CPU Compatibility

Intel Family

 * Laptops:
 * Core Duo/Solo (Yonah with GMA950): from 10.4.6 to 10.6.8 [NOT IDEAL]
 * Core2: [NOT IDEAL]
 * Merom (with GMA950/X3100 iGPU): from 10.4.8 to 10.7.5
 * Penryn (with X3100): from 10.5.2 to 10.7.5 (due to 32bit GPU drivers)
 * Penryn (without X3100): from 10.5.5 to 10.11.x(CPUs supporting SSE4 can run 10.13 natively)
 * Core  (and some mobile Xeon):
 * Arrandale: from 10.6.3 to 10.13.x [NOT IDEAL anymore]
 * SandyBridge: from 10.6.6 to 10.13.x [NOT IDEAL anymore]
 * IvyBridge: from 10.7.3 to Current
 * Haswell: from 10.9 to Current
 * Broadwell: from 10.10.2 to Current
 * Skylake: from 10.11 to Current
 * KabyLake: from 10.12.5 to Current
 * KabyLake-R: from 10.13.6 to Current (for better support, it's the same as KabyLake)
 * Amber Lake (Y-series): 10.14.1 to Current (rare)
 * CoffeeLake: from 10.13.6 (17G2112) to Current (for better support 10.14+ is recommended)
 * Whiskey Lake, Cannon Lake, CoffeeLake and KabyLake-Refresh are all KabyLake based, they're basically all the same.
 * CometLake: from 10.15.4 to Current
 * IceLake: from 10.15.4 to Current
 * Pentiums: NO
 * Celerons: NO
 * Atoms: Yes, but actually no. You'll be stuck in SnowLeopard, needs a custom kernel, runs slow, no GPU acceleration, why do you like pain?
 * Desktops:
 * P4: possible, don't ask me, you like pain
 * CoreDuo/Solo (Yonah with GMA950): from 10.4.6 to 10.6.8 [NOT IDEAL]
 * Core2:
 * Merom: from 10.4.8 to 10.7.5 [NOT IDEAL anymore]
 * Penryn: from 10.5.2 to 10.11.x [NOT IDEAL anymore]
 * Wolfdale: from 10.6.1 to 10.13.x [NOT IDEAL anymore]
 * Core :
 * Lynnfield: from 10.6.2 to 10.13.x [NOT IDEAL anymore]
 * Clarkdale: from 10.6.3 to 10.13.x [NOT IDEAL anymore]
 * SandyBridge: from 10.6.6 to 10.13.x [NOT IDEAL anymore. *Can be used in 10.14.x with a dGPU]
 * IvyBridge: from 10.7.3 to Current (10.14.4 aow)
 * Haswell: from 10.9 to Current
 * Broadwell: from 10.10.2 to Current [If you ever find one]
 * Skylake: from 10.11 to Current
 * KabyLake: from 10.12.5 to Current
 * CoffeeLake: from 10.13.6 to Current
 * CometLake: from 10.15.4 to Current
 * 8th gen and 9th gen are the same
 * Extreme platforms and chips: are compatible (depending on the time of their release, the OS version support varies.)
 * HEDT:
 * Ivy Bridge-E: from 10.9.1 to Current [depending on the dGPU, not natively supported so expect pain when setting up. FakeID needed]
 * Broadwell-E: from 10.10.2 to Current [depending on the dGPU, not natively supported so expect pain when setting up. FakeID needed]
 * Skylake-X: from 10.13.3 to Current [depending on the dGPU]
 * Xeon:
 * Woodcrest: from 10.4.7 to 10.7.5 [NOT IDEAL anymore]
 * Clovertown: from 10.4.9 to 10.7.5 [NOT IDEAL anymore]
 * Harpertown: from 10.5.1 to 10.11.x [NOT IDEAL anymore]
 * Nehalem: from 10.5.6 to Current [depending on the dGPU]
 * Westmere: from 10.6.4 to Current [depending on the dGPU]
 * Ivy BridgeEP: from 10.9.1 to Current [depending on the dGPU]
 * Skylake-W: from 10.13.3 to Current [depending on the dGPU]
 * Cascade Lake-SP/W: 10.15.0 to Current[depending on the dGPU]
 * Pentium: CPU-only, follows Core  tree, need to apply fakeCPUID(iGPU will not work)
 * Celeron: CPU-only, follows Core  tree, need to apply fakeCPUID(iGPU will not work)

This data is taken from real Macs, your compatibility may vary. Test and try.

AMD Family
While it may be more work, the AMD hackintosh scene has gotten quite a bit easier. Do note that distros are unsupported so please follow Vanilla guides like the Vanilla AMD Guide and those found in the AMD guides section:


 * What works
 * AMD Ryzen(17H) and FX CPUs(15H/16H, Bulldozer and Jaguar)
 * Native USB
 * Native Audio
 * The latest version of macOS Catalina(when running OpenCore)
 * iCloud
 * iMessage, FaceTime, Siri
 * So much works, that it is easier to say what doesn't so here we go:
 * Internal Graphics. Be it an AMD Ax CPU or one of the G Ryzen chips, the GPU will not work.
 * Lower GPU performance than Windows for Nvidia, AMD GPUs exhibit similar if not better performance than windows.
 * Unfixable audio issues on G series APUs, must use external DAC
 * IOMMU
 * AMD Threadripper 3rd Gen(19H) is not currently supported
 * Mic support is limited to VoodooHDA on Ryzen, no mic support for 15/16H CPUs
 * Adobe Products don't always work and there is no fix for lightroom at the moment
 * some fixes can be found here: Adobe Fixes
 * Do note these fixes just disable functionality, they're not real fixes
 * Virtual Machine running off of AppleHV's framework will not work(ie: Parallels 15, Vmware)
 * VirtualBox works fine as its doesn't use AppleHV
 * Docker broken
 * Docker toolbox is the only solution as its VirtualBox based, many features are unavailable with this
 * Xcode AppleWatch simulator is broken in Catalina
 * Mojave works fine

If you're here with an AMD CPU, you're going to need to put forth double the effort!

GPUs Compatibility
u/dracoflar has made a pretty good thread for GPU recommendations, check it here: GPU Buyers Guide. While it's made for Catalina the information is applicable to both High Sierra and Mojave, the rest of this FAQ section is still relevant (with more sources).

'''BIG. FAT. NOTE:''' VGA and analog DVI on HD4000 and later, Nvidia or AMD GPUs IS NOT SUPPORTED. Use HDMI, DVI-D or DP/mDP.

Intel GPUs
Laugh all you want, the most compatible GPU of them all are intel GPUs!

So here is a list of the intel GPUs (only on Core CPU models):


 * Intel GMA950: up to 10.7.5
 * Intel X3100: up to 10.7.5
 * Intel HD Graphics 1st generation (Arrandale): up to 10.13.x [NOT RECOMMENDED]
 * Intel HD Graphics 2000: NOT SUPPORTED
 * Intel HD Graphics 3000: up to 10.13.x
 * Intel HD Graphics 2500 (IvyBridge): NOT SUPPORTED (only used for QuickSync)
 * Intel HD Graphics 4000: up to Current
 * Intel HD Graphics 4200-4400-4600-5000-5100-5200 (and Iris): up to Current
 * Intel HD Graphics 5300-5500-5600-6000 (and Iris/Pro): up to Current
 * Intel HD Graphics HD510 to 550: up to Current
 * Intel HD Graphics P530 (and probably the P555 and P580): up to Current
 * Intel HD Graphics HD610 (GT1-tier): NOT SUPPORTED
 * Intel HD Graphics HD615 to HD650: up to Current
 * Intel HD Graphics UHD620 to 655: up to Current
 * Intel Iris Graphics IceLake: 10.15.4 to Current(Note that only Iris models like the G4 and G7 are supported, GT1 are not supported)
 * ANY Intel HD Graphics in Atom/Celeron/Pentium: NOT SUPPORTED

Nvidia GPUs

 * Tesla series: 8XXX and newer support High Sierra while 7XXX and older are not guaranteed past El Capitan
 * Fermi series: Up to High Sierra though many experience graphical issues so are limited to Sierra
 * Kepler: 10.8.3 to Current
 * Maxwell: 10.10.0 to 10.13.6 (Needs WebDrivers)
 * Pascal: 10.12.4 to 10.13.6 (Needs WebDrivers)
 * Turing: Unsupported

TLDR: try to get an AMD card or use the intel GPU since the Nvidia is probably dying (Apple VS Nvidia hate is still ongoing).

AMD GPUs

Navi 10: 10.15.1 to Current

Vega 20: 10.14.5 to Current

Vega 10: 10.13.3 to Current

Polaris: 10.12.6 to Current

Radeon R7/R9: 10.8.3 to Current

There are more supported cards but AMD's fragmented product stack makes it hard to organize. GPU Buyers Guide has a full list