/Mac Tips /Why Are Macs Bad for Gaming? [Reasons Released in 2020]
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Why can't Mac users play most of the games on Steam I've been scrolling through some games that seem really good but it turns out its for windows only why are some compaines againest us Mac users. Showing 1-14 of 14 comments. Feb 15, 2015 @ 4:10pm. A new season of Fortnite is almost here, at least for most platforms.Unfortunately, the many players that enjoy Fortnite on their iPhone or Mac won't get the game's season 4 update when it's. I don't think that people are convinced that you can't play games on an iMac. People that understand how games work with hardware understand that an iMac is not an ideal choice for gaming. A week ago, i could run games with my laptop, not the most intensive games or anything, but at least i could run games like bully, the elder scrolls 4, and bionic commando rearmed quite smoothly.
Who doesn't want a Mac? Everybody does. Well, except for gamers. If you're a serious gamer, you're probably not playing on your Mac. That is if you even have a Mac.
As a serious gamer, you already know the answer to the question, why are Macs bad for gaming? You pretty much know the reasons why you can't play the games that you love on a Mac.
However, do you know that there is now a way for you to enjoy the games you love on your Mac? Stick around and you will learn more about it here.
For the sake of the others who don't know the answer to the question, why are Mac bad for gaming, well, there are three reasons why. Read on to learn more about them.
Article GuidePart 1: Reasons for Why Are Macs Bad for GamingPart 2: Cloud Gaming is Now Possible on Mac Bonus Tip: A Powerful Tool to Optimize A Mac Machine for Better Performance
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Part 1: Reasons for Why Are Macs Bad for Gaming
Reason #1: Macs Were Not Marketed as Gaming Machines
Let's walk down memory lane. Did you know that Mac was actually known to have some awesome games in it? Yes, it's true. During the 80's that was exactly what the scenario was for Mac.
Between the Mac and the PC, the latter was known to be more functional than a gaming machine. Hence, Mac was the one that was known to be as a fun, gaming machine.
All that changed when Apple decided to rebrand itself. They started to position themselves as a more serious brand in the market. They wanted to go beyond the fun and learning functions of a computer so that they could be taken more seriously. Hence, they downplayed the concept of gaming in their culture.
Apple just didn't want to be known as a fun machine in the business. They didn't want people in the workplaces to end up playing games on their computers.
Over time, it was realized that the workplace didn't really need serious computers. As long as the computers were functional, they were good to go.
As Windows made its way in the workplace, it also created and developed APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) so that it was easy to program a game for Windows. That pretty much paved the way for PCs to enter the homes, with parents focusing on productivity and kids focusing on games.
As that was happening, Apple was still focusing on how to position themselves as serious machines in the market. With the market gearing towards PCs for gaming. Apple was pretty much able to appeal to a different kind of audience, which obviously did not consist of serious gamers.
Reason #2: Hardware Is Not Powerful Enough for Gaming
No one can deny that Apple products are awesome. However, not everyone can afford them. They're pretty expensive, right?
Cost is not the only reason as to why some folks prefer a PC over a Mac. Face it, there are a lot of things that can be done on a PC for free. Unfortunately, that's just not the case with Mac. For serious gamers, the cost is not the only reason why they prefer a PC over Mac.
So, why are Macs bad for gaming? When it comes to gaming, the hardware is king. It needs to be able to support powerful graphic cards that can run games.
Sure, the processors of most Macs are pretty good. Only the Mac books, specifically the Mac Book Pro has a Quad-core Processor. Yes, the displays are awesome as well on almost all Macs. When it comes to RAM and storage, they're not bad as well. As a matter of fact, both Mac Books and their desktop versions are pretty good in terms of RAM and storage.
There's just one thing that horrible in Macs when it comes gaming and that is the graphics. Most Mac models rely on integrated Intel graphics cards that are underpowered. Needless to say, integrated graphic cards aren't great for gaming. Even with the best APUs, they're just not going to work well at all.
Even if iMacs have their own dedicated graphic cards, they're still not able to run a lot of games. Since Macs are more expensive than PCs, it makes it a very odd choice for gaming. PC is definitely a more affordable choice and it performs very well for gaming.
So why are Macs bad for gaming? Well, the answer is that their hardware is not cut out for gaming. It's not powerful enough to run all the games for the serious gamer.
To make matter worse, their OS isn't very popular when it comes to games. Compared to the 20000 games available on Windows, there are only about 7000 games available on Mac.
This is not to say that Mac is an inferior product because it definitely isn't. It's just not designed for gaming.
Reason #3: Macs Are Expensive to Upgrade
Serious gamers are always upgrading their hardware. The reason for that is because games are becoming more and more advanced. So, the next generation of games will always need more powerful hardware.
Unfortunately, Macs are not upgradable. They can't be torn apart for the sole purpose of running a game. An attempt to do that would cost a lot of money. Hence, is the reason why serious gamers do not consider the Mac as a gaming machine.
Part 2: Cloud Gaming is Now Possible on Mac
So, a Mac may not be an ideal machine for gaming. The subtle art of not giving a f audiobook free. However, it could be used for cloud gaming. Now, what exactly is cloud gaming?
Cloud gaming allows the gamer to have external accessibility to a computer or PC that's on the cloud. The gamer uses the processing power of his or her Mac so that he or she is able to play some games.
So why are Macs bad for gaming? Well, the answer is that their hardware is not cut out for gaming. It's not powerful enough to run all the games for the serious gamer.
To make matter worse, their OS isn't very popular when it comes to games. Compared to the 20000 games available on Windows, there are only about 7000 games available on Mac.
This is not to say that Mac is an inferior product because it definitely isn't. It's just not designed for gaming.
Reason #3: Macs Are Expensive to Upgrade
Serious gamers are always upgrading their hardware. The reason for that is because games are becoming more and more advanced. So, the next generation of games will always need more powerful hardware.
Unfortunately, Macs are not upgradable. They can't be torn apart for the sole purpose of running a game. An attempt to do that would cost a lot of money. Hence, is the reason why serious gamers do not consider the Mac as a gaming machine.
Part 2: Cloud Gaming is Now Possible on Mac
So, a Mac may not be an ideal machine for gaming. The subtle art of not giving a f audiobook free. However, it could be used for cloud gaming. Now, what exactly is cloud gaming?
Cloud gaming allows the gamer to have external accessibility to a computer or PC that's on the cloud. The gamer uses the processing power of his or her Mac so that he or she is able to play some games.
How is that made possible? It's made possible by NVIDIA's GeForce Now.
GeForce Now for Mac offers ease-of-use and overall compatibility with a good number of popular PC games.
For serious gamers who want to experience playing on a Mac, here's how GeForce Now can be set up.
- Navigate to the GeForce Now website
- Click on Download Now For Mac.
- Drag and drop it to your Applications folder.
- Launch the GeForce Now application.
- Sign into the GeForce Now application.
- Run a network test to check computer, network connection, internet service provider, and choose the closest NVIDIA GeForce Now server for better bandwidth and experience.
- Go to the top, right-hand side of the screen to Manage Team. That will launch another application for the Steam environment.
- Launch and run Steam. Choose and install a game to play.
The performance of GeForce Now is very impressive. It can run a lot of games with very low latency experience.
Hence, GeForce Now gives the gamer the ability to play PC games without having the need to run Windows on Mac. It also gives the gamer the ability to play games instantaneously without having to run an installer.
Considering the fact that GeForce Now is still in the beta stage, it's just going to get better when it's finally released.
Since GeForce Now is still in the beta stage, it's still free of use. When it's fully launched, it's going to come with a monthly fee.
Bonus Tip: A Powerful Tool to Optimize A Mac Machine for Better Performance
Thanks to GeForce Now, it's now possible to play games on Macs. Since there is no need to download any games with the GeForce Now, any Mac machine can be used to run any kind of PC games. Cloud gaming through GeForce Now levels up to the gaming experience on Mac.
To ensure the optimum performance of any Mac machine, it's best to make use of the iMyMac PowerMyMac software. The PowerMyMac software not only cleans up a Mac machine; it also helps optimize its performance. This is very important especially if the Mac machine is going to be used for cloud gaming.
Since the PowerMyMac software cleans and optimizes a Mac machine, it helps speed it up as well. Again, that's crucial in cloud gaming. Even if everything else is on the cloud, it is still critical to have a good running Mac machine to play the games. Needless to say, the PowerMyMac software can help any Mac machine perform better and faster. It can speed up a Mac with just a couple of clicks.
Vpn for mac unblocked. The PowerMyMac is compatible with macOS 10.10/10.11/10.12/10.13/10.14.
In Conclusion
The answers to the question, why are Macs bad for gaming, are pretty evident now. There are a lot of reasons why Macs aren't ideal for gaming. One could also surmise that Macs are really not meant for gaming.
The good thing is, there is now a way to play more games on Mac. Thanks to GeForce Now, cloud gaming is possible on Mac.
With the PowerMyMac software, any Mac machine can be optimized for the better cloud gaming experience. Rdp application for mac.
So, what are your thoughts on this? Feel free to share your thoughts by leaving a comment.
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Free DownloadFor me, Nintendo has always been the gold standard in gaming. I've not been without a Nintendo console in decades now, and I'm an enormous fan of the Zelda, Mario and Metroid series (and F-Zero, and Animal Crossing, and Starfox, and so on).
With today's powerful Mac (and PC) hardware, we can rediscover all of our favourite vintage Nintendo games via emulation - and you can even use the original controllers, if you have them.
Notes on emulation
Emulation of videogames consoles is legally questionable at best. Second-hand consoles are readily available to buy, and you should seriously consider grabbing them for fun and nostalgia. If you're like me, you probably already have many or all of these systems in your basement or attic, waiting to be used again.
Downloading games that you don't own is definitely illegal, of course, and it hurts the content providers. The only reason that we have games to play is because people pay for them - so please don't download ROMs of games that you don't actually own. It's easy to buy huge packs of second-hand console games on ebay, often with the actual systems included, and it doesn't cost a lot of money.
Having said all that, most of us probably have several gadgets (including current-generation games consoles) hooked up to our televisions, and may not have suitable ports or connections to keep old systems plugged in too. It can be much more convenient to play those older games on the ultra-sharp, vivid screen of your Mac instead. Every previous Nintendo system has an emulator available for OS X, and they all run just fine on 10.8 Mountain Lion.
On joypads
All emulators can be played using the keyboard and/or mouse, or any generic USB gamepad. Here's my advice: choose your pad very carefully. Most older systems used a D-pad as the primary directional input device, and not all D-pads are created equal. RSI and wrist injury are a very real possibility, particularly if you're not ten years old anymore.
Nintendo spends a great deal of time designing and testing their input devices, and they build products to last. I've consistently found that the original official controllers are by far the most pleasant to play with. They can all be used with your Mac without modification, using cheap USB adapters which I'll talk about shortly. Precision is also important, and the original pads won't let you down. You'll find the NES controller's D-pad to be firm and quite springy, and the SNES to be softer and feel more settled. Both will give you many years of retro gaming pleasure.
If you do decide to use a third-party replica pad (or perhaps even a modern USB pad), exercise caution and see how your wrists are handling it. Cheap knock-offs don't go through anything like the Q&A of Nintendo's official pads, and you'll also almost certainly have to replace them much sooner.
(As an aside, if you have any spare official Nintendo controllers for any system that are in good condition and perfect working order, I'd be very interested in obtaining them. My email address is matt at this domain. I promise to cherish them, and to use them!)
NES
Prepare for a blast of nostalgia. The classic NES controller:
This is a beautiful joypad. It's chunky but extremely light, with a positive D-pad and concave, clicky buttons. It will also likely survive the apocalypse, and indeed did do so in living-rooms around the world.
You can connect yours to a Mac using a RetroBit Retro Adapter, which provides one NES port (so you might want to buy two adapters for two-player games).
NES USB controller adapter
To run the games, you have a few options. I use Nestopia, which you can also use via the excellent OpenEmu.
It's dangerous to go alone!
Super Nintendo (SNES)
The SNES was the primary system of my early teenage years. I first saw one in an electrical appliance store whilst I was waiting for my mother to buy a new vacuum cleaner. It was in a pod running Super Mario World, and Christmas was only a couple of months away. The rest is history.
It also had what is in my opinion the single best joypad ever made.
SNES controller
(The European and Japanese Super Nintendo/Famicom pads had these colourful buttons, rather than the US version's purple-grey two-tone ones. I much prefer the colours.)
You can connect two of these beauties to your Mac via the Dual SNES Adapter, which provides two SNES ports.
Can't Play Games On Computer
To play the games, you'll want SNES9X, which again can be used either on its own, or as part of OpenEmu.
SNES9X SNES emulator for OS X
Pay no attention to the average middle-aged man standing by this sign!
N64
I didn't get an N64 immediately, because I was spending most of my time flying around the world and working. When I did get some time at home, I was window-shopping and decided to just buy one on a whim. I got the Super Mario 64 pack, and also picked up Ocarina of Time. Playing Ocarina over the next week is one of my most cherished gaming memories. (Did you know that they remastered it for the 3DS? It's an excellent version of the game.)
The N64 controller looked a lot like a spaceship, and you almost always held it with your right hand on the rightmost prong, and your left hand on the middle prong, to use the analog joystick. The stick sometimes felt a little bit high, but it was precise, pleasantly springy, and a bit of a revelation at the time.
You can connect this gargantuan joypad to your Mac using the N64 Controller Adapter, which gives you two N64 ports.
N64 USB controller adapter
To play the games, you can use OpenEmu, but for certain games you might also want to have the rather fantastic Sixtyforce on hand.
Take it respectfully!
Gamecube
I did get a Gamecube on launch day, and thankfully it was purple (my favourite colour) by default. I think I lost about three weeks of my life playing Rogue Leader over and over.
The ‘cube controllers eschewed the N64's C-buttons for a second analog C-stick (handily named, since it's almost always used to control the in-game camera), which is of course now a standard feature across most consoles. It's a very solid joypad with perfectly-placed controls, and a satisfyingly huge A button. I can testify that it readily survives repeated collisions with walls, but is susceptible to teeth-marks when chewed with rage.
Gamecube controller
To connect your ‘cube pads, you can use the 3-in-1 Magic Joy Box, which provides one Gamecube port, one Xbox (original) port, and one PlayStation or PlayStation 2 port. It is also not a sex toy, despite the awful name.
To play Gamecube games, you can use Dolphin, which is also a Wii emulator (with which you can use your original Wii remotes via Bluetooth too).
Dolpin Gamecube emulator for OS X
Hoy, small fry!
No drivers required
Wilderness by fleetwood trailer owner manuals. All of the USB adapters mentioned above are plug-and-play, requiring no drivers whatsoever. Connect the pad to the adapter, then the adapter to the computer. Use the ‘Preferences' (or similar) in each emulator to configure the buttons appropriately; OpenEmu has a particularly nice interface for doing this, showing the actual original pads.
What about handhelds?
The best way to experience handheld games is on the original systems, all of which are readily available to buy second-hand. My advice would be to get:
- A Nintendo 3DS (which also plays DS games),
- A Game Boy Micro (which plays Game Boy Advance games), and:
- A Game Boy Color (which also plays original Game Boy games).
If you want a bigger screen for your Game Boy Advance games, the SP series is fantastic, with plenty of options for the colour of the device. Additionally, if your eyesight isn't what it was and you're worried about peering at small screens, note that there are larger versions of both the 3DS and the DSi available too.
Nintendo 3DS and Gameboy Micro
If you want to emulate, I believe that all of the Nintendo portable platforms are supported on the Mac (with the exception of 3DS at the moment, as far as I know). I'm not sure how viable it is to play DS or 3DS games without a touch-screen, and certain games presumably won't be playable at all due to their advanced use of the microphone, the screen-hinge switch and so on (the fabulous Hotel Dusk and Another Code series would be prime examples).
Why Can T Mac Play Games
Buy the actual systems!
Simultaneous gaming
It's possible to connect all of the aforementioned joypads to a single Mac simultaneously, but you'll likely need a USB hub. I can highly recommend the Trust 10-port USB 2.0 Power Hub for the job; I have four joypads, three iOS devices and a Wacom Intuos 5 graphics tablet all connected to it without issues.
Skype for business receive control mac. For those with a powerful machine and a crippling case of Attention Deficit Disorder, it's even possible to actually run all the emulators simultaneously too. Presumably, you'll want to invite some friends over for that.
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The Legend of Zelda, from NES to Gamecube
I'm @mattgemmell on Twitter, and also mattgemmell on App.Net. If you enjoyed this post and want to feed my gaming habit (or something else), I have an Amazon UK wishlist.
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Now if you'll excuse me, I have a hookshot to find.
