The Best Mac For Gaming???

[Tucom]

I hate responses like above...lol, I mean it's like this -


The reason we're stating the logic and advantages of having a dedicated gaming rig is to point out the choices and options and, again, the *huge* advantages that come with having a Windows 7 gaming rig, and also for the reason that if your serious about gaming, then I'd think one would know that the way to go for the best, most future proof setup is just to get a dedicated gaming Windows box, and a separate OS X machine for all else.

 

[goMac]

The reason we're stating the logic and advantages of having a dedicated gaming rig is to point out the choices and options and, again, the *huge* advantages that come with having a Windows 7 gaming rig, and also for the reason that if your serious about gaming, then I'd think one would know that the way to go for the best, most future proof setup is just to get a dedicated gaming Windows box, and a separate OS X machine for all else.

Unless you need the dedicated Mac anyway. I had a custom build Windows machine for games, but I realized why bother? I have a Mac Pro already for real work. Why do I need a separate machine? So the Windows box got sold, and I've never been happier. The Mac Pro is a better Windows machine than my custom built box.

That's the difference. If you're looking at a Mac Pro already for real work, a Windows box for gaming is redundant.

 

[Demigod Mac]

I think it more likely the OP is interested in a machine that can do real work AND be a beast for gaming on the side, and isn't interested in juggling two separate boxes for it.

In that case, get what I have:

Mac Pro Hex-Core 3.33 ghz + Radeon 5870

Add a 120GB OWC Mercury Extreme SSD for booting and apps and you'll be golden.

Gets 35 fps on the Metro 2033 benchmark on maximum settings at 1920x1200 resolution.

 

[gpzjock]

Meh revisited.

I think it more likely the OP is interested in a machine that can do real work AND be a beast for gaming on the side, and isn't interested in juggling two separate boxes for it.

In that case, get what I have:

Mac Pro Hex-Core 3.33 ghz + Radeon 5870

Add a 120GB OWC Mercury Extreme SSD for booting and apps and you'll be golden.

Gets 35 fps on the Metro 2033 benchmark on maximum settings at 1920x1200 resolution.

If you buy the above in the UK it would cost £3196 for the base unit (Hex core and 5870 included)+ RAM + OWC SSD + Win 7 build, so not much change out of £3500.
To get worse FPS than a £1200 Overclockers UK animal with a 24" LCD screen thrown in. Which part of Meh doesn't this resemble?

 

[tezro]

I went for a Mac Pro myself (Early-2008 model) because at the time the iMac sucked and still does in my opinion, and I wanted to get away from home-build PC's which I had done for years. Including overclocking to almost the extreme.
For me, the main reason to buy a Mac Pro at the time was so I could get the best graphics on a Mac using Mac OS X.

I am very happy still with my Mac Pro. Like a few others in this topic I play World of Warcraft mainly on it, and it runs great with a flashed 5870/1GB at 1920x1080.
I capped the FPS to a 60 max, and it's doesn't go under it a lot during raids (very intensive graphics usage then due to all the spells and stuff going around).

Because I didn't want to have to go into Windows for playing games that cannot run in Mac OS X, I forced myself to get the console FPS games working.
I still think a keyboard/mouse gives way more freedom when it comes to playing FPS games, but I am getting used to it.

 

[Lagmonster]

From the benchmark browser, it would seem that the best hardware to run games on osx is sadly not made by Apple.

 

[zodqyv]

I have a 2010 Mac Pro with a 5870 and Intel G2 solid state drives here at home that I use for "work". It displays World of Warcraft nicely under OS X, and I have played the likes of BioShock under Windows 7 with good results too (I hear the Windows BioShock port is better than the Mac native version but I have never compared).

There is also a current high-end 21" iMac with the SSD option here at my house as well. It plays Warcraft just as nicely, although the machine does not have Windows installed so I can't give you any info about that.

Sorry if this was not much help, as beyond WoW I am not a hardcore gamer. I do have several well geared level 85s, and I have played (the original) Bioshock all the way through a couple of times, but that is about it.

Well, that and an affinity for ancient Atari hardware.

 

[Austin2]

Thanks Guys, I'll be getting the Mac Pro soon enough

 

[AMDGAMER]

I have an Alienware desktop and its hard to beat for gaming. Yeah windows can get annoying at times, but its a great machine.