10 Best Hackintosh Laptops in 2023 | ComputerCareers

Can you go to jail for Hackintosh?

What does a laptop need to run Hackintosh?

Many users love and appreciate Hackintosh technology and operating systems. This model allows you to install another operating system on your computer.

You also don’t have to worry about viruses and random crashes because of its ultra-secure and modern customizations.

However, choosing a Hackintosh laptop has never been simple because of their complex hardware requirements.

To help you solve that problem, I have researched and presented the top 10 most perfect versions in this article. Let’s find out together!

Our Top Picks:

In this section, I will provide salient details of each model. Do not ignore it if you feel confused and have difficulty choosing between versions.

1. ASUS VivoBook 15 Thin and Light Laptop – Best for Lightweight

ASUS VivoBook 15 Thin and Light

Important Specifications

• Hard Disk Size: 128 GB
• Ram Memory Installed Size: 8 GB
• Item Weight: 5.44 pounds

Product’s Highlight

The ASUS VivoBook 15, 15.6” FHD Display, is a lightweight, well-priced, and fully Hackintosh-compatible laptop. The working battery life of this model is up to 8 hours.

I appreciate the display quality of this device. It has a 15.6-inch HD 1920×1080 Full HD display with super-accurate brightness and color reproduction.

This machine strikes a good balance between ports, including audio jack, USB 3.1 ports, USB 2.0 ports, HDMI output and a Micro SD card reader.

Today’s Best Deal: Check Price

What We Like

• Good price
• Great battery life
• High-quality screen
• Durable construction
• Powerful Intel Processor

Things To Consider

• Low sound

2. ASUS ZenBook 13 Ultra-Slim Laptop – Best for Performance

ASUS Zenbook 13

Important Specifications

• Operating System: Windows 10
• Item Weight: 2.50 lbs
• Product Dimensions: ‎‎12 x 8 x 0.55 inches

Product’s Highlight

ZenBook 13 is a machine with fast performance and is easy to upgrade. In a little more detail, it runs on Windows 10 lightning quick and takes just a few seconds to boot.

It has automatic updates and anti-virus protection for more secure and safe use.

With a thin and light texture, I think it’s an excellent choice for people on the go.

Moreover, it also has a perfect battery life, about 6 hours continuously, so it is easy for me to work outside effectively. It also has a durable construction to the US MIL-STD 810H military-grade standard.

What impressed me about this device was the 13.3″ Full HD NanoEdge display and the stunning clarity and crystal-clear sound quality.

Today’s Best Deal: Check Price

What We Like

• Easy access
• Light for travel
• Fast performance
• Great clarity

Things To Consider

• The included mouse is less durable

3. Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R3UB: Best for Safety

Acer Aspire 5 A515-46-R3UB

Important Specifications

• Operating System: ‎Windows
• Item Weight: 4 pounds
• Dimensions: 14.31 x 9.86 x 0.71 inches

Product’s Highlight

The Acer Aspire 5 is the best tech purchase I’ve made. This model comes with 4GB onboard memory and 128GB NVMe storage. These integrations make it one of the few AMD Ryzen 3 3350U laptops compatible with Hackintosh.

Its 16:9 aspect ratio and narrow bezels allow me to see more on its gorgeous 15.6″ Full HD display. Furthermore, I can use the Alexa As display mode as a full-screen interactive experience and talk to it easily anywhere in the room.

A secure operating system is a big reward I get when I decide to invest in this model. It has Windows 11 Home in S mode, with advanced security features that work against phishing and malware.

Today’s Best Deal: Check Price

What We Like

• Powerful productivity
• Maximize visual effect
• Beautiful built-in keyboard backlight
• Many advanced security features

Things To Consider

• Unstable blower

4. Lenovo Legion 5 AMD Ryzen 7 5800H: Best for Build Quality

Lenovo Legion 5 AMD Ryzen 7 5800H

Important Specifications

• Operating System: Windows 11
• Item Weight: ‎5.29 pounds
• Package Dimensions: ‎21.34 x 13.54 x 3.23 inches

Product’s Highlight

The Lenovo Legion 5 Gaming Laptop AMD is a Hackintosh-compatible laptop.

This model features the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 and offers superb visual depth and fidelity for professional graphics manipulation. It also has a 15.6″ FHD IPS display with fast response speed and super clear colors.

I love the comfortable TrueStrike keyboard with its responsive 4-zone RGB backlighting. It’s something I didn’t get with the keyboard on my old LG Gram.

This device allows users to run AAA title games even at the highest graphics settings.

Today’s Best Deal: Check Price

What We Like

• Secure connection
• High-performance core
• Compatible with most games
• High-quality graphics
• Modern, beautiful keyboard

Things To Consider

• Expensive
• The fan is quite noisy

5. ASUS TUF Dash 15 Ultra Slim Gaming: Best for Budget

ASUS TUF Dash 15

Important Specifications

• Operating System: Windows 10 Home
• Item Weight: 4.41 pounds
• Product Dimensions: 14.17 x 9.92 x 0.78 inches

Product’s Highlight

ASUS TUF Dash 15 Ultra Slim Gaming is a powerful and ultraportable device with an Intel Core i7-11370H processor. In my opinion, this hardware spec is good enough for Hackintosh OS.

This light version comes with windows 10 and a free upgrade to windows 11. It is helpful for those who want to take it everywhere and enhance the experience.

Also, this device has an average battery life of about 6-9 hours. Yet, it has many battery-saving features like a power switch or an automatic 144hz display.

Besides, this CPU performance is a bit worse compared to other 8-core versions, but I think it’s a good balance for the low TDP and less power consumption.

Today’s Best Deal: Check Price

What We Like

• Good price
• Super portable
• Eye-catching design
• Good battery life
• Less power consumption

Things To Consider

• Do not have a camera

6. Apple MacBook Air 13.3-Inch MD760LL/B: Best for Battery Life

Apple MacBook Air 13.3-Inch MD760LL/B

Important Specifications

• Operating System: ‎OS X 10.9 Mavericks
• Item Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Product Dimensions: ‎7.6 x 11.8 x 0.7 inches

Product’s Highlight

To run Hackintosh smoothly, you must own a robust model with long battery life. I chose to buy the MacBook Air MD760LL/B also for this reason.

Furthermore, the onboard dual-core Intel i5 processor and large-capacity memory are the most relevant features for macOS. I can download helpful software for my task management without worrying about lag.

Also, its 13.3-inch LED-backlit widescreen and powerful Intel HD 5000 provide super good color reproduction and sharp images. Most macOS laptops come at a premium, but this one is affordable and fits many general users’ budgets.

Today’s Best Deal: Check Price

What We Like

• Widescreen
• Durable battery
• Modern Intel Graphics
• Super high screen resolution
• High-quality building materials

Things To Consider

• Dusty USB

7. CHUWI HeroBook Pro 14.1″ Computer: Best for Warranty

CHUWI HeroBook Pro 14.1″ Computer

Important Specifications

• Operating System: ‎Windows 10
• Item Weight: 3.06 pounds
• Product Dimensions: ‎13 x 8 x 0.84 inches

Product’s Highlight

CHUWI HeroBook Pro 14.1″ will do all your work efficiently, whether it involves heavy or demanding software. Moreover, it is also the best choice among many outstanding Hackintosh versions.

After researching for many hours, I found the connection between it and 5G/WIFI is very smooth and consistent.

Also, it has a massive 38Wh lithium-ion battery with an ultra-low-power Intel CPU to support a battery life of over 9 hours. This feature is suitable for me to work outside all day without a power bank.

For product service, this device receives one-year free maintenance after purchase and free return support for the first three months. More importantly, CHUWI always strives to provide professional and comfortable customer service.

Today’s Best Deal: Check Price

What We Like

• Widescreen
• Large touchpad
• Multiple connection ports
• Fast processing performance
• Powerful and efficient Intel processors

Things To Consider

• The charger is not durable
• Unresponsive trackpad

8. Acer Aspire 5 Slim Full HD IPS: Best for Compatibility

Acer Aspire 5 Slim Full HD IPS

Important Specifications

• Operating System: Windows 10 Home
• Item Weight: 3.97 pounds
• Product Dimensions: 14.31 x 9.74 x 0.71 inches

Product’s Highlight

If you are looking for a good setup for Hackintosh, I think the Acer Aspire 5 Slim Laptop, 15.6 inches Full HD IPS Display is the ideal investment.

It has a 15.6-inch full HD, and IPS display with LED backlighting that meets the MacBook display power standards. It implies that this is one of the few Hackintosh PC versions with very few compatibility issues.

Its battery life remains stable in S mode with a maximum power supply of 65 watts. In the end, the included 128GB SSD was fast enough for me to run both Windows and macOS software smoothly.

Today’s Best Deal: Check Price

What We Like

• High battery life
• Multiple connection ports
• Portable and powerful graphics
• Fast processing performance

Things To Consider

• The plastic shell is less durable

9. Lenovo IdeaPad 3 Laptop: Best for Durability

Lenovo Ideapad 3 Laptop, 15.6″ HD Touchscreen

Important Specifications

• Operating System: Windows 11
• Item Weight: 4.07 lbs
• Product Dimensions: ‎16.3 x 11.2 x 1 inches

Product’s Highlight

For multitasking, the Lenovo IdeaPad 3 is the ideal choice among most Hackintosh laptops I’ve tested.

First, its sturdy keyboard design surprised me for its low price. Even its comfort and touchpad exceeded my expectations.

Compared to the Apple MacBook models for display quality, this Lenovo is no less competitive. It is capable of fast web browsing on the 15.6-inch HD screen and provides me with an excellent video enjoyment experience.

With the powerful 11th Gen Intel Core i3-1115G4 processor, I had no lag issues installing Hackintosh on this device.

Today’s Best Deal: Check Price

What We Like

• Light and slim design
• Multiple connection ports
• All functions are practical
• Wide HD touchscreen

Things To Consider

• Low camera quality

10. Acer Swift 3 14″ Full HD: Best for Design

Acer Swift 3 SF314-54-56L8

Important Specifications

• Operating System: Windows 10
• Item Weight: 3.20 lbs
• Product Dimensions: ‎‎8.98 x 12.72 x 0.74 inches

Product’s Highlight

The Acer Swift 3 offers many performance features. In particular, this device can powerfully handle everyday tasks, such as booting up and loading software quickly.

I know that full I/O support in this version is the most relevant standard for macOS. Furthermore, it also has USB-C, micro SD, and USB 3.0, which provide more accessible connections.

Last but not least, that’s the sleek and stylish design of the Swift 3. It’s less than an inch thin, weighs only about 3.2 pounds, and features a 14-inch wide FHD display. In short, it’s the perfect choice for everyday computing and multimedia, whether you use it offline or online.

Today’s Best Deal: Check Price

What We Like

• Simple setup
• High performance
• Beautiful design and time
• Quick and easy connection
• Great battery life

Things To Consider

• The fan is quite noisy

Buying Guides

Installing macOS Sierra (Hackintosh) on Laptop Computer

Hackintosh computers are trending these days, and I think you should not ignore them if you want the best user experience.

To help you save time searching and make your selection more accessible, I will provide you with some helpful shopping criteria, specifically as follows:

Price

Price is the most critical factor you or any consumer needs to consider.

In general, high-end products from Apple and Dell are too expensive to be tough on your budget. However, Hackintosh laptops are generally less costly and allow for easy repair or purchase of a new one.

The hacked and original version

Before buying your favorite laptop, I suggest you check the difference between the original and modified hacked versions.

Apple Macintosh is the original version; you cannot get it anywhere but the carrier. In contrast, you need to have a Hackintosh installed on your computer to run it.

Hardware

There is no guarantee that the Hackintosh will work on the regular hardware in your laptop. Only models with built-in hardware to hold the operating system can install and run it.

Warranty

If you install yourself with cracked versions online, the Hackintosh system will not be covered by a warranty. Don’t worry, and you always have the option to go back to “Microsoft Windows” in any case.

Besides, some brands also offer warranties for their laptops and operating systems. You can ask for their help with your model.

FAQs

What does a laptop need to run Hackintosh?

To build and run Hackintosh, you need:

• RAM capacity is at least 8GB
• USB 2.0 or 3.0 drive
• A Broadcom BCM94352Z
• Machine opener

Is Hackintosh free?

Getting started with macOS, OS X Mavericks, or any free Apple hardware. But if you run the software without a license or violate the copyright, it is illegal.

Is Hackintosh safe?

It is very safe when you do not store important data.

Apple doesn’t want to license MacOS to other PC makers. So, if using a Hackintosh is not legal, it can crash anytime.

How stable is Hackintosh?

Hackintosh is a mess if you don’t use the proper hardware and don’t operate it correctly. On the contrary, when you set it up correctly, it is highly stable and works as smoothly as an honest Mac.

Can you go to jail for Hackintosh?

No. There is no specific regulation or official support for Hackintosh issues.

Conclusion

In short, Hackintosh refers to you running Apple software on an external device.

The laptops need to ensure superior hardware standards to provide a smooth experience.

To summarize, the ASUS TUF Dash 15 Ultra Slim Gaming is the most recommended choice for an affordable Hackintosh laptop. Alternatively, you’ll also want to consider the Apple MacBook Air 13.3-Inch for its versatility.

Thanks for reading!