Is Hackintosh still a thing?

[Fender2112]

Years ago, before Apple introduced its first M1 chips, I built several hackintosh computers. It was a fun project and I learned a little bit about computers.

My question is this, are hackintosh builds still a thing? Do folks still build PC's that run MacOS?

 

[maflynn]

Barely feasible, once Apple drops Intel from their code base, its largely dead - at least with current operating systems.

Personally, I think hackintoshes largely died once apple went to ARM. Also now that apple offers a M4 Mini for around 500 dollars there's really no reason to build one, you can easily get an actual Mac for a lot less then what it would cost you to build a hackintosh

 

[pshufd]

It is still a thing but it's work and I think that updates can be a problem. If you want a specific hardware configuration or have a computer hanging around that you want to run macOS on, you can give it a try.

If you have modern hardware, then it's often easier to just run it in a virtual machine off Windows or Linux. That way you have access to your native OS and macOS.

 

[Daydog]

I have a Mac Studio m4. But I still love tinkering with my hackintosh. be missed when no more support for intel

 

[erihp]

This is the end. Tahoe is the final version to support x86 hardware.

Once they drop support for x86 in the next release, you wont be able to run MacOS.

Unlesssss someone figures out how to run it on other ARM processors (pretty unlikely!).

 

[maflynn]

Unlesssss someone figures out how to run it on other ARM processors (pretty unlikely!).

But why would you? In all honesty, Apple has Qualcomm beat in nearly every area.

 

[erihp]

But why would you? In all honesty, Apple has Qualcomm beat in nearly every area.

Hackers will hack. Mostly for the challenge it seems!

 

[maflynn]

Hackers will hack. Mostly for the challenge it seems!

Perhaps, but at some point the rewards don't match the time and cost of the endeavor.

Prior to apple silicon, hackintoshs were general accepted by a largers swath of people, now as you mentioned its more closely aligned with hackers (and hobbyists)

 

[drrich2]

Prior to apple silicon, hackintoshs were general accepted by a largers swath of people, now as you mentioned its more closely aligned with hackers (and hobbyists)

What were the main goals of people going the hackintosh route? Other than techie tinkering.

I would think possibilities might include...

1.) More powerful CPU options at lower cost.
2.) More RAM module slots without having to pay the cost of a Mac Pro.
3.) A tower unit with multiple drive bays without paying for a Mac Pro.
4.) I don't know whether more powerful external GPUs functioned with them.
5.) Getting their system cheaper.
6.) I suppose if you had a tower with multiple internal drives, you could install MacOS on one and Windows on another, so you'd have in essence 2 computers in one box without needing emulation or the old Bootcamp route.

These days, a person can get a powerful Mac CPU with a Mac Mini (M4 or M4 Pro). With system-on-a-chip, user upgradable RAM isn't workable. I doubt external GPUs are, either. That said, there are options for expansion.

For extensive ports, an external dock.

For multiple drives, either stand-alone external SSD drives (USB-C 10-Gbps or Thunderbolt 3, USB-4 or Thunderbolt 5/USB-4 V2), or what amounts to a NAS-like DAS (direct attached storage) 'box' with multiple discs (possibly in a RAID array) like an OWC Thunderbay 4 or Terramaster D8 Hybrid HDD/NVME enclosure (10-Gbps USB-C). Or, for that matter, a NAS.