Will MacBook work for gaming?

[ebmx66]

I want to get one of the new Apple Laptops either the Macbook or the Macbook Pro and run Windows XP on it so that i can play the game Elder Scrolls: Oblivion on it

I would like to know if this windows game or games in general will work on a 2.0 GHz Macbook w/ 512mb ram or will I have to get a Macbook Pro?

thanks

 

[apfhex]

The MacBook comes with the Intel GMA 950 integrated graphics chip which shares RAM with the rest of the system. Probably not so great for gaming, especially if you want to run a game like Oblivion with higher quality graphics options.

The MacBook Pro comes with ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 and 128MB or 256MB VRAM. I'm no expert, but I bet the mobile X1600 beats the crap out of the GMA 950.

 

[nagromme]

The Intel 950 does a lot better than I would have expected, in my brief tests, but to do the latest games justice you want the MacBook Pro.

 

[quruli]

If you can wait, the Macbook may see a graphics update at the Paris Expo.

 

[mahonmeister]

I would get 1GB of RAM. They put two 256's in there which would make it more expensive to expand later.

 

[sikkinixx]

pro, no other way. I have a mb (on it right now) and it barely runs the Sims 2 (albeit with only 512mb ram) but ESIV:O is a system hog so the pro will be the only way you will get decent fps going.

 

[MovieCutter]

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!! OBLIVION ON A MACBOOK!!! HA HA HA HA HA

</vicious laughter>

 

[bigrell486]

A Macbook works for certain games.
Madden NFL 06 works perfectly on full settings.
F.E.A.R works with the extras turned off
Oblivion will just look ugly on a Macbook

 

[kaboutertje]

Depends on what your used too.
If your coming from a pc with a 7800+ gpu, you will find both the MBP and the MB lacking.
There are people who still play games on a athlon 1800 with a fx5200 card though and they will find gaming on a MB just fine. No way I would ever play any new game on a MB though.

If only Apple would release a Small form factor mac (think half the size of a Mac pro), with:

-a core 2 duo
-up to 2gig of ram
-compatible with every pci-express card out there
-build in isight

I would buy it in a instant, and would game away on it too . I probably end up going back to a new windows pc though since a mac pro is too expensive for me.

 

[WabeWalker]

Oblivion on a MacBook is a laughabe idea. Forget about it. Even the low end MacBook Pro is going to struggle with Oblivion.

(Right now Oblivion is one of the most demanding games on the market - those draw distances are unlike anything we've seen in a game to date; I mean, there's virtually no fog barrier at all, and if you climb up a hill you can see for miles and miles.)