Do you ever wonder if you can play PC games on a Mac computer? Are Macs good for gaming? Do they hold up against gaming computers that are specifically made to handle demanding games? I’ve created this guide to give you an overview of the Macs and how they compare to actual gaming computers.
When it comes to gaming, which computer should you buy? If you’re in the market for a gaming PC, that question is pretty easy to answer: get the best gaming PC you can afford. But if you’re in the market for a Mac, things get a bit murkier.
When I first built my PC, I used to joke that it was better than a Mac (even though Game Developers don’t really tend to use Macs). Now, as a tech enthusiast and avid gamer, I take this subject very seriously. But with the popularity of Apple computers growing every year and their recent release of Apple’s new laptop line-up, “Mac vs. PC” debates have grown in popularity — bolstered by passionate fans on both ends.
Macs have long been a popular personal computer brand due to their sleekness, and it goes without saying that Macs are far more efficient for completing work-related tasks than their Windows-running counterparts.
But what they’re not so well-known for is their gaming abilities. And while Macs have gotten considerably better over the years at handling complex graphics and 3D modeling, they still lack in some areas compared to traditional gaming computers. This can be especially challenging if you’ve been using a Mac for all your career and editing software, but have always wanted to get into gaming as a whole new hobby. It might seem like you’re stuck with mediocre gaming performance on your Mac computer.
Are Macs good for gaming?
Apple’s lineup of computers includes the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac Pro, Mac Mini, and all-in-one iMac desktop. These machines are designed with high-powered processors that run professional grade applications smoothly and efficiently, allowing you to complete your tasks quickly and easily. However, Apple technology is not specifically designed for gaming.
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While you can certainly still enjoy playing games on an Apple computer, their performance leaves a little to be desired compared to a dedicated gaming computer (often termed “rig”) or even some standard desktop computers. This is mainly due to the fact that these machines are built for speed and efficiency rather than heavy-duty graphics processing.
The next time you’re looking to play the latest in your favorite video game series on a new set of wheels, don’t forget that Apple is also famous for its design aesthetic as well as functional use.
Why gaming on Macs is and isn’t a good idea.
Apple has gotten a lot of flack over the years by users claiming they’re a company only interested in making products that are focused on aesthetics and not performance. While there is some truth behind the argument when it comes to Apple’s phones, laptops, and tablets (the MacBook is one notable exception), that hasn’t been the case when it comes to their Mac computers and their overall performance.
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Just ask any gamer, and they’ll tell you that Macs aren’t exactly on the top of the list when it comes to gaming — not because they can’t run games well, but because most game developers don’t even bother to design their games for macOS users.
Macs are lacking in one major area: their game library. Since most gaming companies design their games for PC and Microsoft computers, there is a lack of games to choose from. While some companies do release Mac versions of their games, they’re sometimes not compatible with the computer’s graphics card or they are released months after the Windows version, leaving you with only a handful of games to choose from.
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Gaming on Macs is gaining popularity, but it’s not as straightforward as gaming on Windows. It’s actually a bit more complicated with similar options, but so many added features. When I started gaming on my Mac, I didn’t know what to do and failed most of the times.
From the outside, it looks like gaming on Macs is a terrible idea. Without a doubt, Apple lags far behind in this globe as their integrated graphics cards are subpar. This makes it hard to play any game that requires a high-class video card to run properly. There’s even a good chance they’ll never work well under macOS.
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Only Mac Pro models can boast good specs for the price. Gamers will find the next bad thing about games on Macs is that no one makes games for them. While there are dozens of games designed for PCs and console, there is only a handful of titles you can see with an Apple computer.
The best gaming computers aren’t Macs.
For years, there were few reasons to buy a Mac computer. Macs had high quality graphics but used more expensive operating systems and could not perform tasks as historically well as a PC.
Both computers were powerful in their own rights, but only one – the PC – was affordable and customizable. This move, along with the inability of Apple to focus on games as a new product category, meant Macs simply couldn’t compete with PCs in terms of sheer numbers. Since that time, Apple has released new Macs and gaming technology, yet they still lag behind Windows® when it comes to sheer game volume.
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So, to sum up, Macs can be used for gaming, but they are not the ideal platform for it. They are more expensive and less well-equipped than a gaming PC in general, because the goal of a gaming PC is to play high-definition games (sometimes even on multiple screens) and have high performance graphics. In fact, without these features, laptops and desktops can be very difficult to use.
Do games run better on PCs?
Today, gamers enjoy high-performance technology that was unimaginable even a couple of years ago. The best graphics cards push 4K resolution at 60 FPS, while powerful multi-core processors are in everyday use by developers to make the latest games perform even better than they could on consoles.
Fans and water-cooling systems help keep performance high when large power draw is a concern, and the most advanced audio systems let us hear every little detail the developers want us to hear.
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By any measure, the PC is still the best gaming platform. It’s where you’ll find the most advanced and immersive games, with the most detail. The best graphics cards in laptops do play a part in its success. But what’s also important is that laptop graphics cores share a lot of features with their desktop equivalents.
What makes a great gaming computer?
So you want to build a gaming computer, but don’t know what makes a great gaming computer? For me, a great gaming computer is one that can run all the games I want smoothly in all settings. I would love to say that it’s simple, but finding all the best components at the best price is complicated.
When purchasing a computer, knowing what makes a great gaming computer is important. There are many things to consider. The fine details of each component and the prices aren’t common knowledge. In fact, many people are caught confused by the differences between all the parts.
So you want to build a great gaming computer! But when you walk down to the local computer store, it’s easy to get confused by the numerous options available. Before we start looking at gaming computers, lets look at what makes a good computer in general. What’s important to remember is that a bad computer will cause problems no matter what you do. Having the best graphics card in the world won’t save your computer if it can’t run games properly.
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When it comes to gaming PCs, there are three components which are the most important — CPU, GPU and RAM. These three pieces of hardware should be the first ones to look out for when you’re building a new PC for gaming purposes.
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To get the best computer for gaming you’re going to have to be a little hands on and pick parts that are right for your budget and performance needs. A word of advice, don’t buy a pre-built system. These systems are always over priced, they don’t perform as well as they should and they’re often filled with junk software that slows down your system and annoys you. There are two parts I will consider expensive that are vital in building a gaming PC this is the CPU (Central Processing Unit) and the Graphics card (GPU). You’ll also need a monitor, keyboard and mouse.
Can any PC be a gaming PC?
The answer to the above title is “no”. No there are a lot of computer that can be used as gaming PC’s but they all will end up failing you in one way or the other.
In recent years, the big debate has been whether gaming PCs can be created on common hardware. Regardless of the how heated discussions tend to get, there’s one fact that remains constant — all the gamers want the computer with the best performance regardless of cost. A huge misconception about using mainstream hardware for gaming is that you have to settle for sub-par performance. But if you know what to look for, there are plenty of options to help you build a PC game system without breaking the bank.
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So you want to build a gaming PC without breaking the bank – what do you need? While you may be able to find a gaming PC for around $1,000.
Gamers aren’t satisfied with mainstream hardware and they demand more. Three years ago that meant eschewing integrated graphics in favor of a discrete GPU, and it still means that today – but only just. The fact is that the gaming PC isn’t a different beast to any other system, it’s just one which can be tweaked to give the best performance and experience for your favorite titles. By doing a little research and shopping around, I reckon you can pick up an incredibly powerful gaming rig for less than $1000/£700/$1200 AU .
Boot Camp and the best programs to help run Windows on your Mac.
Gaming on Mac is something I’m sure every Apple fan would like to do. However, sometimes you will find yourself in a situation where there isn’t a version of your favorite game for the Mac or you simply want to play older retro games. Fortunately, there is a fairly simple workaround that can allow users to enjoy the best of both worlds by operating a Mac for its excellent features, while also being able to run any Windows-compatible PC game right from their Mac computer.
There are a number of games available for Macs, and by taking full advantage of programs like Parallels Desktop for Mac, you can get some of your favorite PC games working in conjunction with the excellent features of your new macOS computer.
Parallels is the only way to run Windows and Mac together without needing to restart, utilizing features like Seamless Mode that allows users to switch between Windows and macOS in a non-disruptive manner at any time. Thus, if would-be Mac users are looking to make use of Windows applications or game libraries while enjoying the great features of macOS, Parallels makes it an excellent option that can provide seamless support and compatibility no matter what tasks you’re using your computer for.
Section: WINE and Crossovers let you run Windows games on your Mac without rebooting.
However, this doesn’t mean that one can’t or shouldn’t game on a Mac computer. As alluded to above, many games nowadays are designed for Windows use first and foremost, but it’s not impossible to get them working on a Mac — you’ll just need to jump through some hoops to make it happen. This is especially true with the game emulators available on the web, which makes it possible to emulate classic video game consoles and their games, even on macOS computers.
No matter what your views on Wine are, it can’t be an enjoyable experience to try to run a Windows-only title on a Mac. While Apple has done a fantastic job of including more gaming titles in their software and hardware offerings, there are still plenty in which having access to them on a Mac is near impossible. Or is it? The answer is that with the right tools and setup, you can, in fact, get PC games running under Wine.
Takeaway: You can play some games on a Mac, but a PC is usually going to be better for gaming.
When you buy a computer from Apple, there are certain things you can expect and certain things it’s missing. The most glaring difference is the lack of games. In fact, if you give this subject any thought at all, you’ll probably quickly come to the conclusion that Macs aren’t made to play your favorite PC games.
Sure, you could install Windows on it and play the games you like, but then when you’re done playing, your Mac experience is still kind of missing something. Hey — don’t get me wrong — I love using my Mac in ways other than gaming (for instance, now that I’m used to it after years of using it exclusively), but every once in a while my gaming itch returns (sorry), and I just have to scratch it.
Despite current MacOS versions being able to run Windows, a Mac just isn’t a good option for gaming, period. They’re not as powerful as an equivalent Windows system or components, don’t have the same kind of array of customization options and support, and in general just aren’t worth it. Don’t go out of your way to buy one for this purpose.
Ultimately, whether you get a Mac or a PC should really be based on your needs, and your budget. It may well be cheaper to buy a PC, especially if you can find one on sale, whereas if you need portability and style that’s what Macbooks give you.