‘OpenMac’ Promises $399 Headless Mac... But Not From Apple
A company called Psystar has started advertising a $399 computer called “OpenMac” which claims to be a Leopard compatible Mac built from standard PC-parts. For $399, you get a tower computer with the following specs: — 2.2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Context & Ripple Effects
Psystar is commercializing an idea already familiar to enthusiasts: a sub-$800 Hackintosh build guide showed that PC hardware could be assembled into a Mac-like machine outside Apple’s retail lineup. Its $399 advertised system turns that do-it-yourself comparison into a ready-made offer.
The pitch also lands after Leopard drew strong early reviews, making claimed compatibility with Apple’s operating system the central value proposition rather than the tower hardware alone.
First-order effects
- Psystar gains a sharply lower advertised entry price for buyers seeking a desktop that it says is Leopard-compatible, while Apple’s Mac hardware faces a direct price comparison outside its own lineup.
- The offer shifts the Hackintosh proposition from assembling parts to buying a prebuilt machine, reducing the technical work required of prospective users.
Second-order effects
- DIY Hackintosh builders and PC component sellers acquire a visible retail price benchmark: Psystar’s bundle competes on convenience as well as on the cost of standard parts.
- Apple must contend with a market message that separates the appeal of Leopard from the price of Apple-branded desktop hardware, even though Psystar’s compatibility claim is its own.
Third-order effects
- If prebuilt Leopard-compatible PCs gain buyer acceptance, the Mac market’s differentiation will be tested less by processor hardware and more by Apple’s ability to keep software, support, and hardware purchasing tied together.
- The appearance of commercial clone sellers points toward a broader contest over whether operating-system demand can sustain an independent PC-hardware channel rather than only enthusiast-built systems.
The trend: The OpenMac is one data point in the shift from enthusiast Hackintosh projects toward commercial attempts to decouple Mac software demand from Apple hardware sales.