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Playing games on the current MacBooks

IamtheJim

IamtheJim

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 2, 2007
4
0
I think I will be interested in playing some games when I purchase the macbook, but I realize the graphics card isn't anything too hot. So can anyone tell me from experience how it is?


And would the motherboard allow me to replace the graphics card if I wish??




Thanks
 
IamtheJim said:
And would the motherboard allow me to replace the graphics card if I wish??
Click to expand...

There's no graphics card, as such. The MB uses integrated video (GMA950), "borrowing" 64MB from system RAM. Sorry.

Depending on your desires and personal criteria, the MB ranges in gaming ability from "IT SUXX!!" to "Duude, this really rocks!" It' all really game (and game settings) & player-specific

In other words, don't expect 75fps with all the sliders hard right...
 
IamtheJim said:
I think I will be interested in playing some games when I purchase the macbook, but I realize the graphics card isn't anything too hot. So can anyone tell me from experience how it is?
Click to expand...

What kind of games are we talking here?

IamtheJim said:
And would the motherboard allow me to replace the graphics card if I wish??
Click to expand...

'Fraid not; these are Intel integrated graphics which are soldered to the logic board. You may be able to use an external graphics card although I'm a little unsure about that.

EDIT: Dammit JohnNotBeatle! I had this one. :(
 
I'm thinking like from WoW, to Command and Conquer, Starcraft 2, and possibly Counter Strike: Source via bootcamp
 
There're a few threads which mention specific games, so if you've got any ones particularly in mind, it's worth doing a search.

Several people have posted footage on Youtube of quite a few different games being played on MBs (both in OS X and Boot Camp) - not a hugely scientific way of research, but it should give you a rough idea of what to expect.
 
In general, games will run better in windows.

There's a huge thread in the gaming forum here that lists the performance of different games.
 
I just played Warcraft III at a steady 50fps and Call of Duty 2 at 30fps on my MacBook. Specs are in my signature.
 
Bottom line, in my opinion, is this:

If you want a MacBook and you want to game, get a MacBook Pro. It has a decent video card that can handle most games.

Integrated graphics do not cut it.
 
Winterfell said:
Bottom line, in my opinion, is this:

If you want a MacBook and you want to game, get a MacBook Pro. It has a decent video card that can handle most games.

Integrated graphics do not cut it.
Click to expand...

Or, if you want a MacBook and want to play a few games, get a MacBook

If you want a computer to game on, get a Windows Based computer.
 
Winterfell said:
Bottom line, in my opinion, is this:

If you want a MacBook and you want to game, get a MacBook Pro. It has a decent video card that can handle most games.

Integrated graphics do not cut it.
Click to expand...

well what if we cant afford a MBP, anyway i dont have a MB so i shouldnt be talking but that thread in the Apple Games forum shows that a lot of games do work on a MB
 
Yeah, a lot of games will work but don't expect amazing fps. If you play competitively the fps you'll get from the macbook just won't cut it.
 
jellz said:
Yeah, a lot of games will work but don't expect amazing fps. If you play competitively the fps you'll get from the macbook just won't cut it.
Click to expand...

that is true and seriously if u want the best just get a 360 :) (its cheaper then a gaming comp and probably better for gaming, and by probably i mean defintly)
 
The problem with the macbook is, old games mac games would run great, but you almost always have to run them through rosetta.
On the windows side, old games run great, but they sometimes don't support widescreen resolutions.
I don't have windows on my macbook anymore and the only game I play anymore is warcraft III, which runs great (1,83 ghz core duo with 2 GB ram)
 
Warcraft 3 runs perfectly fine 1280x800 with all effects on for me...and that's not even universal binary. If it runs this well emulated, I don't think we'll have any problems playing Starcraft 2 since it'll be universal binary. The Macbook is a lovely computer as long as you don't expect to run the most demanding stuff that's out there. :cool:
 
Ludde said:
Warcraft 3 runs perfectly fine 1280x800 with all effects on for me...and that's not even universal binary. If it runs this well emulated, I don't think we'll have any problems playing Starcraft 2 since it'll be universal binary. The Macbook is a lovely computer as long as you don't expect to run the most demanding stuff that's out there. :cool:
Click to expand...

Warcraft III is Universal Binary with update 1.21 but even so, it runs at a steady 50fps.
 
IamtheJim said:
I'm thinking like from WoW, to Command and Conquer, Starcraft 2, and possibly Counter Strike: Source via bootcamp
Click to expand...

WoW is perfectly playable on MacBooks, under OS X and Windows. I used to have a 1.66GHz Core Duo Mac Mini and WoW was perfectly playable. It wasn't perfectly smooth graphics but wasn't all that bad and WoW doesn't require percetly smooth graphics. Starcraft 2 will probably struggle because its not even out yet. Counter Strike: Source could be ok, I can't vouch for that though. All pre-C&C3 command and conquer games will play without a problem and be perfectly smooth. I haven't tried C&C3 on a GMA950 Mac, however, my friend tried the demo on a Dell Pentium M 1.5Ghz (i.e. basically a Core Solo) laptop and he found it playable and his hardly has any RAM either. C&C3 will probably play fine on a MacBook C2D with 2GB of RAM.
 
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