EFi-X Allows Mac OS X to Boot on a PC

EFi-X is the latest commercial product to allow PCs to boot Mac OS X. A company called Psystar made headlines in April when it introduced its "Open Computer" which was built from generic PC parts and also allowed users to boot Mac OS X Leopard. Psystar advertised the computer as an affordable alternative to an official Apple Mac. Psystar would install a modified version of Mac OS X on their computers to allow them to boot into Apple's operating system. Apple has since sued the company citing copyright infringement.

EFi-X takes a different approach by offering a hardware add-on that allows you to install an unmodified Mac OS X onto certain PC configurations. EFi-X is offering it as a tool for enthusiasts, and not necessarily for those looking to save money:

EFI-X is not for everyone. It is not for who wants to save money, at all. It is for enthusiasts that put expandability and extreme performances before anything else in their computing needs. We heard those voices, and we answered.

Only specific hardware configurations are supported, but if your PC fits those specifications, the EFi-X add-on promises headache free installation and upgrades.

Gizmodo reviews the EFi-X device and finds it lives up to its promises.

Well, I used it to turn my gaming PC into a Mac Pro over the weekend, and I'm somewhat amazed to say this, but it works perfectly. I grabbed all the updates straight from Appleincluding 10.5.5 last night, so you don't have to wait for a hacked patch like you would running a typical Hackintoshinstalled a whole bunch of software and have been using it for several days. It runs beautifully, just like a real Mac Pro.

The installation requires you to plug the device straight into the motherboard, and upon boot does slow down the Leopard boot process (up to 2 minutes), but once up and running the experience is described as seamless. The product sells for $155 and is now shipping.

Popular Stories

iOS 17

Apple Releases iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1 With Bug Fixes, Plus iOS 17.0.2 for iPhone 15 Models

Thursday September 21, 2023 10:28 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1 updates for the iPhone and the iPad, adding bug fixes to the new software. The iOS 17.0.1 and iPadOS 17.0.1 updates come just a few days after Apple launched iOS 17 and iPadOS 17. The software, which is build 21A340, can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. There is a...
iPhone 15 Pro Lineup Feature

iPhone 15 Models Feature New Setting to Strictly Prevent Charging Beyond 80%

Tuesday September 19, 2023 2:04 pm PDT by
All of the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models feature a new battery health setting that prevents the devices from charging beyond 80% at all times when enabled, as confirmed by The Verge's Allison Johnson during a Q&A session today. The new setting is separate from the pre-existing Optimized Battery Charging feature on iPhones, which intelligently delays charging past 80% until a more...
emojipedia 15 1 emoji

Emoji Coming to Future iOS 17 Update Include Shaking Head, Brown Mushroom, Lime, Phoenix and More

Tuesday September 19, 2023 12:43 pm PDT by
As Apple was announcing new iPhone models last week, the Unicode Consortium was officially approving new emoji characters that are set to be added to smartphones starting in 2024. Mockup of new emoji from Emojipedia Approved Unicode 15.1 emoji include phoenix, lime, an edible mushroom, shaking head vertically (as in a "yes" nod), shaking head horizontally (a "no" head shake), and broken...
iPhone 15 Pro Max 5x Optical Zoom Limit Feature 1

Apple Explains Why iPhone 15 Pro Max is Limited to 5x Optical Zoom

Wednesday September 20, 2023 9:52 am PDT by
In an interview with Numerama's Nicolas Lellouche, Apple's VP of camera software engineering Jon McCormack explained why the iPhone 15 Pro Max's tetraprism lens system is limited to 5x optical zoom, instead of 10x like on Samsung's Galaxy S23 Ultra. The interview is in French, so quotes below are computer translated. Apple says the Telephoto lens on the iPhone 15 Pro Max features the...