do you guys think that i should save my money til i get enough for an mbp or just spend 300 dollars and get a netbook and hackintosh it? im 14 so 1200 dollars is kinda hard to come by.
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buy mbp or hackintosh?
- Thread starter tflournoy95
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a hackintosh is for those who have time on their hands
personally, id get the mb vs the mbp as your are considering a netbook...
personally, id get the mb vs the mbp as your are considering a netbook...
im right in the middle of spring break so i would say that i got time on my hands. i dont want the mb cuz of the plastic but i guess it doesnt matter if im thinking about getting a plastic netbook. if i were t get a mac it would be and mbp.
this is the right forum, i am merely referring to those who are a little overzealous in their defence of Apple's EULA preventing the installation of OS X on hardware other than that provided by Apple Inc.
For my part, I would say that I have never really heard of a full sized Laptop being Hackintosh'd but that is not to say it's impossible. I'd just hate to have you buy a laptop and not be able to Hackintosh it when you want to run OS X.
If you are really keen on using a Mac, the Macbook (the white one for clarity's sake) is quite useable. Unless you want to game. Then expect to play on low settings. Which isn't too bad, but some people are -really- into graphics. So there are my 2 cents worth.
For my part, I would say that I have never really heard of a full sized Laptop being Hackintosh'd but that is not to say it's impossible. I'd just hate to have you buy a laptop and not be able to Hackintosh it when you want to run OS X.
If you are really keen on using a Mac, the Macbook (the white one for clarity's sake) is quite useable. Unless you want to game. Then expect to play on low settings. Which isn't too bad, but some people are -really- into graphics. So there are my 2 cents worth.
if you go there there is a whole list of laptops. im doing a netbook those are really easy. and i dont use PCs to game. im a console gamer.(xbox).
well the comparison between netbook and the MBP is hardly fair.
a) the MBP is for more expensive; but
b) the MBP is far more powerful.
That and the size profiles are completely different.
I doubt you'll need much portability, so consider whether you'll be annoyed at the small screen of a netbook.
Finally, bear in mind that *if* the MBPs get updated two things happen:
a) the current gen MBP drops in price significantly; and
b) if you pay the same amount, you get better specs though one asks is that always necessary.
Just some thoughts for you.
a) the MBP is for more expensive; but
b) the MBP is far more powerful.
That and the size profiles are completely different.
I doubt you'll need much portability, so consider whether you'll be annoyed at the small screen of a netbook.
Finally, bear in mind that *if* the MBPs get updated two things happen:
a) the current gen MBP drops in price significantly; and
b) if you pay the same amount, you get better specs though one asks is that always necessary.
Just some thoughts for you.
dude, definately go for the netbook. Why? for the learning experience. I have never done it, but I can imagine that if i had the time and was remotely interested (clearly you are), I'd go for it. While you're at it, I'd also try out Ubuntu on the thing....
I've experienced both, and the real thing, if you can afford it, is way better (as you'd probably imagine). The experience I had with my 1005HA was good, but after using a real mac, there's no comparison. In your position though, I'd go for the netbook. Makes way more sense in your position, and this way you can figure out if you even like OS X enough to buy the hardware that it's made for.
EDIT: also, as the above poster said, if you're into this type of thing, the hackintosh experience can be a lot of fun. there's a lot of troubleshooting and possibly frustration, but in the end it makes it all the more worth it. And you learn a lot in the process. I know way more about OS X after making 2 hackintosh computers than I ever would if I had just bought a real mac off the bat.
EDIT: also, as the above poster said, if you're into this type of thing, the hackintosh experience can be a lot of fun. there's a lot of troubleshooting and possibly frustration, but in the end it makes it all the more worth it. And you learn a lot in the process. I know way more about OS X after making 2 hackintosh computers than I ever would if I had just bought a real mac off the bat.
You're 14 years old. In other words, you neither need Windows nor Mac OS X for anything. You're free and without any business needs that force you on either platform. Stay there. Save your money. Don't use any proprietary pay-for software. Install FreeBSD or a Linux distribution on your netbook and learn the technologies that fuel the Internet. This will be more rewarding and a better investment into your own future than either Apple or Microsoft can offer you. Unix/Linux experts are in short supply but in great demand. Think Google, Yahoo, Mozilla, Amazon and just about every innovative startup company. They're all founded on Open Source technology.
Assuming you are interested in pursuing a career in any field of technology, or any field that uses technology, this is excellent advice.
If your aspirations are to dig ditches or serve frosty's, then it doesn't really matter.
As someone who played around with hackintoshes at the start and recently went back from a Mac Pro to a hackintosh, my advice would be not to go the hackintosh route if you're after a laptop.
Besides all the normal issues with hackintoshes such as manual maintenance and needing to learn a good deal more about how the guts of OS X work etc, the big issues with them are compatability. If you're building a desktop PC then you have many options available. You can custom buy parts that you know are compatible and if a part stops working in the future you always have the option of getting another part. Laptops are far more restricted. You could buy the laptop with the most support available now but what if in two years time Apple releases a driver update that completely kills your graphics card's support - you'd be pretty much stuck. Support for the Atom CPU was removed just a few months ago meaning netbook users have to use a hacked kernel, which could cause even more headaches in the future.
My advice would be to wait for the imminent MacBook Pro update and then buy with an Educational discount. It will cause far fewer headaches and Apple machines tend to be pretty competitive pricewise at time of release so the "Apple Tax" will be minimal. It may cost a fair chunk more but you'll be getting a far more capable machine with far better battery life etc and it'll also hold it's resale value far better.
Besides all the normal issues with hackintoshes such as manual maintenance and needing to learn a good deal more about how the guts of OS X work etc, the big issues with them are compatability. If you're building a desktop PC then you have many options available. You can custom buy parts that you know are compatible and if a part stops working in the future you always have the option of getting another part. Laptops are far more restricted. You could buy the laptop with the most support available now but what if in two years time Apple releases a driver update that completely kills your graphics card's support - you'd be pretty much stuck. Support for the Atom CPU was removed just a few months ago meaning netbook users have to use a hacked kernel, which could cause even more headaches in the future.
My advice would be to wait for the imminent MacBook Pro update and then buy with an Educational discount. It will cause far fewer headaches and Apple machines tend to be pretty competitive pricewise at time of release so the "Apple Tax" will be minimal. It may cost a fair chunk more but you'll be getting a far more capable machine with far better battery life etc and it'll also hold it's resale value far better.
Try craigslist?
I found a number of people here in the SF Bay Area who had already done
the hack and were selling "new" hackintoshes for $300. Yes, this means
you won't get to do the work yourself, but time is money . . . ;^)
I also decided the keyboard and screen combo on a hackintosh was just a bit
too small for me . . .
I found a number of people here in the SF Bay Area who had already done
the hack and were selling "new" hackintoshes for $300. Yes, this means
you won't get to do the work yourself, but time is money . . . ;^)
I also decided the keyboard and screen combo on a hackintosh was just a bit
too small for me . . .
A $300 netbook is super underpowered compared to the cheapest (refurbished?) MacBook you can buy.
Intel atom? That is a junk CPU. Plain and simple.
It's closer to what they put in high end cell phones and the ipad. Not something to run os x on
hi im 15 a couple of days agao i was pondering the same question but for a desktop ie mac mini vs core i5 "hack pro" (in this thread-read through it theres some usefull info in there) in the end i decided core i5 hack pro . after two days of reaserching i can say five points to you
A - a hackintosh can take time to set up and applying updates can be very risky it can also be unstable BUT if you set it up properly with supported components/laptop it can be as stable as a macbook/(pro)
B-it takes quite alot of time to to reaserch download and set up your hackintosh and also a good bit of tecnical knolage
C-reasearch reasearch reasearch check with hackintosh comunitys like osx86 to find a compatable laptop find a compatable wifi stick if needed find out all of the ktexts needed and the corect instalation method and DSDT files needed maybe there is a kalyway or iaktos version compatible with a certian laptop there easier than doing it manually but still not always with out isuues.
D- a hackintosh can represent exelent value for money for me it would have cost 5-6 TIMES more to get the offical system from apple with the same spec
E-i really recomend that you get the snow lepord disk no matter weather you need it for the actuall instalation or not (some you do some you don't (kalyway and iakatos dont need one)
as a side note i have a netbook a(acer aspire one) it can bearly run a really lite version (modified it myself) of win xp with just firefox and 4-5 tabs open it is for movie watching in the car and lite web brousing only - get a laptop
edit: oh hi wini thanks for posting the useful info about the legaily of osx in my thread
A - a hackintosh can take time to set up and applying updates can be very risky it can also be unstable BUT if you set it up properly with supported components/laptop it can be as stable as a macbook/(pro)
B-it takes quite alot of time to to reaserch download and set up your hackintosh and also a good bit of tecnical knolage
C-reasearch reasearch reasearch check with hackintosh comunitys like osx86 to find a compatable laptop find a compatable wifi stick if needed find out all of the ktexts needed and the corect instalation method and DSDT files needed maybe there is a kalyway or iaktos version compatible with a certian laptop there easier than doing it manually but still not always with out isuues.
D- a hackintosh can represent exelent value for money for me it would have cost 5-6 TIMES more to get the offical system from apple with the same spec
E-i really recomend that you get the snow lepord disk no matter weather you need it for the actuall instalation or not (some you do some you don't (kalyway and iakatos dont need one)
as a side note i have a netbook a(acer aspire one) it can bearly run a really lite version (modified it myself) of win xp with just firefox and 4-5 tabs open it is for movie watching in the car and lite web brousing only - get a laptop
+1 i used a duel boot ubuntu and feodorA on my netbook for a while and loved it but ive grown up with xp on my hone pc since the week it came out (almost as long as i can rember using a computer for) and on my scholl pcs ever since we started using computers at school and i spend a crazy amont of time on the pc each day so i know where everything is in xp and find it really quick and easy to use becoz of my experience . and found it a really difficalt to not to be able to run itunes spotify photoshop without the (cr*ap well for me anyway wine emulator) and the lunix alternatives gimp ect just wern't the real thing that i had got used to - so in short definatly try it if you find it hard maybe style ubuntu like xp or osx and if you find it hard not nunning to programs you like remember this useful page http://www.linuxalt.com/ and the wine emulator . whatever you do just promise me you'll use oprea or firefox (i prefer the latter) and open office for word processing ect (on whatever os you decide on even osx
edit: oh hi wini thanks for posting the useful info about the legaily of osx in my thread
Hackintoshes are fun and aren't that hard to setup and maintain, provided you go with the right netbook.
The Dell Mini 9 and the Dell Mini 10v <-- (Make sure you get 10v and NOT regular 10), are the most Mac OS X-friendly netbooks you can find and there is a whole web forum and hackintosh community dedicated to them.
Snow Leopard flies on my Mini 9.
You will most likely not be able to buy the Mini 9 or the Mini 10v on Dell's Retail site. try their outlet center site. You'll find good deals on refurbs and open box machines there.
When the new ones roll out, you will see some bomb deals. I _want_ one asap as soon as the i* chips are introduced on them. My unibody Macbook Aluminum with 4 gigs of ddr3, 250 gig Hitachi 7200rpm drive, and Speck case will be up for sale for maybe like 5-600 bucks. That is in like 2 months from now. I am going to save up the difference for a MBP.
Deals will be there if you are patient. People will sell the kitchen sink after a new product or refresh.
Anyone wanna buy a stainless, 2 basin, with a garbage disposal.
LOL@me.
Deals will be there if you are patient. People will sell the kitchen sink after a new product or refresh.
Anyone wanna buy a stainless, 2 basin, with a garbage disposal.
LOL@me.
I recently hackintoshed a Dell Mini 10v and it was ridiculously easy with some of the tools available nowadays. I'd go this route (refurb Mini 10v's can be had for like $200-$250) so you can see if you like OSX etc. Running Ubuntu was fun on it as well. We're so close to a refresh I'd wait for the new Core i3/i5 Macbooks to come out to buy a real Mac if you feel OSX is for you, if not for the new tech you can then get prev gen Core2Duo models for way cheaper on Craigslist and the like when early adopters dump their current-gen units.
i did ubuntu on an old laptop about 9 months ago. i hated it. i would recomend to everyone here not to ever use ubuntu. nothing supports it good.
oh i know i love os x. ive spent many an hour at bestbuy just playing with the macs.
i am definitely not planning to dig ditches or sere frostys all my life...its burger flipping for me. lol not but really im planning to become a doctor but IT is also something i am very interested in.