i'm looking to hackintosh a real notebook, not a crampy netbook
And agreed, if you want a Mac, just buy one. Refurb or second hand, if there's too much of a sticker shock.
Practical, not-as-fanboyish answer: I'm guessing that your aesthetic taste varies from mine (since I like how Mac's tend to look.) In that case, I'd say "don't buy a Mac." Apple chooses to bundle hardware and software. Thats their decision and pretty much their bottom line; use it. Or don't.