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State of playing PC games on Apple Silicon?
- Thread starter Loa
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Don’t want to 🤷
I play AAA games on PC and consoles.
I like Macs to be super nice and clean and optimized for productivity.
I play AAA games on PC and consoles.
I like Macs to be super nice and clean and optimized for productivity.
There is a good YouTube channel that is all about gaming on Apple devices.
He often reviews PC game performance on AS Macs as well as intel Mac games and AS native games.
He uses multiple Mac models, and gives suggestions on settings to get a good balance of performance and eye candy.
I think it is call MrMacisRight or something like that.
He often reviews PC game performance on AS Macs as well as intel Mac games and AS native games.
He uses multiple Mac models, and gives suggestions on settings to get a good balance of performance and eye candy.
I think it is call MrMacisRight or something like that.
iphones and iPads can play more games than Macs.
Please I would LOVE persona 5 on my Mac
Steam said my MacBookPro M1 wasn't up to the task for 1/2 the games I tried to play. (I've tried 2 so far)
Requires Crossover and Parallels subscriptions and still end in frustration. Just get a cheap gaming PC desktop/laptop, Steam Deck or console.
If you have an NVIDIA GeForce Now subscription and a good internet connection, you can stream a lot of great games on the Mac. Otherwise gaming on the Mac is still total doodoo.
Playing games under macOS is pretty much the same as ever on Intel. Bootcamp is out, so you can't install Windows natively, which will limit your choices.
Do you mean playing PC games that are also available in MacOS versions, or playing PC (Windows) only games on Mac Silicon? As to the former, I've fairly good experiences with many Steam games, including Tomb Raider and Hitman, which are playable on 1280x800 resolutions on an M1 at I think some 30 fps.
As to playing Windows games, I have only experience with Parallels. That does a surprisingly good job for older games: I've managed to play several older FPS games such as Metro or Fear 2. I haven't tried a recent game like Control. Note: my experience here is also with limited resolution (1280x800) and modest fps, if you want 4k and 120 fps you can forget about it and should buy a PC. But for a portable, very efficient device I find it amazing what it can do.
As to playing Windows games, I have only experience with Parallels. That does a surprisingly good job for older games: I've managed to play several older FPS games such as Metro or Fear 2. I haven't tried a recent game like Control. Note: my experience here is also with limited resolution (1280x800) and modest fps, if you want 4k and 120 fps you can forget about it and should buy a PC. But for a portable, very efficient device I find it amazing what it can do.
this. while I do play AAA games on my maxxxed out 2019 i9 macbook pro, I think the winning strategy is to get a Macbook Air and buy a loaded PC desktop or laptop for games.
I've just decided to stick with the Mac for literally all my computing needs and now I just game on my PS5. Makes life easier.
yeah I am straddling the fence until the time of my macbook pro ends. then I will just follow my own advice and just stick with the M2 Air and get a uberstrong pc..
This. I got a PC from iBuyPower (the only way to get my hands on a graphics card at the time) with a 3060Ti, and an M1 MBA. Great combo...
Status quo, which is to say inferior to PC/console but you can get by.
Things I’ve been experimenting with:
Things I’ve been experimenting with:
- If you opt in to the beta on Steam, System Shock 2 runs perfectly. (Runs strangely choppy otherwise)
- DUSK runs perfectly
- If you install the “Lazy Mac Pack” and set display mode to TWBT Dwarf Fortress runs perfectly (and really ****ing fast!)
- vkQuake runs nearly perfectly (there’s some lag between pressing left click and a shot being fired, don’t know where the lag comes from, rest of the controls are very responsive). And as always there’s compiling from source.
- And as always, there’s emulation.
Been playing a few games lately on my base M1 MBA - Bioshock 1 & 2 remastered, Disco Elysium, Tunic ran great and Metro:Exodus ran ok (~30fps). Was pleasantly surprised.
That said buying a Mac for gaming is probably not the best idea. There are a fair few older game that will run, but without Bootcamp or having to rely on Crossover the catalogues limited.
Metal 3 should make things a bit easier for porting, so curious too see if we end up getting more games once the next OS is out (RE and No Man's Sky shows there is some potential for gaming). As it stands things are still a bit lacklustre on the Mac.
That said buying a Mac for gaming is probably not the best idea. There are a fair few older game that will run, but without Bootcamp or having to rely on Crossover the catalogues limited.
Metal 3 should make things a bit easier for porting, so curious too see if we end up getting more games once the next OS is out (RE and No Man's Sky shows there is some potential for gaming). As it stands things are still a bit lacklustre on the Mac.
I have a kid who has been driving me nuts re: gaming. Minecraft was his first obsession, and it ran adequately on our old Intel iMac. Time came for a new machine, and I went with the M1 Mini. Great machine - crazy powerful (16gb RAM) - drives a nice 4K 27" screen (Asus ProArt), and is arguably a better performer than my 5K iMac (2017 model) with 24gb RAM.
But of course... Windows games. Not even new stuff... but things he "needed". So we went the Parallels route, and the Windows 11 ARM developer preview. Works for most stuff he's into at the moment. One thing that isn't possible: PC Link to his Oculus. All the latest info I've seen on that says it just isn't going to work (no DirectX, among other things).
I may have to cave and just get a crappy Windows box so he can do the things he wants... but I dread having one of those things in the house / on our home LAN. I used to do Windows network installs, etc., but after too many blue screens of death and chasing DLLs to hell and back, I went Mac and never looked back
...until I had a kid. Sigh.
But of course... Windows games. Not even new stuff... but things he "needed". So we went the Parallels route, and the Windows 11 ARM developer preview. Works for most stuff he's into at the moment. One thing that isn't possible: PC Link to his Oculus. All the latest info I've seen on that says it just isn't going to work (no DirectX, among other things).
I may have to cave and just get a crappy Windows box so he can do the things he wants... but I dread having one of those things in the house / on our home LAN. I used to do Windows network installs, etc., but after too many blue screens of death and chasing DLLs to hell and back, I went Mac and never looked back
...until I had a kid. Sigh.
I always carry with me a gaming laptop for World of Warcraft and some game pass games on the go.
Windows VMs are still a thing. Boot Camp is indeed bye bye, though.
Are they, are they as easy as they were before. Just install parallels and install a new windows VM? If not then it's not a thing.
Yes. It's incredibly easy. You click a button and Parallels automatically downloads and installs Windows 11.
Really I thought there was more to it then that. MS said the arm version of windows was only for them or OEM's and won't license it out etc.