Best Hackintosh Laptops in 2023 [Good Performance & High Compatibility]

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If you are reading this article, chances are that you already know what a Hackintosh is and you have your own reasons to run it. However, it will be unfair for some of our readers if we don’t introduce it up front – a Hackintosh is any PC where you are running MacOS on a non-Apple computer. However, this cannot be done in just any PC and you need some specific hardware for that. This is why we have prepared this list of the 11 best Hackintosh laptops that you can buy and use in 2023. 

However, before we get into that, let us also address the question of legality, which keeps popping up very frequently when it comes to using Hackintosh laptops. Are you doing something which is against the law? Or is it legal to use a Hackintosh computer? The answer actually lies in a legal grey zone. While you aren’t really following the law when you use a hackintosh computer, you aren’t breaking one either – if you are using the computer strictly for your personal use. This is just a tip and should not be considered as actual legal advice. One situation in which you are clearly breaking the law is that if you are selling Hackintosh laptops or profiting off them. 

The thing about running MacOS on a non-Apple laptop is – it just can’t be done on any computer. You actually need some specifications which are very similar to that of what Apple has to offer. This is the reason why we are coming up with this list so that you know which are some of the best laptops that are highly compatible with MacOS. 

The next question that some of our readers may have is – why do people want to run macOS on a non-Apple device. Shouldn’t they get an Apple PC instead? The answer is that there are some people who want the benefit of both – having the option to install a regular Windows or Linux-based Operating System, as well as use MacOS on their PC. This is generally done when someone wants to try out a code and see how it performs on a different OS or try certain apps that are only compatible with the macOS. 

The macOS that you install using Hackintosh will obviously have some bugs and glitches, but this is something that most people generally tend to overlook as they are happy by the fact that they are able to run MacOS in their non-Apple PC. This isn’t a practice that we encourage, given the fact that it is in a legal grey zone – but if the need be, we are here with this list of the 10 best Hackintosh laptops that can be used to install macOS!

By the time you finish reading this article, you will get a better idea of what hackintosh exactly is, what kind of specifications does your PC need to have to run MacOS, as well as which are the best options that you have when it comes to a hackintosh-based machine. All of the products that we are sharing on this list are available to buy on Amazon and you could have them delivered in just a couple of clicks. 

EDITOR’S CHOICE
Razer Blade 15
Razer Blade 15

10

  • CPU: Intel Core i7-10750H (10th Gen)
  • RAM: 16 GB
  • Storage: 256 GB SSD
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti
  • Display: 15.6 inches
  • Battery: Between 4 to 5 hours
BEST OVERALL
Lenovo Yoga c930
Lenovo Yoga c930

9

  • CPU: Intel Core i7-8550U processor
  • RAM: 16 GB
  • Storage: 1 TB SSD
  • GPU: Intel Integrated Graphics 620
  • Display: 13.9 inches
  • Battery: 10 Hours
BEST BUDGET
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme

8

  • CPU: Intel Core i7 8750H
  • RAM: 16 GB
  • Storage: 512 GB SSD
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce with 4GB Dedicated RAM
  • Display: 15.6 inches
  • Battery: Up to 8 hours

Let us now begin with our list, followed by a set of frequently asked questions which will help you understand these hackintosh computers in an even better manner. 

Best Hackintosh Compatible Laptops in 2023

We’ve gone through scores of laptops available in the markets to come up with this final list, featuring the ten best laptops that you can buy in 2023 to run hackintosh on it. These laptops provide just the right set of hardware specifications and will perform as quite a beast of a machine when you run MacOS on them. Besides that, they are also quite a sturdy laptop if you want to run regular Windows OS-based programs on them. 

Also, note that these laptops aren’t really ranked in a particular order so #1 and #10 can be equally good. Do make a point to go through all the products on our list to ensure you’re making the best possible choice. 

Image Product Features Price
Razer Blade 15 - Best Gaming Laptop for Hackintosh Users Razer Blade 15 - Best Gaming Laptop for Hackintosh Users

  • CPU: Intel Core i7-10750H (10th Gen)
  • RAM: 16 GB 
  • Storage: 256 GB SSD

Check Price on Amazon
Lenovo Yoga c930 - Best Designed Hackintosh Laptop Lenovo Yoga c930 - Best Designed Hackintosh Laptop

  • CPU: Intel Core i7-8550U processor
  • RAM: 16 GB
  • Storage: 1 TB SSD

Check Price on Amazon
Acer Nitro 5 - Hackintosh Laptop with Best Display Acer Nitro 5 - Hackintosh Laptop with Best Display

  • CPU:  Intel Core i5-9300H Processor
  • RAM: 8 GB
  • Storage: 256 GB SSD

Check Price on Amazon
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme - Most Powerful Hackintosh Laptop Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme - Most Powerful Hackintosh Laptop

  • CPU: Intel Core i7 8750H 
  • RAM: 16 GB
  • Storage: 512 GB SSD

Check Price on Amazon
Acer Swift 3 - Hackintosh Laptop with Good Battery Life Acer Swift 3 - Hackintosh Laptop with Good Battery Life

  • CPU: Intel Core i5-8250U 
  • RAM: 8 GB
  • Storage: 256 GB SSD

Check Price on Amazon
ASUS VivoBook - Cheap Hackintosh Laptop ASUS VivoBook - Cheap Hackintosh Laptop

  • CPU: Intel Core i5 1035G1 processor
  • RAM: 8 GB
  • Storage: 256 GB

Check Price on Amazon
ASUS ZenBook - Best Multipurpose Hackintosh Laptop ASUS ZenBook - Best Multipurpose Hackintosh Laptop

  • CPU: Intel Core i5-6200U 
  • RAM: 8 GB
  • Storage: 256 GB SSD

Check Price on Amazon
HP Pavilion Gaming - Hackintosh Laptop with a Unique Design HP Pavilion Gaming - Hackintosh Laptop with a Unique Design

  • CPU
  • RAM
  • Storage:

Check Price on Amazon
Lenovo Ideapad L340 - Hackintosh Laptop with a Powerful GPU Lenovo Ideapad L340 - Hackintosh Laptop with a Powerful GPU

  • CPU: 9th Generation Intel Core i5 
  • RAM: 8 GB
  • Storage: 512 GB SSD

Check Price on Amazon
Lenovo IdeaPad 3 - Cheapest Hackintosh Laptop Lenovo IdeaPad 3 - Cheapest Hackintosh Laptop

  • CPU: 10th Generation Intel i3
  • RAM: 8 GB 
  • Storage: 256 GB SSD

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HP 15 Home & Business Laptop HP 15 Home & Business Laptop

  • CPU: Intel Core i7 (11th Gen)
  • RAM: 16 GB
  • Storage: 1 TB SSD

Check Price on Amazon

Here we go, here are our top 11:

1. Razer Blade 15 – Best Gaming Laptop for Hackintosh Users

  • CPU: Intel Core i7-10750H (10th Gen)
  • RAM: 16 GB 
  • Storage: 256 GB SSD
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti
  • Display: 15.6 inches
  • Battery: Between 4 to 5 hours

Hackintosh laptops need to be powerful. When it comes to power-packed offerings, there’s perhaps no other type of laptop comparable to a gaming laptop, and when you talk of gaming laptops, Razer is among the biggest and the best names in the business. Let us take a closer look at the Razer Blade 15, a gaming laptop that can be put to good use by Hackintosh users owing to its great specs. 

The laptop comes out into the markets with a powerful CPU, featuring the 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H processor. The CPU runs on six cores and allows you a 5.0GHz Max Turbo boost during high-performance activities. Apart from this intense processor, the laptop runs on sixteen gigs of RAM along with a 256GB SSD storage.

Razer Blade 15 Gaming Laptop 

The body of the laptop, too, is pretty impressive as it is made out of CNC aluminum. The all-black color gives it an even cooler look. The keyboard has RGB backlighting – adding to the overall appeal of the device. The laptop comes with Windows 10 built into it, but you can easily run MacOS on it if you know your way around. 

Another really cool thing about this laptop is that it comes with a 120Hz 15.6″ Full HD display, which has very thin bezels on the size, giving you a big display which ensures that not only all your software runs well on it, but your games can also be enjoyed on it. 

Talking of playing games, this is an incredible gaming laptop too, and can be used to play some of the best and the most powerful PC games of recent years. What truly lies at the core of this intense gaming performance is the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti GPU, which performs like a total beast.

Pros

  • Very powerful CPU and GPU
  • One of the most well-designed laptops
  • Can be used to play some of the best and most high-power games

Cons

  • Poor battery life

2. Lenovo Yoga c930 – Best Designed Hackintosh Laptop

  • CPU: Intel Core i7-8550U processor
  • RAM: 16 GB
  • Storage: 1 TB SSD
  • GPU: Intel Integrated Graphics 620
  • Display: 13.9 inches
  • Battery: 10 Hours

Lenovo’s Yoga series of laptops are pretty well known all over the world. These laptops originated the trend of flexible design and we now see many laptops that allow you to use their hinge in different ways. The c930 is one of the best-designed laptops not just for using as a hackintosh, but also for your day to day usage. The laptop is a great object to carry around to your office, or for your home needs. A look at its specs will tell you why:

First of all, just look at the CPU. This laptop is powered by an eighth-generation Intel Core i7-8550U processor. The biggest advantage (aside from the insane processing power) that you get here is that of Intel’s turbo-boost technology, which allows you to perform some processing-intensive tasks with ease. Then there’s also the fact that this chip draws very little power from the battery. The laptop also features Intel’s UHD Integrated Graphics 620 GPU. 

Besides the powerful processor, you also get 16 GB of RAM, along with 1TB of SSD storage. The laptop is indeed priced north of $1000, but you are getting every bit of what you are paying for. There are multiple thunderbolt ports, an HD webcam, and a lot of other essential features that you require. You can run MacOS on this laptop without any significant glitches making it one of the best laptops for hackintosh in 2023. 

Lenovo Yoga c930

Lastly, it will be unfair if we did not talk about the biggest USP of this laptop – the design. The c930 from Lenovo’s Yoga series of devices comes out into the markets with a body made of premium aluminum which has been polished twice to give it that extra smooth feel. The laptop obviously features the classic flip-and-fold design that you see in other Yoga series models. 

All said and done, one of the best options for everyday usage, for installing MacOS/Hackintosh, as well as for business users who want a powerful device that they can show off in style. The Lenovo Yoga c930 has got you covered in every way.

Pros

  • Very well-crafted design, delivers everything you’d expect from a Yoga series laptop 
  • Powerful RAM and storage combination – 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD storage 
  • Battery life easily lasts you for 10 hours on a single charge 

Cons

  • The GPU is basic at best

3. Acer Nitro 5 – Hackintosh Laptop with Best Display

  • CPU:  Intel Core i5-9300H Processor
  • RAM: 8 GB
  • Storage: 256 GB SSD 
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Graphics with 4 GB of dedicated GDDR5 VRAM 
  • Display: 15.6 inches
  • Battery: Up to 8 hours

One thing that an Apple laptop always does better than any other laptop available in the market is getting the display right. You simply cannot compare a MacBook’s Retina display with any other device in the market because of the sheer brilliance of its visual appeal. However, if you are planning on running a hackintosh laptop, and are looking for one with a great display, the Acer Nitro 5 has got you covered. 

Let us begin this product review by straight-up talking about the display. The laptop comes with a 15.6 inch screen, which gives you a Full HD Widescreen IPS LED-backlit display. The top left and right corners have small cuts on either sides giving it a more appealing look. The bezels are thin and the display is just perfect for all your needs ranging from basic entertainment to hardcore gaming.

Acer Nitro 5

Talking of gaming, not only is the Acer Nitro 5 one of the best laptops for hackintosh, it is also a great gaming laptop. The laptop carries an i5 CPU which doesn’t really impress in terms of gaming or high-processing tasks, but what really makes it a good gaming laptop is the GPU that it carries. The laptop runs on an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Graphics with 4 GB of dedicated GDDR5 VRAM – which gives it an immense boost in terms of gaming performance. 

There’s an 8GB DDR4 RAM and a 256GB SSD storage available on this laptop. The specs here are a little underwhelming compared to other extremely high-end devices on the list, but you’ve also got to consider the price point. This is one of the best options when you are looking for a cheap hackintosh laptop (comparatively) because it costs under $1000. Generally somewhere between $700 to $800 depending on the discounts running at the time, this is indeed a good deal. 

Pros

  • Excellent battery performance for a gaming laptop 
  • One of the best screens you can get on a non-macbook PC 
  • Powerful graphic card 

Cons

  • The processor could’ve been bumped up to an i7

4. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme – Most Powerful Hackintosh Laptop

  • CPU: Intel Core i7 8750H 
  • RAM: 16 GB
  • Storage: 512 GB SSD
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce with 4GB Dedicated RAM
  • Display: 15.6 inches
  • Battery: Up to 8 hours

If computing power is all you seek in a laptop, this is the one you should go for. Not only do you get one of the best hackintosh laptops out there, you also get an absolute beast of a performer which would run your normal Windows-based OS with immense power as well. This laptop, as the name indicates, gives you an ‘extreme’ boost of power! This is the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 extreme – clearly the most powerful option for anyone looking for a hackintosh laptop out there.

Since we’ve talked about the ‘power’, let us first begin by addressing the processing power that you get when you buy the X1 Extreme. This laptop comes with an eighth generation Intel Core i7 8750H processor, that runs at 2.2 GHz, but can be boosted up to 4.1 GHz based on your needs. There’s a 9MB cache on it as well. The laptop also features a large 512 GB SSD storage, along with 16 Gigabytes of RAM. 

The processor, RAM and storage combo itself shows you what an incredible machine this is. However, there’s more to it. A large, 15.6” LED backlit display, which gives you a full-HD viewing experience. There’s also an NVIDIA GeForce processor that comes along with 4GB of dedicated RAM. All in all, this gives you even more power – to play games, to compile code, or to run MacOS on a non-Apple PC!

This is also a really good laptop for video editing purposes because the rendering process, which would otherwise take a lot of time on a laptop without these kinds of specs, happens really well here and does not generate too much heat either. The laptop gives you an average battery life of up to 8 hours. 

Pros

  • Powerful RAM/Storage combination, as well as an incredible processor
  • Great to run all sorts of software and games 
  • Good laptop for rendering videos and compiling code

Cons

  • A little too expensive

5. Acer Swift 3 – Hackintosh Laptop with Good Battery Life

  • CPU: Intel Core i5-8250U 
  • RAM: 8 GB
  • Storage: 256 GB SSD
  • GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 620 
  • Display: 14 inches
  • Battery: up to 12 hours

The Acer Swift 3, for years, has been one of Acer’s best offerings in the mid-range price point. This has also been one of their most light-weight laptops that gives you good power and would perform really well for years without any major problems. Priced under $700, this is a cheap hackintosh laptop that offers you a long-lasting battery life, which is one of its key highlights.

Most other laptops on our list last for an average of 8 hours. The problem with laptops is that the higher the processing power and the more power that is packed inside them, the faster their battery drains. Acer’s Swift 3 finds a unique sweet spot between power consumption and power that is provided to the users. The laptop comes with a battery that can last for 12 hours on a single charge – allowing you to use it for almost an entire work day! The Acer Swift 3 is also a very slim laptop as it measures a thickness of about 0.74 inches.  

The Acer Swift 3 runs on an 8th Generation Intel Core i5-8250U CPU, and features the Intel UHD Graphics 620 GPU. Just based on these two specs, this isn’t really a gaming laptop but would give you everything that you need for other processes. 

Acer Swift 3

 

This is also one of the best hackintosh laptops for anyone who wishes to install the MacOS on a Windows laptop. In fact, talking of MacOS, the laptop looks like a MacBook too. It has got the same steel grey body and the backlit well-spaced keyboard! For those who don’t wish to run it as a Hackintosh laptop, you get the Windows 10 Home pre-installed in it. 

There’s an 8GB DDR4 RAM that powers the Swift 3. In terms of storage, you get 256GB of SSD storage on this laptop. There’s a 14-inch full-HD display  that supports a resolution of 1920 x 1080. There’s nothing about this laptop that you won’t like given the price point. This is also a very strong and durable laptop that will run for years. There’s also a fingerprint scanner on the laptop for added security. Not that you’d be using it too much if you’re inclined towards using it as a hackintosh machine. 

 

Pros

  • One of the slimmest laptops out there 
  • A very powerful battery life, lasting up to 12 hours 
  • Got almost all the looks of a MacBook  

Cons

  • Might heat up if you use it for tasks that require a high processing power

6. ASUS VivoBook – Cheap Hackintosh Laptop

  • CPU: Intel Core i5 1035G1 processor
  • RAM: 8 GB
  • Storage: 256 GB
  • GPU: Intel UHD Graphics
  • Display: 15.6 inches
  • Battery: Up to 8 hours

We’ve reviewed many hackintosh laptops on our list and most of them are priced about $1000, and some of them even go beyond the $2000 mark. However, not everyone is willing to shell out that kind of money just to get a hackintosh laptop. This makes sense as a wise financial decision too! If all you want is to run MacOS on a laptop, and don’t want to use it for its other high-end specs, then it is a waste of your money to go for an expensive laptop. 

ASUS VivoBook

The ASUS VivoBook is a cheap hackintosh laptop (though not the cheapest in our list. Check out #10 for that). Coming out into the markets with a 15.6″ FHD NanoEdge touchscreen display, the laptop provides a maximum resolution of 1920×1080. This is also an ‘anti-glare’ display, giving you a better viewing experience even in conditions that are quite bright. 

This laptop runs on an Intel Core i5 1035G1 processor, not the most powerful one out there, but a decent bang for the buck. An 8GB DDR4 SDRAM accompanies the processor, aiding you to run multiple programs at a time and ensuring that none of them slow down! The laptop also features a large 256GB SSD storage, allowing you to store quite a bit of data in it.

The ASUS VivoBook also comes with a fingerprint scanner for added security. While this is one of the cheapest hackintosh laptops out there, not everyone would want to use it only for that. For those users, this laptop features a Windows 10 Home OS, and a good enough power to allow you to run most regular apps, and run multiple programs at the same time. The laptop carries a battery life of about 8 hours and is generally a very good device at the price point it comes at. 

Pros

  • Fingerprint scanner for added security 
  • Excellent wide-screen display with very thin bezels
  • Not too pricey compared to other hackintosh laptops 

Cons

  • The battery on this laptop drains rather quickly

7. ASUS ZenBook – Best Multipurpose Hackintosh Laptop

  • CPU: Intel Core i5-6200U 
  • RAM: 8 GB
  • Storage: 256 GB SSD 
  • GPU: Integrated Graphics
  • Display: 13.3 inches
  • Battery: 7 hour battery life

Here’s another ASUS laptop (and the last one on our list), featuring a little bit of everything! No matter what kind of a user you are – a gamer, an office-goer, an entertainment-seeker, a coder, a video-editor – there’s something that you will find to match your needs in this laptop. The ZenBook comes with a little bit for everyone, and priced in at just above (or under) $1000 (depending on what discounts are running at the time), this is one of the best value-for-money laptops that can also be used to run hackintosh on!

Powered by a 6th-generation Intel Core i5-6200U clocked in at 2.3GHz, the laptop gives you a significant amount of power, although not as much as an i7, but certainly more than a basic i3 laptop. To add to the power of this laptop, you also get 8GB of RAM, as well as 256GB of SSD storage. When you put all these factors together, you get a decent mid-range laptop, which has a little bit for everyone.

There’s a 13.3 inch display, which gives you an FHD resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels. This is a touch-screen display, giving you even greater control and a good means of interacting with your laptop. There are lots of USB ports and there’s also an HDMI port for better connectivity on the ASUS ZenBook. 

The laptop carries a sleek and metallic look, and features backlit keys too. If you are someone who wishes to run it as a hackintosh laptop, you’re in luck because the laptop anyway looks like a MacBook! The laptop provides you a 7-hour battery life, and comes with a one-year warranty. 

Pros

  • Looks really stylish and premium 
  • Multipurpose laptop – use for gaming, entertainment and general work 
  • Lots of USB ports and HDMI for connectivity 

Cons

  • Heats up if used for high-power tasks

8. HP Pavilion Gaming – Hackintosh Laptop with a Unique Design

  • CPU
  • RAM
  • Storage
  • GPU
  • Display
  • Battery

If you are someone who cares a lot about how their laptop looks, and wants to ensure that everyone compliments you on the unique look of your device, the HP Pavilion gaming should be your go-to choice. Not only is this one of the best hackintosh laptops in 2023, this is also a decent gaming device, as well as a computer you can buy for your personal use. 

HP Pavilion Gaming 15-Inch

The most unique thing about the  HP Pavilion is that it has a very unique design, particularly at the hinge where the screen meets the body of the laptop. Unlike a traditional device where you have the whole screen attached to the body, you have an angular portion attached to the body while the rest of it remains suspended above it, like an inverted triangle. 

This angular display gives you something that is an instant differentiator between your laptop and all the others in the markets these days. While it looks great, it is also a beast in terms of performance. The laptop runs on a quad-core processor, a 9th Generation Intel Core i5-9300h. There’s 8GB of DDR4 RAM on it, along with a 256GB SSD storage. The laptop runs on the Windows 10 Home OS, but you always have the option to run it as a hackintosh machine and install MacOS on it. 

Since the laptop is named HP Pavilion ‘Gaming’, it is also a good gaming device and carries with itself a powerful GPU – The NVidia GeForce GTX 1650 (4 GB GDDR5 dedicated). This gives you a very realistic gaming performance along with high-quality graphics. There’s also a 15.6 inch FHD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080. To give it a more gaming-laptop feel, there’s also a backlit keyboard on the system which adds on to the unique look.

HP Pavilion Gaming 15-Inch Laptop

Pros

  • A unique design 
  • Makes for a really good gaming laptop 
  • Easy to upgrade to more powerful hardware 

Cons

  • Audio levels not as loud as you’d expect

9. Lenovo Ideapad L340 – Hackintosh Laptop with a Powerful GPU

  • CPU: 9th Generation Intel Core i5 
  • RAM: 8 GB
  • Storage: 512 GB SSD 
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650
  • Display
  • Battery

If you’re a gamer, a video editor or a person who requires a high-quality GPU for some other work, but also wants a laptop that can be used as a hackintosh device, you should totally go for the Lenovo Ideapad L340. This laptop comes out into the markets with some really decent specs, along with a powerful graphic processor too, which is the highlight here.

Lenovo doesn’t really get into gaming too much, and this one isn’t marketed as a ‘gaming’ laptop either. This is a part of their classic Ideapad series of laptops, and features a 9th Generation Intel Core i5 processor, along with 8GB of RAM and a large 512 GB SSD storage. These specs make it a good laptop for hackintosh users. 

The GPU that this laptop features is the classic NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650, which gives you a good scope for playing all your favorite titles on your laptop. This also makes it a great laptop for rendering videos, as well as for working on other graphic-related tasks. The GTX 1650 doesn’t really heat up and won’t burden up your RAM or processor as well. 

Lenovo Ideapad L340

Another great thing about this laptop is that both, the CPU as well as the GPU are easy on your battery life and don’t drain too much of it, giving you about 9 hours of battery time. There’s a 15.6 inch display on this laptop too, which allows you to view all your graphics in all their glory, along with true colors. This is a full HD IPS display with non obtrusive bezels on the sides. 

Besides the amazing GPU and the good specifications, the laptop also comes with a sturdy and good design, which is quite durable as well as looks premium. The keyboard is backlit with light-blue lighting, and the laptop is, overall, quite a good buy. Besides that, the cost isn’t too much as well (when compared to other laptops on this list). This is priced well under $1000 and you’re likely to get it for about $800 at most times. 

Pros

  • Long-lasting battery life 
  • Powerful GPU – good for gaming as well as editing 
  • A good combination of RAM and storage space 

Cons

  • Does not feature a touch-screen display

10. Lenovo IdeaPad 3 – Cheapest Hackintosh Laptop

  • CPU: 10th Generation Intel i3
  • RAM: 8 GB 
  • Storage: 256 GB SSD
  • GPU: Intel UHD graphics
  • Display: 15.6 inches 
  • Battery: about 4 hours on an average

Not only the last, but also the least…priced laptop on our list. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is the cheapest hackintosh laptop that you can get in the market, priced well under $500 on Amazon. This is a device that comes with all the minimum specs that you need to run MacOS on your non-Apple PC, and it also features specs which are just about good enough for your daily usage too.

The biggest difference between this one and all the other laptops here is that it doesn’t feature an i5 or i7 processor, but actually comes with an i3. However, since this is a 10th generation i3 processor, one can compare it with some low-end i5s and therefore it is compatible with hackintosh. Sometimes, users see i3 and get disappointed, assuming it won’t be compatible. However, that is just not the case and the laptop works quite well for Hackintosh purposes.

Apart from the 10th Gen i3 that this laptop runs on, there’s also 8GB of RAM, 256GB of SSD storage, and a really impressive touchscreen display which make it truly worth your money. The GPU here is a basic Intel UHD graphics processor, but at this price point, one shouldn’t expect more. One limitation for those who want to use it as a regular/non-hackintosh device might be that it runs on the Windows 10 S Mode. However, if you are going to run MacOS on it anyway, this hardly matters! 

The laptop gives you about four hours of battery life on an average use, though the company might promise a little more but the actual performance is somewhere around 4 hours based on what most users have experienced. At the price point, however, you are actually getting all that you need. This laptop has all the basics covered, but doesn’t really have the power to punch above its weight. Nonetheless, if you have under $500 to spend, the Lenovo Ideapad 3 is the laptop you must go for. 

Pros

  • Cheapest hackintosh laptop
  • Decent RAM and Storage combination 
  • Good laptop for all your basic usage

Cons

  • Limited battery life and weak processor

11. HP 15 Home & Business Laptop

  • CPU: Intel Core i7 (11th Gen)
  • RAM: 16 GB
  • Storage: 1 TB SSD
  • Display: 15.6 inches
  • GPU: Intel Iris Xe Graphics
  • Battery: About 5 to 7 hours based on the usage 

The HP 15 is among the most popular multipurpose laptops out there, and also one of the best hackintosh laptops that people often tend to choose. This makes for a really good home and business laptop, allowing you to satisfy all your home entertainment needs, as well as office needs. From Netflix to excel sheets, and from video editing to complex coding – there’s nothing that you can’t do on this laptop. In fact, you can do something that you can’t do on most laptops on this one, and that is to use this as a Hackintosh laptop.

The HP 15 comes with an 11th generation Intel Core i7 processor, and there’s practically nothing that can’t run on this laptop. As we’ve pointed out earlier, this is a laptop that can help you compile a really large amount of code, and edit even the biggest of 4K videos with ease. It’s quite a beast of a machine. To aid the powerful processor, you also get 16 GB of RAM and 1 TB of SSD storage. 

HP 15 Home & Business Laptop

While these specs are good enough to power all your software needs, they are also powerful enough to allow you to run MacOS on a Windows PC via the Hackintosh method. The laptop comes with a number of connectivity options too, including two USB 3.0 ports and an HDMI port. There’s also a high-quality webcam on the front. Lastly, it also comes with a fingerprint scanner, which gives you an added level of safety. 

The laptop features a 15.6-inch display with a Full-HD resolution. It is also worth noting that this is the most basic version of the HP 15. If you are looking for something which is very powerful, you get 13 other variants of this laptop, with the most powerful of it coming in with 64GB RAM, 8TB SSD storage, and running the Windows 10 Pro. This basic version runs the Windows 10 Home OS.

Pros

  • Decent battery life 
  • Does not heat up 
  • Can be used for multiple purposes 
  • Well suited for running Hackintosh 
  • Secure to use with fingerprint scanner 

Cons

  • GPU could be upgraded for better performance 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Hackintosh Laptops

Here are the answers to some of the most common and frequently asked questions about hackintosh laptops:

1. What are the minimum requirements I need to run a Hackintosh laptop?

There are no minimum requirements as such but the more high-power device you use, the smoother your hackintosh experience is going to be. For instance, using a machine below i5 is going to be laggy and will cause a number of glitches, including a lag in the time between your clicks and the action being performed. Similarly, you need at least 8GB of RAM and 256 GB SSD storage to get things working in a decent manner. 

2. Who is hackintosh really for?

Hackintosh is something that isn’t meant for the average everyday user. This is something that only developers, coders, or people who want to go the extra mile with ‘modding’ their laptops must take. For an average user, this is neither recommended nor advisable. 

3. Can I use hackintosh laptops for regular stuff too?

Yes, a hackintosh laptop can be used for regular stuff too. You can run it parallely along with your Windows or Linux based Operating System installed in the PC. Most hackintosh users use it this way – a regular mode for their regular work, but a hackintosh mode to test out developer versions of their apps or code. 

4. Where can I buy these laptops from?

There isn’t really a category of laptops called ‘Hackintosh Laptops’ so it’s going to be hard to explain in a store as to what you really want. Hence, it is best to head over to Amazon and buy them from there once you know what you’re looking for. Amazon not only has a large collection of products but also gives you quite a few discounts from time to time. 

5. Why are most of the best laptops for hackintosh so expensive?

Hackintosh devices run on a high-power CPU, and often have a powerful RAM and storage combination as well. If the device you’re selecting is a gaming laptop, then there’s an improved display and a powerful GPU that is packed along. All of this adds to the cost of the laptop. Basically, the more ‘powerful’ a laptop is, the higher it will be priced too. This is why you end up paying quite a bit for getting a decent hackintosh laptop. 

6. Is Using Hackintosh illegal?

No, it is not illegal to use Hackintosh laptops. No law stops you from buying laptops or even assembling one all by yourself for your usage. It can be an unlawful issue if you are trying to sell that laptop in the market for some other reason. Apple makes Mac OS, and it is only available on their devices, but some people want to use that operating system but don’t want to consider buying a MacBook, and Hackintosh is an excellent choice for them.

7. Is Hackintosh safe?

You can consider Hackintosh safe as long as you did not put any valuable data in it because it can fail anytime and all of your stuff can vanish within seconds. Hackintosh laptops sometimes fail because their operating system is forced to work as an emulated hardware of Mac. 

As you know, Apple doesn’t sell their OS to other Laptop manufacturers as they want to use them within their devices only, and that’s why they don’t consider it legal to use Hackintosh. Still, it works perfectly, and you may forget the usual windows also.

8. Are Hackintosh Laptops reliable?

Yes, the Hackintosh laptops are reliable. Hackintosh laptops are great for doing projects or considering them a hobby; you may sometimes face issues that may change your perception from reliable to unreliable. There is a possibility of system crashing, as Hackintosh use forced emulated hardware or Mac. 

However, it is an excellent option for those who don’t want a Macbook but still want to experience Apple’s OS.

Conclusion

A hackintosh laptop is something that many people aspire to but not everyone achieves! This is because they are not using devices with the right kind of configuration. You need a high-power laptop to be able to run MacOS on a non-Apple computer. These laptops are not only good for Hackintosh purposes, but are also a very good option for those considering buying a new laptop for home or work. Do let us know if there are any more laptops you want reviewed, or if there’s one that you have used and would like to recommend. Let us know over the comments or drop us a mail and we shall get back to you as soon as we can!

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