaining considerable popularity in recent years, as evidenced by the increased activity on sites like tonymacx86.com and Reddit, and increased media coverage. Still there are some misconceptions out there about the difficulty of building a Hackintosh, and the pros and cons of owning a Hackintosh. I’d like to address some of these misconceptions so that others can make an informed decision about whether or not to build a Hackintosh.

Misconception 1: Building a Hackintosh is illegal

This is by far the most frequently asked question and, unfortunately, requires the messiest answer.

The short answer: yes. Technically you are exposing yourself to litigation under copyright laws (in the US, at least), but the risk of Apple coming after you is effectively zero.

The long answer: the End User License Agreement (EULA) of macOS states:

The grants set forth in this License do not permit you to, and you agree not to, install, use or run the Apple Software on any non-Apple-branded computer, or to enable others to do so.

Therefore, by building a Hackintosh and installing macOS on non-Apple hardware, you are violating Apple’s EULA.

Apple has argued successfully in the case of Apple Inc. v. Psystar Corporation (2011) that installing macOS on non-Apple computers is a violation of their copyright, as it is a violation of the EULA under which macOS is distributed.

However, an individual has never been taken to court for violation of the EULA. And the likelihood of Apple taking an individual user to court, let alone finding out about them, is effectively zero.

Misconception 2: Hackintoshes are buggy and unreliable

This one is just not true. My Hackintosh (and many others) are as fully functional as any Mac purchase from Apple. There’s a long list of users who are running macOS successfully on a wide range of non-Apple desktop and laptop systems, with little to no downtime.

That being said, there is no guarantee that you won’t run into trouble with your Hackintosh which may require you to invest some serious time troubleshooting and debugging. The question then is whether you’re willing to invest this time.

Misconception 3: Hackintoshes are only for users with advanced computer skills

This is phrased very specifically. You do not need advanced knowledge of computers prior to building a Hackintosh. There are plenty of resources online with step-by-step guides on building a Hackintosh, and active communities with users ready and willing to provide support for you along the way.

That being said, it will certainly help to learn some knowledge of computers along the way, and you certainly can learn this knowledge through building a Hackintosh.

Closing

I’m very glad I decided to build a Hackintosh. The computer runs great, and I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to setup. I recommend building a Hackintosh to users who want a more flexible, or simply cheaper, Mac experience.