Gaming on Macs: Yes we can (?)

[Ezahn]

Is there maybe someone that consistently games on his iMac - as is to say often in a Bootcamp partition?

As you may have read in my previous posts on this topic, I'm an Apple user for general computing, but I like gaming A LOT.
I don't have that much time but I'm really an enthusiast of videogames as a medium and tend to buy and try them whenever I can.

I was considering to build a new gaming PC and hook it to my 23'' LG 120 Hz monitor but still can't pull the trigger: that machine would be used only for gaming and I already have 360, PS3... and Wii. /ashamed
So I'm thinking of selling that monitor and buying a new 27'' iMac with ATi 6970 2 gb, using it as main machine (now I have a late 2008 Macbook Pro) and gaming on it on a Bootcamp partition with my (more or less) trusty W7 64 bit.

I understand 6970 mobile is more or less equivalent to a desktop 460, but obviously the native resolution of the iMac makes it nearly mandative to play in 1080p... any experiences and opinions?
Is it very blurry at that resolution?
How's the gpu faring?

Thanks a lot for your valued help in my decision making! ;-)

 

[Ezahn]

Well, actually Bootcamp is a way to install Windows on a dual boot partition, so when you boot into Windows you are on a "real" Windows machine.
I see your point on time & money, still. ^^

 

[Sneaky-Pie]

There's always Steam for Mac, but options are limited there.

If your goal is for a gaming machine, then stick to Windows and build a custom machine.

 

[kaioshade]

I have used my Macbook Pro for light-medium gaming through bootcamp as well as OS X natively. Portal 2 on the Mac mainly.

Id the PC would only be used for gaming, i say you will still get a better gaming experience from a dedicated gaming pc than a Mac running boot camp, if your only motivation for a new machine was gaming. If you have plans to use the iMac for other things aside gaming, then it may be a better investment.

a 27" iMac starts at 1699 USD. You can build a pretty solid PC with that kind of money, one that will frankly destroy the iMac in performance.

My advice is to build a dedicated gaming PC, you will most lily save money and be pleased with the results. I have my Macbook Pro, and my desktop is my gaming machine. Portal 2 on the go is awesome though.

 

[DaHero]

Running an OS on top of an OS

OSeption!

Steam is slowly developing a way to make all their games MAC compatible, just a matter of time.

 

[SoopaSte123]

OP, be prepared for a flood of people just telling you to stop using a Mac. As a console gamer, I don't mind not being able to play many games on my mac (I have WoW and Minecraft and that's all I need), but even I get the annoying constant "macs suck!" from computer nerds. So... best of luck to you. I'd try mac forums instead.

 

[Danzaivar]

It would probably be cheaper to build a damn good gaming rig and get a Mac mini for your browsing/whatever needs than it would be to get a high spec iMac. The gaming PC would no doubt have better specs too.

 

[viranimus]

Hrm.. Perhaps.

Wait, if you are already a mac user.. wouldnt it make more sense to put together a 500$ (or less) windows PC for attaching to your tv/monitor, rather than dropping 2100$ on a MAC capable of gaming?

Only real logic I am seeing in buying the mac would be if your level of space is at an absolute premium that it wouldnt allow you to house 2 home computers.

 

[Owyn_Merrilin]

If you've already got the mac, go for it. As long as it's an Intel mac, it'll run the games just as well as a PC with the same specs -- since it is, afterall, just that. I don't have personal experience with macs running bootcamp, but I have friends who do it, and are quite happy with it. Besides, even if you don't have a copy of Windows yet, you'll need to buy one regardless of whether you want to build a PC or use bootcamp. You may as well just buy Windows to start with, and see if the mac is powerful enough to do what you need it to do.

Edit: Misread the OP. If you're going to be buying a new computer, by all means, go for a PC. Macs cost something on the order of twice what a PC with the same specs costs.

 

[Katana314]

If you're fine with the mac OS (my relatives have unfortunately found that from their viewpoint, it is much less intuitive than Windows) then I'd go for it. There will always be options for your games. A bunch of awesome ones I can recall (many indie, but no less awesome)

Killing Floor
Amnesia: Dark Descent
Team Fortress 2
Spiral Knights (no idea how it is, but it's apparently F2P on Steam)
SpaceChem
Portal 2
Left 4 Dead 1+2
Civ 5
Assassin's Creed 2
Trine

and others...

 

[Thedutchjelle]

I'm running an old iMac with an intel Duo-Core. Only thing extra on it is 1,5 GB extra ram.

Once you boot it up in Bootcamp, it acts exactly like a Windows machine with the hardware specs of your iMac. I managed to play STALKER shadow of chernobyl & Call of Pripyat on it, along with the entire orange box, Civilization IV and Left 4 Dead. I'm glad I have bootcamp

If you think you're better of with a Windows machine, go for that then. I prefer my Mac OS as my main OS so I'm not to fond of giving it up, which is why I stick to iMacs

It depends on if you think Graphics are all that important. I don't care for graphics so long it looks decent. I run most of my games in low - Starcraft 2 looks great on Low, as does STALKER.

 

[mad825]

Buy a PC or just use the consoles, you aren't missing much unless you like RTSs and it would also seem like you like consoles agenda anyway.

 

[Griffolion]

Running an OS on top of an OS would take a lot of power, and running an intense game on top of an OS on top of another OS would be one helluva power hog.

You would probably be better off having a gaming PC. If you have questions about it, you might want to rethink it. Do you really have enough time to play all these games and the money to pay for it all?

An OS on top of an OS? OSception...


OT: Gaming outside of a console? Stick to Windows.

 

[Weaver]

You can run MacOS on most PC's (especially intel's).
Just dual boot with OSX on one partition and Windows on another.

 

[Lilani]

-snip-

Running an OS on top of an OS would take a lot of power, and running an intense game on top of an OS on top of another OS would be one helluva power hog.

You would probably be better off having a gaming PC. If you have questions about it, you might want to rethink it. Do you really have enough time to play all these games and the money to pay for it all?

I have successfully played many games on the windows side of a dual-booted Mac, and the performance has been perfect for me. As far as I know, what believer258 said about it is not QUITE how Bootcamp works. Allow me to explain:

The Windows partition is on its own section of the drive--specifically partitioned for it. It runs as its own operating system, and it does not run at the same time as the Mac. It's like a different computer on its own. Whenever I powered it on, I held down the option key if I wanted to switch drives. It would then power on as a Windows, and I would not be able to access anything on the Mac side unless I restarted and booted up as Mac.

Now, I've heard that you CAN run it to where you've got essentially a window in your Mac that is running Windows, which would be running 2 OS's at once, but I have never done that and nor do I have the desire to.

I have run plenty of games just fine on a dual-booted Mac. I don't see why you'd have any trouble, if you want a Mac that badly. The only thing is you still have to get that Windows OS and you have to get virus protection for it.

 

[kaioshade]

Just some clarification for some people.

Boot camp - Installs to another created partition on your hard drive, and windows boots in its own environment. Your mac becomes, for all intents and purposes, a Windows machine. Files, such as documents, pictures and music can be opened from the mac partition, but no programs can be run. Native performance for the specs of the machine.

Parallels / VM Ware - Runs as a program in OS X, your OS is installed in a virtual machine. And resources are shared along with OS X. Requires some hefty amounts of RAM to get smooth operation with both operating systems. Gaming is possible in this mode, but performance will take a hit due to the overhead of a second operating system running. This route offers some benefits though, such as the ability to interact with both machines simultaneously, and Parallels is made to seamlessly integrate in the OSX environment. The windows start menu actually is placed in the task bar in OS X.

 

[PettingZOOPONY]

Build your own system and then Boot whatever OS you want, Macs and pre built PCs are just shit still.

 

[Ezahn]

I'm starting to think that maybe the most sensible thing could be to build a dedicated gaming pc and keep my Macbook Pro connected to the same monitor via hdmi, just as it is now. Sure, the Mac part would not be as fast (by a long shot), but windows gaming would fly... (I'm thinking about a 570 or 580).

One monitor, two computers. But... the hassle for two keyboards, mices...