I used to wonder about how it will be gamings on mac computers, are macs good for gaming? What is the experience according to most gamers? I did some research to figured out the answers and I will try to elaborate on the ways here in the article below.
So, Are Macs good for gaming? Macs are not good for gaming because they are not specifically designed with gaming in mind where hardware upgrades are limited, they have a poor thermal design, the gaming library is pretty smaller than other operating systems. Upgrading Macs externally with a dedicated graphics card can help.
In the research to find the answer, I have come across amazing facts and discoveries which you should know before you make your mind. You will ultimately find your answer based on the ways rather than answers to these questions that I have given below.
You just have to know what are the key factors you want to consider and what is true to your style and preference in gaming.
Are Macs Good For Gaming? Let’s Find Out
Whenever I used to visit the Apple store here locally, I used to wonder the same sometimes that are Macs good for gaming? They look amazing design-wise and the quality builds they have. But, one can play fast-paced games on these computers? I was wondering till then and thought to let’s find the answers.
I have decided to do some research on this topic and found some best ways to figure out the answers. Though these are more questions and their answers rather than ways in specifically. This way you can understand the best fitting options when deciding whether to go for it or not.
1. Are Macs specifically designed with gaming in mind?
Apple computers are not specifically designed with gaming in mind because the upgrading hardware options are limited where you can not install external hardware to boost the performance, they have poor thermal design and get hot, and not compatible with the fast-paced gaming experience.
This one is pretty straight forward but you never know when they launch their gaming computer series. Having said that Macs are built advances in information security and assurance.
They have more focused on user interface and experience which is more targeted towards content creators such as graphic designers and not specifically to gamers. This one question answers the best scenario for someone who is actually wanted to invest in Macs for gaming.
2. How big are the Macs Gaming Libraries?
Well, this one we can compare with the list of games Steam offers to Mac and other operating systems such as Linux and Windows. Also in this fashion, we will get the idea of that is the primary operating system to get the preference in-game availability.
Mac OS has around seven thousand and plus games on steam whereas Linux has around four thousand and growing rapidly with demand. Windows operating systems on the other hand have the highest games in the library about more than twenty thousand games.
Though gaming on Mac OS is declining due to the unavailability for the top gaming launch and due to the cost for the high-performance gaming, the option to choose Mac OS over Windows or Linux is a very hard choice these days.
I am so hyped for the launch of my favorite gaming series in the future where having a platform with the assurance of availability gives me a sense of stability. The gaming library is one of the biggest factors when you are deciding what is the best OS for gaming PC.
3. Is Mac hardware configuration best for gaming?
The answer depends on which type of games you want to play on the Mac OS which will determine the hardware configuration and its compatibility. If you are looking for fast-paced gaming then you will need high-powered hardware and dedicated graphics memory which can give you the best performance in gaming.
Let’s find out what is the basic hardware configuration needed to run on Macs for the given games.
| Mac Specs | The Witcher 2 | PUBG | Outlast | Angry Birds |
| OS | 10.8.5 or higher | 10.12 (Sierra) | 10.13 (High Sierra) | 10.6 and higher |
| CPU | Intel Core 2 Duo (Dual-Core) | Intel i3 (Dual-Core) | Intel Core i5 (4 cores) | Intel Core 2 Duo (Dual-Core) |
| RAM | 4GB | 4GB | 8GB | 1GB |
| Hard disk space | 25GB | 44GB | 20GB | N/A |
| Video card | Geforce GT 650M | Geforce GT 640M | GeForce GT 680M | N/A |
| VRAM | 512MB | 512MB | 2GB | 128 MB |
As you see in the given figure above, It is clear to you what is the hardware specification needed for each type of gaming experience. If you have any doubts regarding the above-mentioned games then search for similar games and you will find the game that you have played or want to play from the list.
What is the best Mac hardware configuration for gaming?
To make sure you get the best gaming experience, you need to have the best performing processor and graphics storage when finalizing the system requirements.
The best minimum hardware specifications Mac needs to give in order to play the majority of games:
OS: Mac Sierra or higher
CPU Speed: 2GHz
RAM: 2GB
Hard disk space: 5GB
Video card: ATI Radeon HD 2600 or higher
VRAM: 1GB
The key specifications such as OS version, RAM, VRAM play a very important role in the high-end or fast-paced game experience. Macs, in general, don’t have the hardware required for fast-paced gaming. You need to connect the high-end processor and graphic card externally to support the fast-paced gaming.
4. Does Mac provide optimal pricing for gaming?
No, Mac does not provide optimal pricing for gaming because Macs are priced very high due to the Apple manufacturing and its own operating system which claims to be safe and user friendly than others from the market.
| MacBooks | Price Range |
| 16″ MacBook Pro | US$2399 – US$2799 |
| 13″ MacBook Pro | US$1599 – US$2299 |
| 12″ MacBook | US$1099 – US$1749 |
| 13″ MacBook Air | US$1249 – US$1449 |
With this price range for the Mac laptops and desktops accordingly which is very highly costly as you can get the upgraded version from other sellers for the same price.
| Desktops | Price Range |
| iMac | US$1299 – US$7399 |
| Mac mini | US$499 – US$1299 |
| Mac Pro | US$2199 – US$13,499 |
| iMac Pro | US$4999 – US$7399 |
If you have the budget to go ahead with the Macs then you also need to understand that Macs are priced for reasons such as safety from data theft, better user experience, and time-saving functions which will help you to make the best decision.
5. Does Mac suitable for 4K display in gaming?
The answer is No and Yes in general because currently there are only two Mac computers that support 4K resolutions and they can be used to gaming but it limit you to play only low-end slow-paced games on them. Though external 4K support enables you to play games from the Macs.
Currently, Apple released two computers that have built-in 4K displays and some also have even 5K displays. These two types of Apple displays consist of 4K Retina 21.5 inches iMac and the 5K Retina 27 inches of iMac which has introduced around the year 2014. The resolution of the 4K 21.5 inches iMac is a full 4K, (4096×2304), and the 5K 27 inches of iMac has a resolution of (5120×2880). Both displays run at 60Hz.
These displays are also supporting external 4K displays by using Mini DisplayPort adapters which can be availed via Thunderbolt. Other Apple PCs support external 4K displays by using a built-in HDMI port or by using Mini DisplayPort adapters via Thunderbolt. This one thing also you need to take into consideration as the resolutions and refresh rates are not the same for each computer.
6. How battery life of Mac can be beneficial for gaming?
The average battery life of a Mac is about 12 – 13 hours and if you compare it with Windows, it is higher about 20% – 50%. Macs have better battery life than most PCs, due to their operating system which is somewhat more efficient than Windows operating systems. Also, Macs have larger batteries than the average batteries size class.
The average battery life of Macs gives an advantage for a long time of gaming. But, gaming on a Mac does affect the performance and gaming experience overall. You need to have a high-end graphics card fit externally to process the games smoothly which will ultimately help the longer period of the gaming in general.
There are other factors you should consider that lead to poor battery life in general such as high screen resolution which is higher than 1080p, frames per second more than 60fps, and battery settings to optimize the performance on the machine. The bigger screen size is also one of the side end things which can lead to poor battery on the go.
Gaming for a long time where battery life can mostly depend on the type of graphic card is used in the system where high-end video memory cards will use less battery and process the gaming for you. Macs with low-end VRAMs will drain the battery faster while playing fast-paced games.
7. What is iOS gaming actually mean?
Apple iOS has the biggest gaming library for mobile / tablet devices and more than seven thousand games on steam. Gaming on iOS mobile devices is a norm and its growing well for the years. Though the iMacs and Macbooks are well received for their high-end work but not made generally for gaming exclusively.
Due to the excessive demand in gaming, Apple has released computers which has a decent hardware and software configuration which is supported for advanced and latest gaming. They also have an application called Metal which is Apple’s hardware-accelerated 3D graphics and compute framework, standard library, and GPU shading language.
8. Can Macs be used for gaming?
Yes, If you already owned a Mac and want to play games on it then you need to first check what are the games that you can play on your Mac hardware configuration to enjoy them very well. Gaming on Mac has evolved and you can play certain games on it.
Most of the games are optimized for Mac and it should work smoothly, but there are some games that are still not greatly optimized for the Mac and could give you a bad gaming experience.
The only thing here is to decide whether to go for gaming or not where to check for the dedicated graphic card allocation. If you have an integrated graphics card then it will not help you to play high-end games smoothly. You can use external graphic cards through the thunderbolt plug-in which is of course an additional cost.
9. What is the best Mac for gaming?
When in doubt, ask the experts, Yes, We have done the research for you and get the best to pick up from the experts around the world. Though we recommend that you should assure first that what is the best suitable configuration and budget which will help you to decide better and quicker to select the best gaming laptop & desktop.
Best Macs for gaming:
| Mac Computer | CPU | GPU | RAM |
| Apple iMac Pro 2020 27-inch | 8-core Xeon W processor | Radeon Pro Vega 56 graphics with 8GB of HBM2 memory | 32GB |
| Apple iMac 2020 27-inch / 21-inch | 6-Core 8th-generation Intel Core i5 processor | Radeon Pro 570x Graphics processor | 8/16/32 GB |
| Apple Mac Pro Desktop | 8-Core Intel Xeon E5 | Dual AMD FirePro Graphics | 16 GB |
| Apple MacBook Pro 13′ | 8‑core 9th‑generation Intel Core i9 processor | Radeon Pro Vega 20 with 4GB of HBM2 memory | 32 GB |
| Apple MacBook Pro -15′ | 9th‑generation- 6 Core – Intel Core i7/i9 processor | Radeon Pro 555x Graphics with 4GB of memory | 16/32 GB |
| Apple MacBook Pro -16′ | 9th‑generation- 8 Core – Intel Core i7/i9 processor | AMD Radeon Pro 5500M with GDDR6 memory | 16/32 GB |
| Mac Mini + eGPU + AMD RX Vega64 | Quad-core i3 / i5 8th-generation Intel Core processor | AMD Radeon Rx Vega64 | 8GB |
As you can see that we have added the best possible options for you which have a good processor and dedicated graphics card in order to suit the fast-paced gaming. If you do not have the budget for the above-mentioned Mac computers then you can opt for the one with an integrated graphic card and get the external GPU a good dedicated graphics card that can be plugged in via thunderbolt.
10. Is PC better than Mac for Gaming?
One last question we want to answer so that you can decide the best option for your gaming experience. The question “is PC better than Mac for gaming?” can be answered as follows.
Since all the above sections covered gives us a good amount of explanation regarding Mac compatibility for gaming in general. But what about PC for gaming and how does it differ in terms of the gaming experience as compared to Macs. Let’s find out with the following table given with comparison:
| Metrics | Mac | PC |
| Battery Life | 12 – 13 Hours | 7 – 10 Hours |
| Support for Games | Low | High |
| Customizability | No | Yes |
| Security | High | Low |
| Gaming Library | 7000+ | 20000+ |
| Cost | High | 40% Cheaper |
Display, graphics, and computing power can be decided while purchasing but these factors do separate Mac from PCs. Your decision to choose between Mac vs PC will be completely dependent on these factors.
Here’s a thing, we will help you to make a decision based on the following criteria:
- If you are looking for a budget-friendly option and want to enjoy gaming then a PC would be the best fit.
- If you are concerned about security, battery life and want to enjoy limited gaming with and have a good budget then go for Mac.
We hope that this entire research-based explanation has helped you to get the answer to the question “Are Macs good for gaming?”. If you have any questions and recommendations regarding the Mac for gaming then you can use the comment section to reach out to us.
