Macbook Pro for gaming

[Evil Smurf]

I am getting a Macbook pro for uni next year with these specs:

2.9GHz dual-core Intel Core i7
Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz
8GB 1600MHz memory
1TB 5400-rpm hard drive
Intel HD Graphics 4000
Built-in battery (7 hours)

I would like to know what games I will be able to run.

<spoiler=I want to get a Mac because of these reasons>
1. I have found no viruses on my computer at home so far, and if I had a PC I would. You filthy, filthy porn you.
2. I like the GUI, less clicks to get places

So I don't turn this into a flame thread, because who wants mod wrath?

 

[Azorian]

It seems to me that your system should be quite capable save for one sticking point: Graphics. I'm not sure of the exact equivalent of the Intel HD4000, but it should be fine for most things, nonetheless for some games, it is stated as explicitly not supported (e.g. CoD BlackOps and Civ5), and not noted at all for some others (e.g. Star Wars the force unleashed), so you might have some trouble there, although there is always a possibility that it will work anyway (you'll have to research this on a case-by-case basis).

Games that are fully supported and you should be able to run with no problems at all include:
Left for Dead 2
Garry's Mod
Knights of the Old Republic
Company of Heroes
RAGE

 

[BreakfastMan]

Well, if you really want to play PC games... Get an actual PC. I mean, yeah, there are some games out there for mac, but you have a much, MUCH wider selection with PC.

Anyway, with that obligatory comment out of the way, there are, in fact, good games for mac. Amazing, right? But, it is true! Steam actually has an okay library of titles for mac. I mean, it is only a small fraction of all the games for it, but there are still some greats there like KOTOR and Half Life 2 that are well worth the money, so it should be worth a look. And I think you will get a decent enough mac that you could play most, if not all, of them.

http://store.steampowered.com/search/?os=mac&category1=998

 

[Evil Smurf]

I could install a windows partition using boot camp to play Saints Row 2 and torchlight 2.

Well, if you really want to play PC games... Get an actual PC. I mean, yeah, there are some games out there for mac, but you have a much, MUCH wider selection with PC.

Anyway, with that obligatory comment out of the way, there are, in fact, good games for mac. Amazing, right? But, it is true! Steam actually has an okay library of titles for mac. I mean, it is only a small fraction of all the games for it, but there are still some greats there like KOTOR and Half Life 2 that are well worth the money, so it should be worth a look. And I think you will get a decent enough mac that you could play most, if not all, of them.

http://store.steampowered.com/search/?os=mac&category1=998

I have TF2, the 5 and 6th humble bundles on the iMac at home and and a couple of retro games already. I am glad the specs are decent

It seems to me that your system should be quite capable save for one sticking point: Graphics. I'm not sure of the exact equivalent of the Intel HD4000, but it should be fine for most things, nonetheless for some games, it is stated as explicitly not supported (e.g. CoD BlackOps and Civ5), and not noted at all for some others (e.g. Star Wars the force unleashed), so you might have some trouble there, although there is always a possibility that it will work anyway (you'll have to research this on a case-by-case basis).

Games that are fully supported and you should be able to run with no problems at all include:
Left for Dead 2
Garry's Mod
Knights of the Old Republic
Company of Heroes
RAGE

I've always wanted KOTOR

 

[BreakfastMan]

It seems to me that your system should be quite capable save for one sticking point: Graphics. I'm not sure of the exact equivalent of the Intel HD4000, but it should be fine for most things, nonetheless for some games, it is stated as explicitly not supported (e.g. CoD BlackOps and Civ5), and not noted at all for some others (e.g. Star Wars the force unleashed), so you might have some trouble there, although there is always a possibility that it will work anyway (you'll have to research this on a case-by-case basis).

Games that are fully supported and you should be able to run with no problems at all include:
Left for Dead 2
Garry's Mod
Knights of the Old Republic
Company of Heroes
RAGE

I've always wanted KOTOR

Well... Get it. It is cheap, excellent, non-resource intensive, and runs on mac. What more do you need?

 

[Azorian]

Well... Get it. It is cheap, excellent, non-resource intensive, and runs on mac. What more do you need?

Just a heads up, I have had issues with KOTOR on multiple core CPUs. I had to disable the game process from running on all but one core (it's light enough to run on just one so it was ok). They might have solved this problem if you're running it on steam, or maybe that's all patched, but just a heads up on that if it gets stuttery, so... yeah.

 

[Evil Smurf]

Well... Get it. It is cheap, excellent, non-resource intensive, and runs on mac. What more do you need?

Just a heads up, I have had issues with KOTOR on multiple core CPUs. I had to disable the game process from running on all but one core (it's light enough to run on just one so it was ok). They might have solved this problem if you're running it on steam, or maybe that's all patched, but just a heads up on that if it gets stuttery, so... yeah.

Thanks for the tip

 

[Supernova1138]

A MacBook Pro may be okay for gaming if you aren't planning on playing at high resolutions, or very demanding titles. Intel's HD 4000 integrated graphics are an improvement over their previous offerings, but it still isn't great. For modern titles you are looking at low to medium settings at 720p. More demanding games like Metro 2033, Witcher 2, Crysis 2 and Battlefield 3 probably won't be playable at all. I would say if possible spend more money to get a higher end model with AMD or nvidia graphics. Problem is, Apple really gouges you for upgrades, so you would likely have to spend a disproportionate amount of money for even an entry level discrete GPU.

Alternatively, you could just get a PC and set up a Linux dual boot, and keep your porn isolated to Linux, and just switch to Windows for games. Linux is even less used on the consumer market than MacOS, so it doesn't have many virus problems. That way, you could get a laptop with a decent graphics card for the same amount you would spend on even the entry level MacBook Pro.

 

[AlwaysPractical]

Well... Get it. It is cheap, excellent, non-resource intensive, and runs on mac. What more do you need?

Just a heads up, I have had issues with KOTOR on multiple core CPUs. I had to disable the game process from running on all but one core (it's light enough to run on just one so it was ok). They might have solved this problem if you're running it on steam, or maybe that's all patched, but just a heads up on that if it gets stuttery, so... yeah.

Thanks for the tip

The Intel HD 4000 graphics are the main sticking point. Will be fine for all mac games, however, even skyrim at around 720p and low settings will only get around 39 fps. Battlefield 3 is unplayable at 27 fps on low and 720p. MW3 is good, 85 fps at 720p and low. Starcraft is 35fps on medium, which is fine.

Source with a list of more games: http://www.notebookcheck.com/Test-Intel-HD-Graphics-4000.73452.0.html (scroll down, the numbers where it says "wert")

 

[Living_Brain]

Steam is your friend.

Each game has minimum specs. Try to get demos to gauge how good your GPU is.

 

[Evil Smurf]

A MacBook Pro may be okay for gaming if you aren't planning on playing at high resolutions, or very demanding titles. Intel's HD 4000 integrated graphics are an improvement over their previous offerings, but it still isn't great. For modern titles you are looking at low to medium settings at 720p. More demanding games like Metro 2033, Witcher 2, Crysis 2 and Battlefield 3 probably won't be playable at all. I would say if possible spend more money to get a higher end model with AMD or nvidia graphics. Problem is, Apple really gouges you for upgrades, so you would likely have to spend a disproportionate amount of money for even an entry level discrete GPU.

Alternatively, you could just get a PC and set up a Linux dual boot, and keep your porn isolated to Linux, and just switch to Windows for games. Linux is even less used on the consumer market than MacOS, so it doesn't have many virus problems. That way, you could get a laptop with a decent graphics card for the same amount you would spend on even the entry level MacBook Pro.

How much would I pay for a laptop with windows 7 with similar specs to the MacBook? And I do already emulate Linux.

The Intel HD 4000 graphics are the main sticking point. Will be fine for all mac games, however, even skyrim at around 720p and low settings will only get around 39 fps. Battlefield 3 is unplayable at 27 fps on low and 720p. MW3 is good, 85 fps at 720p and low. Starcraft is 35fps on medium, which is fine.

Source with a list of more games: http://www.notebookcheck.com/Test-Intel-HD-Graphics-4000.73452.0.html (scroll down, the numbers where it says "wert")

If I told you that the screen resolution of the 13inch I'm talking about is 1280 by 960 would that help things?

 

[Supernova1138]

How much would I pay for a laptop with windows 7 with similar specs to the MacBook? And I do already emulate Linux.

Here are some laptops I've looked up that are similarly specced to the MacBook Pro you are looking at, at least as far as CPU and graphics go.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834246617

This one has the same CPU and integrated graphics as the MacBook, it does have a smaller hard drive and less RAM, though unlike the current MacBook, you actually can add more RAM or get a larger hard drive if you want it.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834246492

This one is similar to the last one, but it features more RAM, a larger hard drive, and also has an nvidia GT 630m discrete GPU, it's a little better than the HD 4000 Intel graphics.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834310679

This one comes with a quad core version of the i7 unlike the other two which are only dual core. It has HD 4000 graphics, 500GB of HDD space and 4GB of RAM.

The point is you can get something similarly specced to the MacBook Pro for around $700 to $750. You didn't quote a price, but I'm pretty sure entry level MacBook Pros go for somewhere in the neighbourhood of $1200-1500. If you are willing to spend as much as you are willing to on the MacBook, you could get a laptop with a much better discrete GPU, something that would actually play all modern games. You do have to ask yourself if the Mac UI is really worth spending hundreds of dollars extra compared to a similarly specced PC laptop, or if the Mac UI is really worth spending a large amount of money for a machine that is inferior in terms of hardware compared to similarly priced alternatives. The only components on the Mac that will be better than a Windows laptop will be the display, and the case. In all other hardware aspects the MacBook Pro is inferior to similarly priced Windows laptops.

 

[Evil Smurf]

How much would I pay for a laptop with windows 7 with similar specs to the MacBook? And I do already emulate Linux.

Here are some laptops I've looked up that are similarly specced to the MacBook Pro you are looking at, at least as far as CPU and graphics go.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834246617

This one has the same CPU and integrated graphics as the MacBook, it does have a smaller hard drive and less RAM, though unlike the current MacBook, you actually can add more RAM or get a larger hard drive if you want it.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834246492

This one is similar to the last one, but it features more RAM, a larger hard drive, and also has an nvidia GT 630m discrete GPU, it's a little better than the HD 4000 Intel graphics.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834310679

This one comes with a quad core version of the i7 unlike the other two which are only dual core. It has HD 4000 graphics, 500GB of HDD space and 4GB of RAM.

The point is you can get something similarly specced to the MacBook Pro for around $700 to $750. You didn't quote a price, but I'm pretty sure entry level MacBook Pros go for somewhere in the neighbourhood of $1200-1500. If you are willing to spend as much as you are willing to on the MacBook, you could get a laptop with a much better discrete GPU, something that would actually play all modern games. You do have to ask yourself if the Mac UI is really worth spending hundreds of dollars extra compared to a similarly specced PC laptop, or if the Mac UI is really worth spending a large amount of money for a machine that is inferior in terms of hardware compared to similarly priced alternatives. The only components on the Mac that will be better than a Windows laptop will be the display, and the case. In all other hardware aspects the MacBook Pro is inferior to similarly priced Windows laptops.

Damn.

<spoiler=this>2.9GHz dual-core Intel Core i7
Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz
8GB 1600MHz memory (upgraded from 4)
1TB 5400-rpm hard drive (upgraded from 500 gb)
Intel HD Graphics 4000
13 inch 1280 by 800 display
Built-in battery (7 hours) costs $1807.99 in the Australian apple shop without student discounts

I wonder how possible to hackintosh computers.....

 

[Supernova1138]

Yeah, prices in Australia for computers and computer hardware tend to be inflated, but even factoring that in, you would still save a lot of money not going with a Mac. Those laptops I listed probably wouldn't go for more than $1000 in Australia. Hackintosh is a possibility, but it does require a certain degree of computer skill, and you have to try to get hardware that is as close as possible to what is used in the MacBooks. Apple's locked down philosophy means they don't need to provide driver support for anything except the specific hardware they are using. If you do want to attempt a Hackintosh, research it heavily first before you buy anything.

 

[AlwaysPractical]

If I told you that the screen resolution of the 13inch I'm talking about is 1280 by 960 would that help things?

It's a 4:3 screen? How odd, haven't seen those in a while. I would suggest you look for something that's 16:9 instead (widescreen) since watching a movie on a 13 inch 4:3 screen will seriously press it to a small space. As for gaming, there are almost no benchmarks for 4:3 screens, sorry. For AU$1800 you could definitely get a much much better windows laptop. If you aren't afraid to spend more than a thousand (1300-1500) on a laptop, and you want serious gaming, I'd suggest a quad core i7 second gen and something with a geforce gtx 670m or 680m. Try to look for 7200rpm drives too

 

[Suijen]

You can play pretty much any source game with an HD 4000.

But I think this link will be very, very useful for you: http://www.notebookcheck.net/Intel-HD-Graphics-4000-Benchmarked.73567.0.html

If you're willing to play medium settings, you can expect to play games like Mass Effect, most Unreal 3 Engine games (Bioshock), Call of Duty 4+, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Arkham City, and others. Think Direct X 9 and you should be fine.

 

[Azorian]

I wonder how possible to hackintosh computers.....

Yeah.. methinks no. If you've made a thread asking the basics of what your new Mac would be capable of, a hackintoch is probably a stretch... unless... nevemind, you're not the same person who posted a thread asking for ideas on what to do with a year to kill. I buddy of mine who is a sys admin at a university had trouble getting a hackintosh working properly, it's not for the faint of heart.

Now, another option is to buy a relatively cheap desktop PC for your gaming habits, while using you mac for work/school/businesss. You should be able to handle most games out today moderately well for $600 to $800... wait, that's USD... um... let's say, cost of a 64GB iPad. You'll just have to be smart about how you confirgure it. If you have the means, it is a good alternative to limiting youself only to games playable on your macbook.

 

[Magic Muffin Man]

MacBook Pro owner here. I don't have the super fancy Retina display one, but I do have the one before it, which oddly enough has a better graphics card (Radeon 6770). I've been able to run every Source game on high settings with minimal effort, and my buddy's Air (which is less powerful then my Pro) has Skyrim running on a Windows partition at Xbox quality, which gives me high hopes for when I get around to installing Windows.

If you're really serious about gaming though, I'd recommend just spending the extra $500 and get the 2.5ghz Quad-Core 15". You'll get more power, more screen economy, and a better graphics card (NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M).