I didn't build my desktop to be a Hackintosh, but it took me about two and a half hours my first time. The second (and last), it took me an hour and fifteen minutes. It's really not that rough.
The one time I tried to make a Hackintosh, it ran wonderfully for weeks (after spending tens of hours getting it going in the first place). Then an OS X update came out, I installed it, and it never recovered. Nowadays, I don't have the time or desire to have to screw with it every time a major update drops and it messes up (or even has the potential to).
One of the greatest things about Apple's combination of software and hardware, IMO, is that It Just Works(TM). A Hackintosh doesn't.
> One of the greatest things about Apple's combination of software and hardware, IMO, is that It Just Works(TM). A Hackintosh doesn't.
For sure, and my primary machine is a rMBP 15", but my Hackintosh is also about $2K less than an equivalent Mac Pro would be (if they even fielded Sandy Bridge ones). Personally, I can be a point release or two behind as the kinks in the updates get worked out for two grand in my pocket.
Totally understand. I paid just under $2300 for my MBP in June 2011 and a few dollars more for this Thinkpad in May. Five or six years I probably would've put a serious effort towards the Hackintosh but nowadays I'd rather not have to spend much time maintaining or fixing it if/when it broke.
