Back in the day, there was a saying that Mac wasn’t for gamers because of how few games it could run or “Windows is for gaming and Mac is for productivity.” And while it still kind of holds true today, some of the best-selling games have been ported to the MacOS environment. A quick glance at the Apple App Store and you’ll see the adorable cat adventure game, Stray, on the home page. The addition of games on Mac means the adage is slowly becoming obsolete. But, to play in a Mac environment, you must first gotta know which Mac device you should use. In this article, we’ will look at the top Mac devices for gamers.
Why Play Games on a Mac?
This question is somewhat trivial because it’s all a matter of preference. However, I would argue that using a Mac for gaming does have its perks. For instance, it can run an emulated version of Windows. The most popular one is the Wine emulator. This means that a Mac running a Windows emulator can, theoretically, run games made for Windows. I remember playing an old Elder Scrolls game on my father’s Macbook (the entry-level one from 2008) through Wine and it worked perfectly.
Some old games have Mac ports. The popular role-playing game, Old School RuneScape, has a native Mac port that has cross-platform and cross-progress. You can grind for OSRS gold across all your devices that have the game. Path of Exile also has a native Mac port that gives you the same gaming experience as Windows.
There are some top titles available for Mac. Assassin’s Creed has been ported to Mac, so does Stray. Then there is the popular arcade racing title Asphalt with its 8th and 9th iterations available for Mac. However, some of the titles for Windows are not yet available natively for Mac. Diablo 4, for example. Then there’s the case of Fortnite. Since Epic Games’ fallout with Apple, Fortnite has been one of the main casualties of the split. While the game can still be played through a Windows emulator, its native support has ended.
What to Look for in a Mac?
A Mac computer is often optimized to perform its very best. The low-bandwidth processors, 4GB RAM, with integrated graphics Macs will still perform at their best compared to a similar spec Windows computer. However, with the newer Apple M chips (M1 – M3, and variants thereof) the disparity between the older Intel-based Mac computers and the newer Mac models are galaxies apart. The performance of the M chips has surpassed even the latest Intel chips available. That said, here are some considerations when looking for a Mac device for gaming.
- CPU power: This is probably the first line of defense you need to ensure that you are running games smoothly. As mentioned, the M series chips have great processing power, and it scales as you choose which processor you need for your Mac.
- RAM capacity and bandwidth: More RAM = a smoother experience. You should consider getting at least 16GB of RAM with at least a DD4 SDRAM. This ensures higher bandwidth while maintaining low power consumption.
- Discrete graphics: During the Intel era of Macs, some models were offered with a separate graphics card. The NVIDIA graphics card was then maximized by video producers who have been limited by the integrated graphics of the processors. The addition of graphics cards to Mac computers meant that gaming was possible, even though there was not much on offer. Considering the advantage of the Apple M chips and its integrated graphics, some top titles ported to Mac are now playable without the need for discrete graphics cards. But you can still choose to go old-school with Intel-based models with a separate graphics card.
- A solid-state drive: Solid-state drives provide faster data transfer and throughput because there are no moving parts and read/write speeds, and durability is determined by its DRAM (if it has one or not). Invest in a good solid-state drive to prevent slowdowns caused by reading and writing to disk. Note: some Mac models like the MacBook Pro are not user upgradeable. Having an external hard drive may circumvent this problem, apart from asking for an upgrade before purchasing the device.
- Peripherals: Some Mac models like the Mac mini, iMac, and the Mac Pro do not include peripherals like keyboards, mice, and/or monitors. Consider purchasing gaming mice and mechanical keyboards if you are not considering going mobile. I personally use the Royal Kludge RK61 Bluetooth keyboard and a Tecware Elite Pulse wireless mouse. Both work perfectly for my MacBook Pro. Otherwise, Apple’s Magic Keyboard and Magic Mouse are good, despite the price tag.
Which Macs to Buy
Now we’ve listed down the essential “what to look for,” the actual purchasing of a Mac may boil down to budget constraints. Personally, I avoid the MacBook Air as a gaming device because it may not perform as well as an entry-level MacBook Pro, despite similarities in hardware. With that out of the way, here is a rundown of Macs that can be used for gaming.
- MacBook Pro (M2 Pro, M2 Max, M2 Ultra/M3 series): For gamers on the go, the MacBook Pro with at least the M2 Pro chipset is recommended. As for screen size, it’s entirely up to you. The smallest available screen size for MacBook Pro is 14 inches, with the largest coming in at just 16 inches. I have an older 13-inch Retina display MacBook Pro and it’s the most portable laptop I own. That said, the 14-inch model still fits inside your backpack without it feeling like you’re carrying around a brick. But if you need the extra screen space, the 16-inch is the way to go.
- Mac mini (M2 Pro): The Mac mini is one of the cheapest options for entering the MacOS environment; while having the same performance as a MacBook Pro. Currently in its M2 Pro iteration, the Mac mini is also a perfect home entertainment solution. You might need to purchase peripherals for this, though, as it only comes with the unit itself.
- Mac Studio (M2 Pro, M2 Max, M2 Ultra): Same with the MacBook Pro, the Mac Studio with at least the M2 Pro chipset is recommended for gaming. However, like the Mac mini, it is not modular as the essential upgradeable parts are not accessible to users.
- Mac Pro (M2 Max): If you have a lot of cash to spend, you may want to consider the Mac Pro. The only advantage I see with the Mac Pro is that it is the only modular system in the Apple environment. Apart from that, I think the high price tag is not actually something that gamers should consider when buying a Mac. But it is on this list because it does well with games.
- Older (i.e.; Intel) MacBook Pro: I want to add this as something to consider. The old Intel-based MacBook Pros sometimes have a separate graphics card that video editors prefer over the MacBook Pro models with integrated graphics. A good condition model with at least 16GB of RAM, Intel i7, and at least 512GB solid-state drive are cheaper than the latest MacBook Air. Should you consider getting in the Mac environment for gaming, the older MacBook Pros are a good alternative.
Conclusion
Choosing the right Mac device for gaming can be a grueling task. There’s a lot to consider, especially since the Mac environment is not as flexible as Windows. Despite this, gaming on the Mac platform is as enjoyable as its Windows counterpart. Gone are the days of being isolated because you can’t farm for cata gold because you’re on a different platform. You can now enjoy grinding games with your friends because of the native ports available in Mac. And if more games are ported to Mac, more gamers will consider getting a Mac device.
