For those who don’t know, a Hackintosh laptop is basically a laptop that is completely non-Apple, however, is hacked in a certain way that you can actually run Apple’s Mac OS on it.

Now you need to keep some things in mind, Apple’s own operating system works in conjunction with the hardware that goes inside the Macbooks, and while it may be very, very simple to think that the same hardware can easily be found inside laptops that are not made by Apple, there are obvious restrictions that are put into Macbooks as well.

What this means is that even if a Macbook and a laptop both have similar specs, it wouldn’t be an easy job to make the laptop run the OS that is used by the Macbook.

In comes the Hackintosh, this perhaps is the only way to use Apple’s OS on a laptop, and in case you are wondering why people don’t just go for the Macbook right away, then think about the price difference for a second.

For the cost of a fully high end Macbook, you can get 2 laptops with similar specs, but somewhat lower build quality, and while everyone is aware of the revered build quality of the Macbook, some just don’t feel comfortable enough to pay that much of a premium. In simpler words, if you want to enjoy the fluidity of the Mac OS, but don’t want to spend the enormous amount of money on it, Hackintosh is the way to go.

However, while Hackintosh may seem like a simple thing, you do need to keep in mind that it’s still very volatile, for instance, in many cases, it will downright deny to work on your laptop, and if it will, there will be some bugs, as well as some features of your laptop that will refuse to work.

That’s because the OS can’t properly communicate with the hardware. Now, below are some of the things a laptop must have in order to run the Mac OS successfully, however, you should keep in mind that we can’t guarantee it still unless there is already a guide on how you can run it on the laptop. Let’s take a look.

Latest generation Intel processors; AMD users will have to stay away because Apple’s OS doesn’t work on AMD’s processors.

Have compatibility with the OS X Sierra and later.

Is still in production.

Costs lesser than a Macbook.

Has a properly written guide in how you can install the Hackintosh along with all the fixes for any bugs.

Has an active forum with other users actively participating.

Now that’s out of the way, another thing you need to keep in mind is that even after meeting all the specifics above, you need to make sure that you are aware of all the issues present in the Hackintosh; at times, some specific features might work on your laptop, like the WiFi card, Bluetooth, card reader, and even the finger print reader.

Now you can easily swap the WiFi card out with the one that works, but you should know that even that is not a sure shot because some motherboards simply don’t accept the WiFi cards that aren’t in their supported list, and in that case, you need to be aware that you will then left with the option to use an external WiFi adapter that you can easily find for quite cheap.

With that said, today, we are going to take a look at some of the best laptops that you can run Hackintosh on, and you should keep in mind that even these laptops have some features missing. So, in case you are looking for a full-fledged OS X experience, you may have to go and get yourself a Macbook. With that said, let’s take a look at some of the laptops that are more stable than the others to run the OS X. Do keep in mind that we won’t be digging too deep into the specs as we are more concerned about whether or not the OS X can be operational on these laptops.

Note: There are some legacy Hackintosh issues that are listed in all the tutorials, however, these issues are nothing serious so don’t worry about them.

Best Hackintosh Laptops 2020

1. HP Spectre x360 – View on Amazon

The HP Spectre x360 is a wonderful laptop, and one of the most powerful machines available in the market. Considering how this round-up mainly focuses on laptops that can efficiently run Hackintosh, the HP Spectre x360 was a no brainer. The laptop comes with the 7th generation Intel Core processors, and everything else that you would need in a slim and sleek form factor.

The performance is one of the best I have seen on any flagship laptop, however, one must keep in mind that it is not a gaming machine, and does not have a dedicated graphics card. The configuration I got for the review is:

5-3.1GHz Core i5-7200U (Kabylake)

8GB 1867MHz DDR3

Intel HD Graphics 620

512GB NVMe Samsung SSD

2×Thunderbolt 3, USB 3.0, headset jack

Windows 10 Pro

Now the main part was to see whether this laptop can be used for Hackintosh since not everyone wants to run laptops with Windows, and let’s admit it; buying a MacBook is not the cheapest solution available. The good thing is that according to all the tutorials available, the HP Spectre X360 is, for the most part, great for Hackintosh. Sure, some missing features will not work like the touch screen, but your overall experience with using Apple’s OS on this.

The features that are not working can be checked out below.

Thunderbolt 3 ports.

Sleep

Touch Screen

If you can live without these features, then the HP Spectre X360 is a great machine that works brilliantly with Apple’s OS, and provides you the same experience you would want on a MacBook. Not to forget, the Spectre X360 is already a laptop built with premium materials, so for those who are wondering about not having the same feeling, it is a bit relieving to know that you are not going to be running Apple’s OS.

As far as the missing features are concerned, you need to understand that the laptop has active support from the 3rd party developers, and there are high chances that the fixes will be rolled out in the future. However, you are going to need to be patient about it.

Pros

Great performance both on Windows and Sierra.

Solid build quality.

Sleek and slim design.

Good amount of connectivity.

Super-fast storage thanks to the NVMe storage.

Gorgeous touch screen.

Great battery life.

Cons

There are some features that stop working upon shifting to Hackintosh.

Hackintosh Installation Guide For Mac OS X Sierra

2. HP ProBook 450 G3 – View on Amazon

We are now looking at the HP ProBook 450 G3, and for those who don’t know, the ProBook series by HP is one of the best series out in the market, it’s a step below their business oriented EliteBook, but still manages to be pretty solid in terms of the build quality along with the top of the line specs.

Now you need to keep in mind that HP has been re-releasing the 450 G3 with updated specs, and this may cause some confusions among the people, but to make things clear, we tested the Hackintosh on the latest iteration that comes with the Intel’s Core i7 6500U, but as far as we can confirm, the OS X seems to be working on the other models as well.

With that out of the way, let’s take a look at the configuration that went in our version.

Intel Core i7 6500U (available in different processor models as well)

8GB of DDR3L RAM (can be upgraded)

1TB of hard drive.

Intel HD Graphics 520

15.6-inch screen with HD resolution.

Now that the specs are out of the way, we are going to discuss whether or not the OS X is supported on it, and well, you’d be glad to know that it is, and it works really, really well.

There are some tweaks, and patches that you may need to do, and the Bluetooth only works if you have the Broadcom BCM94352HMB, but other than that, everything seems to be working pretty fine.

There are some legacy issues with running OS X on this laptop as well, but luckily, all the necessary fixes have been provided. As for the card reader, it seems to be working on some models, and not on some other models.

Last but not the least, the screen tends to flicker in certain specific apps, but nothing too serious. If you are finding the guide to be lengthy, and overwhelming to read, we’d suggest you to read the whole guide first, and then start. Some people simply start while they are still reading the guide, and get stuck somewhere in the article.

Pros

The battery remains rock solid.

Great specs.

Mature hardware means better support for Mac OS.

Cons

None

Hackintosh Installation Guide

3. Xiaomi mi Notebook Pro – View on Amazon

When Xiaomi launched the Mi Notebook Pro, it took the world by surprise because many started calling it the MacBook that runs Windows. For all the right reasons as well, for starters, it was one of the most beautiful laptops on the market and instead of focusing on aggressive looks, it focused on chamfered edges, and sleek design with solid build quality.

All the good things aside, I quickly wandered off and started thinking if I can run Mac OS on it, because let us be honest, this laptop looks like it should be running Mac OS. The Mi Notebook Pro comes in a variety of models with different specs; the one I got for review was the flagship model with the highest specs possible.

8 th Gen Core i7.

Gen Core i7. 16GB RAM.

256 GB NVMe storage.

Fingerprint sensor.

Now the good thing is that the performance is as fast as it can get, however, the one thing that is most important for me is whether or not that this laptop can actually run Mac OS. It does, but not completely; there are some glaring limitations that can make the experience somewhat tainted. Many of the features, and hardware works for the most part, but the things that do not work are the ones that never will.

Nvidia graphics card.

Fingerprint reader.

Bluetooth

The Bluetooth chip is soldered on the mainboard, hence the chances of it being replaced are none. As far as the fingerprint reader and the graphics card are concerned, they simply do not work and the developer does not have enough time to pay attention and make them work. Almost every other feature works perfectly fine, so for those who are concerned about whether or not they can have a good Mac OS experience on the Xiaomi Mi Notebook Pro, there is not much to worry about.

Keep in mind that this is still a relatively new laptop on the market, so except the user experience on Mac OS to increase with future updates, and support for the device.

Pros

Looks and feels amazing, and premium.

The cost is kept low despite having high-end components.

Can run Mac OS without much of an issue.

Decent battery life.

Can even run some minor games, but only on the Windows as Mac OS does not support the dedicate graphics card.

Cons

The features that do not work in Mac OS are permanent.

Hackintosh Installation Guide For Mac OS X HIGH SIERRA

4. Dell Inspiron 7560 – View on Amazon

For the longest time, the Dell Inspiron 7560 has been considered as one of the best laptops in the market. It is neither too expensive, nor it comes with an aggressive design that might be off-putting for some users. Since this round-up is mainly about 3rd party laptops that can run Apple’s Mac OS, I am not paying much attention to how the laptop performs on Windows, because the performance is always good.

As far as the performance on Mac OS is concerned, the Dell Inspiron 7560 is perhaps the best laptops that can run Mac OS, because of how optimized everything is. After doing a research on some of the tutorials, I realized that there is not a single feature that does not work. However, you will have to change the WiFi/Bluetooth card that comes as a stock option.

The specs I got in the laptop are as followed, but you can change the specs as per your needs as well. With that said, if you are wondering about the specs, the model I have comes with.

CPU: Intel Core i7 7500U

RAM: 8GB DDR4 x 2

GPU: Intel HD Graphics 620/NVIDIA GeForce 940MX

SSD: Sandisk X400 128GB M.2 SATA

HDD: Seagate ST1000LM035

With these specs, nearly all the features that are available on the laptop will work with Mac OS. However, what is important to know is that the dedicated GPU will be disabled because OS X does not support it just now, and will probably have the same issue in the future as well.

The good thing is that the installation process was super simple, and straightforward with no advanced tricks that might end up confusing some. With that said, the Dell Inspiron 7506 does not have any major disadvantages as far as features not working is concerned. If you are on a budget, and you still want to use the Mac OS at all costs, this laptop is handy because it will do just that, minus the extra cost that you will have to pay for a full-fledged MacBook, that in some cases, will also be underpowered.

Pros

Great hardware.

Good battery life.

Does not require a lot of difficult processes to get Mac OS running.

The design is streamlined, and pleasant to look at.

All the Mac OS features without any issue whatsoever.

Cons

No glaring issue.

Hackintosh Installation Guide MAC OS X HIGH SIERRA

5. HP ProBook 450 G4 – View on Amazon

HP’s ProBook series has been one of my favourite laptop series for some time now. They are affordable, and are great for those who want to have a good business oriented laptop. Keep in mind that when I say buinsess, I do not necessarily mean that the laptop is rugged or anything as such. Again, the main purpose here is to run the Mac OS on this, and for that, we are going to have a look at what runs, and what does not.

Just like the other laptops in the market, this laptop, too comes with some features that work, and some features that do not. With that said, the HP ProBook 450 G4 comes with a variety of configuration options that you can choose from. As far as the model that I have is concerned, below are the specs.

CPU: Intel Core i5 7200U

RAM: 8GB DDR4 x 2

GPU: Intel HD Graphics 620/NVIDIA GeForce 930MX

SSD: Sandisk X400 128GB M.2 SATA

HDD: Seagate ST1000LM035

I would not go ahead and call it the most powerful laptop in the market, but it has plenty of hardware that can keep it going. In case you are wondering what works, and what does not, then the good news is that only Bluetooth and HDMI audio is not working. Everything else has a fix around that you can check in the full tutorial.

The battery remains as great as it could be, and I easily got 8 to 9 hours on moderate usage. As with all the others laptop running Hackintosh, the GPU will be disabled, so I am advising you on that beforehand.

For anyone who is looking for a cheap Hackintosh solution, the HP ProBook G4 is a great option that delivers all the amazing features that you would expect. Sure, this is not the most premium, or high-end laptop, but it does come with enough features to keep you satisfied for the longer run; plus the OS X works really well too, so you do not need to worry about having lags, or other issues that might plague a laptop otherwise.

Pros

The laptop is priced conveniently and does not cost a lot.

Runs Mac OS X without any issue whatsoever.

The battery life is great.

The process of installing the Mac OS is rather simple and straightforward.

Cons

The HDMI audio does not work.

Hackintosh Installation Guide MAC OSX Sierra

6. Lenovo IdeaPad 710S – View on Amazon

The last laptop on the list is from Lenovo, and it is the Lenovo IdeaPad 710S. This mid-range laptop could be called a direct competition of the ProBook 450 G4, although it comes with a smaller screen that totes a 1080p resolution on an IPS panel, while the panel on the 450 G4 is TN. With that said, the laptop also has a 256 NVMe SSD for Samsung, and needless to say, an SSD is always a better boot drive than an HDD.

Moving on, the laptop is available in a variety of different specs; the model I have is running the following hardware.

CPU: Intel Core i5 7200U

RAM: 8GB DDR4

GPU: Intel HD Graphics 620/

SSD: 256 GB Samsung PM961 NVMe SSD

HDD: Seagate ST1000LM035

With that said, if you are concerned about the build quality and as such, then don’t worry, the Lenovo IdeaPad 710S has a great build quality, and while it is not as premium as a MacBook, you will not be missing out on a lot. With that said, the good news is that most of the features that you would want on a Mac OS to work are working just fine.

The only thing that is not working is the micro HDMI, and WiFi, the latter can be fixed by changing the WiFi chip, and that is about it. As far as the user experience is concerned, I am pleased to announce that you should not have any issues that could break your experience.

All in all, I really like how the Lenovo IdeaPad 710S has all the basic needs that I could require from a laptop, and on top of that, it can even run the Mac OS without any issues whatsoever. So what if something as uncommon as micro HDMI is not working. Because every other feature is working, and it will give you the same great experience you could want from a good laptop coupled with the famous Mac OS X that has become a favourite for many people now.

Pros

Excellent performance regardless of the OS you are running on it.

Decent build quality.

Battery life allows you to not worry about running out of battery again and again.

Can be upgraded based on the user’s preference or choice.

Installing OS X is a simple process that does not require a lot of steps either.

Cons

The micro HDMI is not working.

Hackintosh Installation Guide MAC OSX Sierra

7. Acer Aspire E5-571 – View on Amazon

This is perhaps the cheapest laptop on our list so far, and surprisingly, the OS X works, however, you’d be limited to using the Yosemite mainly because it’s fairly an old laptop, and there are some bugs you should know about.

With that said, you should be aware of the situation by now, but the laptop compatibility depends largely on the Hackintosh, and certainly not as much as the age of the laptop.

Do keep in mind that the Acer Aspire E5-571 is still very capable Windows laptop, and works really well even with the latest Windows 10 installed. Still, if you are not satisfied with the somewhat troublesome Windows, you can easily turn your laptop into an OS X Yosemite running device.

In case you are wondering how to do that, you can simply search the tutorial, but for now, let’s take a look at the specs.

Intel Core i5-4210U.

4GB DDR3L RAM (can be upgraded)

500GB hard drive (can be upgraded)

Intel HD graphics.

15.6-inch screen with HD resolution.

As you can tell, the specs are nowhere close to groundbreaking, however, we’re not focusing on the specs as much as we are focusing on how good the laptop actually is when it comes to running the OS X.

Well, it’s fairly okay, because as compared to some of the other laptops that we have mentioned in the list, this one has quite some issues on top of the legacy issues that all Hackintosh devices are facing. Issues such as the WiFi not working is pretty common so you’d need to stick to an external WiFi adapter.

However, that’s not the concern; as per the development on the internet, the sound, card reader, WiFi, touch screen, and Intel’s SpeedStep aren’t working. So, unless you are absolutely desperate about using OS X Yosemite on your Acer Aspire E5-271P, and can live without the sound, we’d suggest you stay away from it.

Pros

Good performance on both Mac OS, and Windows.

Decent specs.

Good battery life.

Cons

The older hardware might put some users off.

Hackintosh Installation Guide

There is no doubt that the Lenovo Yoga 710 happens to be one of the best laptops in the market. This 2-in-1 is one of the most premium laptops that I have had the chance to test so far, and I absolutely love it. I quickly decided to see if I can get the Hackintosh to run on the laptop, and to my surprise, there already was a tutorial on the internet as soon as I searched for it.

Before I get into the details, the Yoga 710 is available in a variety of models, and can be upgraded according to the user’s will. The model I got had the following specifications. The model I got had the following specs.

CPU: Intel Core i7 7500U

RAM: 16GB DDR4

GPU: Intel HD Graphics 620/Nvidia GeForce 940MX.

SSD: 512 GB OEM NVMe SSD.

The installation process was simple and straightforward too. However, keep in mind that you might have to look a bit further for the proper tutorials to be available, because I did not find the tutorial on the website that I would normally use for such results. Once the Hackintosh is up and running, everything from that point is a smooth affair. However, there are some features that are not working at all. You can check them out below:

The dedicated graphics card is not working.

Touch screen.

WIFi (can be fixed by changing the chip)

Considering how you won’t be playing any games on a Mac, it is okay for the dedicated graphics card to not work, because the Intel HD 620 does a fine job at driving the visuals of the OS. The touch screen for many people remains a gimmick, and should not bother many people regarding the lack of support.

Other than that, I would conclude this review by saying that the Lenovo Yoga 710 is among the best laptop that can run Hackintosh; it is a 2-in-1, making it one of the most portable laptops in the market, whether you are using it as a Windows device, or a Hackitosh, it is going to serve you well regardless.

Pros

Decent specs.

Good performance.

Easy to install Hackintosh on it.

Slim and sleek design.

Good battery life.

Extremely portable.

Cons

Some of the features like touch screen are not working, and are necessary for majority of people.

Hackintosh Installation Guide MAC OSX HIGH Sierra

9. Dell Inspiron 15 7559 – View on Amazon

Dell’s Inspiron series has become quite famous over the years, and can be called Dells entry to the high end market, although these laptops don’t look fancy, they come with the satisfactory high end build quality of Dell laptops, along with some of the best specs in the market.

The laptop in question today is the Dell Inspiron 15 7559, and while this laptop looks pretty simple from the looks of it, don’t be fooled by this subtle beast as it happens to be one of the most powerful laptops available in the market, as a matter of fact, it happens to be more powerful than a Macbook itself, and that is saying something.

With that said, you should be glad to know that the OS X works really, really well on this laptop, and the only feature that doesn’t seem to work is the card reader. Still, you have to make some changes, and we will discuss them below. For now, let’s take a look at the specs.

Intel i7-6700HQ with Intel HD 530

8GB DDR3L (can easily be upgraded to 16GB)

1TB HDD (Used for OS)

15,6” IPS display 1920×1080

Nvidia GTX 960M 4GB

Realtek ALC256

Now that you are aware of the some of the specific things; for starters, the GTX 960M will be disabled in the OS X, and while some people feel weird by that, it’s not really necessary in the first place.

In addition to that, you will need to replace the built-in Intel WiFi adapter with a BCM94352Z, and don’t worry, it works perfectly fine along with Bluetooth, WiFi, as well as all the OS X features.

Now the good thing is that apart from these, the installation method is pretty straightforward, everything you need is listed in the tutorials that are available on the internet, along with the patches as well. The good thing is that all the major features including the Facetime are working with this laptop, and you can even go ahead and install the latest version of OS X.

Again, although the tutorial is super easy, you should keep in mind that it’s a bit lengthy, and can be overwhelming. We’d suggest you reading out everything first before proceeding in order to have a better understanding.

Pros

Although the major features are working just fine.

Has an overclockable processor.

Easy upgradability.

Good specs.

Cons

SD slot is not working.

Hackintosh Installation Guide

More Hackintosh Related Articles ?

Motherboards, Graphics Cards, Wireless Card