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Mac Gaming

  • 04-08-2010 4:37pm
    #1
    Boom_Boom
    Closed Accounts Posts: 35 ✭


    Hi guys,

    Thinking about getting my first Mac, either MBP 13" or 15". I was wondering about the differences between the GT320m on the 13", the GT330m 256mb on the base 15" and the GT330m 512mb on the more expensive model.

    I've been looking through Youtube and there's a lot of videos showing the 13" playing games reasonably well and I was wondering if the there is any point getting the 15" just for the upgraded graphics and processor? I would prefer the form factor of the 13".

    Seems to be a big price jump between the base 13" and the 15" models so I'm thinking the 13" is better value and would suit me better? Thanks.


Comments

  • #2
    drunkmonkey
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 28,816 ✭✭✭✭drunkmonkey


    Mac's aren't the best for gaming, more than capable of it but it's not really what there about. I've a 13' mbp and an xbox 360, perfect set up. ;)


  • #3
    Boom_Boom
    Closed Accounts Posts: 35 ✭Boom_Boom


    drunkmonkey wrote: »
    Mac's aren't the best for gaming, more than capable of it but it's not really what there about. I've a 13' mbp and an xbox 360, perfect set up. ;)

    I know I've pretty much decided to get a Mac for a lot of other reasons I was just curious about the gaming aspect. It's not that important just a nice bonus.


  • #4
    Greentree_uk
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,023 ✭✭✭Greentree_uk


    I'm playing steam games no problem with a PC port on the mac. they run really well. so I'd say the mac has no problem gaming


  • #5
    Boom_Boom
    Closed Accounts Posts: 35 ✭Boom_Boom


    Greentree_uk wrote: »
    I'm playing steam games no problem with a PC port on the mac. they run really well. so I'd say the mac has no problem gaming

    What Mac are you using?


  • #6
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,698 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    It depends what kinda games you want to play, what the system requirements are, how graphically intensive they are, etc. Portal and COD4 play fine at high resolutions on my year old 13 inch MacBook Pro. But I'm pretty clueless when it comes to PC gaming.


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  • #7
    Greentree_uk
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,023 ✭✭✭Greentree_uk


    I'm using a 24" 2.8Ghz imac with a 256Mb Graphics card


  • #8
    nesf
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27,644 ✭✭✭✭nesf


    For Gaming purposes the 15" is pretty far ahead of the 13".

    In short:

    The 13"'s graphics card has no dedicated graphics memory and shares the system memory. This is a big performance loss over the 15"'s card.

    The 13" has a Core Duo Processor versus an i5 or even an i7 in the 15". Again this is a big performance loss.


    For future proofing, which is a factor when you're dropping 1.5-2K on a machine, I'd go for the top of the line 15". Half a gig of graphics memory is a good baseline for better quality games at the moment and the i7 processors are lovely. If you have the money to spend that is. If you can't shell out 2K then even the lowest grade 15" is a decent machine and should run most games fairly well for you.


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