Hackintosh laptops are formidable computers with high-end hardware and high-speed macOS. Truth be told, you will have to work your fingers to the bone to find the best Hackintosh laptops. This is a tedious task that requires extensive research, time, and of course devotion. Above all, you must be aware of Hackintosh laptop requirements if you want to get the best out of your laptop.
So, if you do not know much about Hackintosh laptops, you may find yourself in a complicated situation. But do not worry, you can still bag the best Hackintosh laptop. If it is the word ‘How’ that popped in your head, we have the answer.
Core i7 laptops are more suitable for Hackintosh as they carry power Intel processor. And we have already done the hard work for you. We have compiled a list of 7 Hackintosh compatible laptops for you after souring the web. These are cheap Hackintosh laptops that we have tested and curated after extensive research.
Hackintosh Laptop Guide
Before we leap towards Hackintosh laptop compatibility list, let us clear out some basic questions. This short Hackintosh laptop guide will help you find the best laptop for your needs.
What is Hackintosh?
Simply put, Hackintosh is a modified laptop that runs on the Macintosh OS by Apple. So, instead of buying the expensive MacBook, you install macOS on a laptop with non-Apple hardware. As a result, you will have a laptop with powerful specs and speedy OS that can accomplish heavy tasks in seconds.
Can You Hackintosh Your Laptop?
The short answer is Yes, it is possible, and experts are doing it. However, you must have to jump through hoops to Hackintosh your laptop. You need some tricks to install macOS on a Windows laptop using Hackintosh.
Apple starts using the Intel components on its laptops and PCs which in turn made this happen. All you need is a powerful laptop with the latest Intel CPU, and you can easily turn it into a cheap Hackintosh laptop.
What is the Point of a Hackintosh?
The point of a Hackintosh is to use Apple’ OS without spending extra cash. Of course, you cannot turn every laptop to a Hackintosh. There are some requirements that you must keep in mind before buying a laptop.
Hackintosh Laptop Requirements
As we mentioned in the start, you must know about the basic Hackintosh laptop requirements. This will not only help you prevent bugs but will also save you from facing compatibility issues.
Below are the hardware requirements for a Hackintosh:
- You must go for Intel CPUs as AMD processors are not supported.
- Make sure the laptop can at least run the OS X Yosemite.
- Invest in a cheap Hackintosh laptop. It makes no sense if you are buying a laptop as expensive as a MacBook.
- Last of all, do not forget to read about the installation process. After all, you can avoid bugs and issues by installing the macOS the right way.
Now that you have covered the basics, let us jump to our best Hackintosh laptops. All these are Core i7 laptops and comply with Hackintosh laptop requirements.
Hackintosh Laptop Compatibility List
Name Features Check Price
ASUS ZenBook Flip 14
Dell XPS 15
HP Omen 15 dc1023na
HP Spectre X360
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme
Medion Erazer P15811
Microsoft Surface Pro 6
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme – Best ThinkPad Hackintosh
The ThinkPad X1 Extreme is a slick piece of technology. Lenovo has put efforts in crafting it without forgetting the goodies for which the brand has earned a good name. It is a Hackintosh laptop with robust design, splendid keyboard, and trustworthy privacy features.
The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme is an excellent option from contemporary Core i7 laptops. It comes armed with serious firepower, including the i7-9750H processor and GTX 1650 graphics, so you will have a ferocious ThinkPad Hackintosh. The inclusion of SSD storage and 16GB jumbo RAM put it among the best Hackintosh laptops.
This 15-inch ThinkPad features a slim, lightweight chassis which is easy to hold in hands. Thanks to its 3.8lbs weight and 0.7 inches thick body, the ThinkPad X1 Extreme looks like an Ultrabook. You can easily put it in your bag and carry it around.
On the bright side, the display on this multitasking laptop is UHD with 3840 x 2160p resolution. Its IPS-equipped dazzling HDR screen can deliver 4K results with brightly vivid images. On the bright side, the keyboard on this Lenovo laptops Hackintosh is super snappy.
HP Spectre X360 – Premium Touchscreen Hackintosh laptop
The HP Spectre X360 is our pick from touchscreen laptops. This is arguably one of the best touchscreen laptops that you can use for Hackintosh. For convertible laptops lover, the Spectre X360 is nothing but a marvel.
HP has loaded it with the Core i7-1065G7 processor and massive components. The Core i7 CPU can deliver a top clock speed of 3.9GHz with 4 cores. In addition to 16GB memory, there is a massive combo of 1TB HDD and 1TB SSD storage. Then there is 13-inch UHD display with high-resolution of 3840 x 2160p, which can deliver 4K visuals.
The keyboard offers a good feel despite its small size and provides enough space. The keys are placed appropriately with ample key travel and produce nice tactile feedback. We found it a comfy choice for writers and programmers.
A massive RAM, highly responsive touchscreen, and enormous storage combo are some of its glaring features. Availability of future-ready specs and 1080p IR webcam make it a great Hackintosh laptop with 2.87lbs weight.
Dell XPS 15 – best Cheap Hackintosh
The Dell XPS 15 is an ideal choice if you are looking for a cheap Hackintosh laptop. This one showcases features of a sleek business laptop with promising specs list. The XPS 15 impresses the user from design to display. But there is more to something than meets the eye when it comes to hardware selection.
The Core i7-7700HQ processor offers 8MB cache with the clock speed range between 2.8GHz to 3.8GHz. Dell has equipped the XPS 15 with the 1080p OLED display panel. The addition of 256GB SSD with the massive 1TB HDD storage is another plus point.
The lightweight design with such a perfectly balanced specs list makes it an ideal Hackintosh laptop. It weighs around 2kg (4.5lbs), which means you will not feel fatigued while carrying it. An excellent keyboard, 1080p webcam, and presence of USB-C ports are some features that put it among the best Hackintosh laptops
ASUS ZenBook Flip 14 – Convertible Hackintosh from 2-in-1 laptops
If you are after touchscreen laptops that fit the bill, go for the ZenBook Flip 14. This is a 14-inch convertible Hackintosh laptop that we found perfect for professionals. Whether you want to work on the go or the touchscreen to draw art, you will find it comforting and cheering.
The ASUS ZenBook Flip 14 has Core i7-10510U processor with 8MB cache space. What makes it one of the best 2-in-1 laptops is its FHD panel with 1080p resolution. It comes with 16GB memory and 512GB SSD storage, which you will not find on many touchscreen laptops.
They display panel on this touchscreen Hackintosh laptop has very slim bezels. This is a 1080p FHD display with great sharpness, high contrasts, and deliver bright colours.
Snappy keyboard, satisfactory battery life, and fingerprint reader are some other features that you will adore. Its ability to offer the best of both worlds with responding touchscreen is the reason why we considered it for Hackintosh compatible laptops.
Medion Erazer P15811 – A cheap gaming Hackintosh
The Medion Erazer P15811 is a gaming laptop that you can use for Hackintosh. And what can be more suitable to install Hackintosh that a laptop equipped with formidable gaming hardware? Its aggressive part-aluminium body gives gaming vibes as soon as you put your eyes on it.
In case you are not familiar with Medion, this is a Lenovo-owned tech brand. So, if you cannot find an ideal ThinkPad Hackintosh for yourself, you can rely on the Erazer P15811.
The Core i7-9750H processor that Medion has put on this gaming laptop is futuristic. This is a powerful, high-speed CPU that offers 12MB cache with six cores. Its clock speed range between 2.6GHz and 4.5GHz which means you will get the work done in seconds.
Coming to additional specs, there is 16GB memory with SSD storage of 512GB. The best thing about this gaming Hackintosh is its dedicated graphics card. The GeForce 1660 Ti GPU with a vRAM of 6GB will make things easy for you. You can get crispy images with crystal clear results and alluring colours.
The display on Medion Erazer P15811 is 1080p FHD panel which further ads value. For a gaming laptop with a dedicated GPU, this is a cheap Hackintosh laptop. Its RGB-lit keyboard, controllable audio and fan are some other features that make it the best Hackintosh laptop to get.
Microsoft Surface Pro 6 – best Hackintosh laptop for professionals
You will not probably believe it, but the Microsoft Surface Pro 6 is a cheap Hackintosh laptop. And we are saying this after considering its stylish, lightweight design and combination of specs. Those who have a knack for touchscreen laptops and searching for 2-in-1 laptops, this is a valuable choice.
The Surface Pro 6 is armed with the Core i7-8650U processor which has 8MB cache space. This is a speech CPU whose clock speed ranges from 1.9GHz to 4.2GHz. Unfortunately, Microsoft does not offer dedicated graphics card, but the on-board Intel UHD 620 performs well. So, you can play most of the modern games and will get superb visual quality.
The 12-inch touchscreen panel on this high-end convertible laptop is the wow factor. This is an FHD panel with a high-resolution of 2736 x 1824, while the touchscreen responds quickly to commands. The detachable keyboard works perfectly and attaches easily with the tab, thanks to the magnetic strip.
The camera setup is another bright point that you are going to fall in love with. The front camera on this 2-in-1 laptop is a 5MP lens whereas, on the rear side, there is an auto-focus 8MP lens. Both cameras provide 1080p HD image quality so you can capture images and videos without any limitations.
HP Omen 15-dc1023na – Hackintosh with fearsome firepower
The Omen 15-dc1023na is another formidable gaming laptop on which you can install macOS. It has got both the style and hardware that you might need in the best Hackintosh laptop. HP has done some work around its corners and display panel to give it an artistic look.
Like other Hackintosh compatible laptops on our list, this one also features the Intel Core i7 CPU. The processor on this one is i7-8750H which is a Hexa-core CPU with 9MB cache. Its clock speed ranges from 2.2GHz and could deliver a maximum boost of 4.1GHz when needed.
The HP Omen 15-dc1023na packs 8GB RAM with combo storage. There is 1TB hard drive with an extra 256GB Solid-state storage, so you will have plenty of space and quick access to files. The dedicated graphics by Nvidia adds more value by bringing in additional memory space. The GeForce GTX Ti 1660 features 6GB of GDDR6 vRAM that ensures smooth and solid performance.
The 15-inch display is another shining feature of the Omen 15-dc1023na. This is a 1080p screen with FHD panel and a refresh rate of 144Hz. Overall, this is an economical entry-level gaming machine which you can easily turn into a cheap Hackintosh laptop.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some commonly asked questions about Hackintosh laptops. People often search these queries on the internet, so we have covered these as well.
Does Hackintosh receive Apple updates?
Updating your Hackintosh laptop for Apple updates is somewhat challenging, as installing it. Generally, macOS updates are relatively innocuous, but you need to stay updated to avoid bugs. Also, we recommend updating your Hackintosh laptop for a few times each year. Unfortunately, you have to update your Hackintosh laptop by yourself.
Does Apple care about Hackintosh?
The answer is a bit complicated. If you are asking from a legal point of view, a Hackintosh laptop is an illegal device. Apple’s “End User License Agreement” prohibit the user from installing macOS on other devices. But since the Hackintosh laptop market is small, Apple does not care much about it.
Can I use iCloud on Hackintosh?
The short answer is yes, you can use iCloud on a Hackintosh laptop. However, we do not recommend you to log-in to your Apple account straight away. If you do so, you are only risking an Apple ID ban which will do no good. So, you also have to teak a few settings before using iCloud on Hackintosh.
How to know if my laptop is Hackintosh compatible
Your laptop must have a modern Intel processor, preferably a Core i7 CPU. That is because Apple’s macOS is attuned for Intel processors only, so avoid AMD components. Also, make sure it has plenty of RAM and storage space. Most modern laptops with Intel CPUs are Hackintosh compatible as they are armed with powerful specs.
Final Note
We hope you have liked our selection of Hackintosh laptops. Our list includes Core i7 laptops that carry powerful specs and fit the bill. We have rounded up the Hackintosh compatible laptops from the gaming, touchscreen, and 2-in-1 laptops range. Let us know which one of these models you think is the best or cheap Hackintosh laptop.
