Question from Chris B: I’d really like to have a Mac, but since I can’t afford one I’d like to build a computer and install Mac OS on it.
I know people build their own Windows PCs from scratch all the time.
Can you tell me how to build my own Mac? I have $500 that I can spend on it. Thanks.
Rick’s answer: Chris, while it’s entirely possible to build your own computer and install Mac OS on it (and end up with what’s called a Hackintosh), that might not be your best course of action.
Actually, there are a couple of ways you can get yourself a machine that runs the popular Mac OS.
First, for $500 you can probably buy yourself a good used Mac that you can simply unbox, plug in, and start using right away. It won’t be the latest model, but it’ll most likely be a very good machine.
If you do decide to buy a used Mac, you’ll find plenty to choose from on eBay, Craigslist, or Amazon
Personally, I would choose one from either Amazon or eBay simply because it’s a safer transaction, but you’re more likely to find one locally on Craigslist.
All of that being said, you can easily buy the parts required to assemble a decent home-built Hackintosh for $500 if you really want to go that route.
Building your own computer is a great way to learn about the various parts and how they work together to create a functional computer.
You’ll also gain the personal satisfaction that comes from successfully building a working computer from scratch.
There are couple of caveats however:
1 – If you end up installing one or more parts incorrectly, you can easily damage an expensive part, and it won’t be covered under the warranty since it became damaged due to human error.
2 – You’ll have to select parts that are known to work correctly with Mac OS (and not all of them will). There are online guides that can help you choose your parts however.
As far as instructions for choosing the parts for your Hackintosh, assembling them into a working system, and installing Mac OS on it are concerned, there are simply too many things to consider and too many details involved for me to cover them here.
Bottom line: Building your own Hackintosh is certainly possible, but there’s always the risk of wasting some money if things don’t go as planned.
But if you decide to proceed, you’ll find all the info you need on Hackintosh.com and The OSx86 Project.
I hope this helps Chris. Good luck!
Bonus tip: After you do either buy a Mac or get a Hackintosh up and and running you can read this post to learn how to keep it malware free.
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