Playing games on a Macbook on Mac OS X Officially sucks

[farqueue]

Macbook Specs:
1.83ghz, 512mb base unit

I've tried running many STEAM Games via crossover (ver 6.02beta) in os x and its just horrible.

1. Takes about 3 minutes to load up steam
2. Playing CS1.6 a 5yr old game lags - ****** framerate at 25-35FPS, and lags (this is a milisecond lag) whenever i see any enemy, playable but not good enough to get frags
3. Halflife 2 and CSS virtually unplayable at 12-15FPS

(Let me know if theres a bug fix from crossover for this)


Under Bootcamp
1. Steam loads fast
2. CS 1.6 i get max FPS at 72.0
3. Halflife 2 and CSS playable at around 25-30FPS but again, lags a little but ok

So my conclusion:

Playing games on a Macbook on MAC OS X officially sucks for games, go bootcamp if you want a smoother experience.


EDIT: Ive also tried WoW (UBinary) in mac os X vs WoW in windows, and it runs much BETTER in windows.

[killmoms]

I wouldn't say using Crossover for Steam games quite qualifies as a fair test of "games" under OS X. Try some UniBin OS X-native games before you make that judgement.

And, of COURSE Steam games are going to blow ass on a BETA version of CrossOver.

[Machead III]

Most games are smoother than you'd imagine, even with 512mb, in Bootcamp.

Deus Ex II on the other hand... you wouldn't believe the nightmare I've been going through trying to get this thing to even load up. People have said they've done it on a MB, but have never explained how, so here I am getting error after error with no idea what to do.

[Chundles]

You idiot. You're not running native Mac OSX games. You're running them through an emulation layer - a BETA version at that. You may as well be playing them via Virtual PC on an old PPC Mac.

Get a native Mac OSX game and a Windows version of the same game. Currently you're testing:

1. A Windows version of a game through a beta version of a compatibility layer that doesn't as yet support much in the way of complicated programming, let alone graphic stuff like games - on top of Mac OSX.

vs.

2. A Windows version of a game played natively in Windows.

NOT A FAIR TEST!!

That's like saying "Scuba Diving officially sucks!" because you put the suit and the tanks and the weights on but then somebody just showed you drawings of fish. You have to actually get in the water.

*shakes head*

[Dont Hurt Me]

Lets just cut to the chase the GMA 950 is garbage, at the bottom of any chart and even Tom's Hardware never even bothers with it because its just cheap Intel crap for gaming. Consumers are gamers and for apple not to use a real GPU anymore in base iMac,Mini and Macbook is a travesty. Anyone who care's about this should send Apple a letter,Email or something. Take a minute and let Apple know how you feel. Will they change? I doubt it but at least you can say you tried. STAY away from the GMA950!

[killmoms]

That's like saying "Scuba Diving officially sucks!" because you put the suit and the tanks and the weights on but then somebody just showed you drawings of fish. You have to actually get in the water.
Chundles, not to take this too far off-topic, but have I ever told you I <3 you? :o

[Chundles]

Chundles, not to take this too far off-topic, but have I ever told you I <3 you? :o

Yeah, but would it hurt you to SHOW it once in a while? ;)

[farqueue]

Lets just cut to the chase the GMA 950 is garbage, at the bottom of any chart and even Tom's Hardware never even bothers with it because its just cheap Intel crap for gaming. Consumers are gamers and for apple not to use a real GPU anymore in base iMac,Mini and Macbook is a travesty. Anyone who care's about this should send Apple a letter,Email or something. Take a minute and let Apple know how you feel. Will they change? I doubt it but at least you can say you tried. STAY away from the GMA950!


I wouldnt say that GMA 950 is garbage. Its pretty decent considering that you are able to play some of the most 'demanding' games like halflife 2 and CSS, which i remmebered i had trouble on a PC even with a RADEON 9800Pro those days.

Infact, i would say the GMA 950 outperforms radeon 9800pro?:rolleyes:

[Mackilroy]

DHM is one of several people who goes around bashing the GMA 950 everywhere they go mostly because they think it can't do anything. So don't worry about what he says too much. The 950 is decent – and besides, the MacBook isn't meant to be a hardcore gaming machine.

[Dont Hurt Me]

I wouldnt say that GMA 950 is garbage. Its pretty decent considering that you are able to play some of the most 'demanding' games like halflife 2 and CSS, which i remmebered i had trouble on a PC even with a RADEON 9800Pro those days.

Infact, i would say the GMA 950 outperforms radeon 9800pro?:rolleyes:
Thats just fairy tales, the gma doesnt outperform a 9800 in gaming, doesnt even outperform a geforce 3. In frame rates its not close plus its missing lots of stuff for drawing pictures. For Email/and the net its fine for gaming its a huge step backwards. Apple went 4-5 times faster with its CPU, it went 3-4 times slower with its GMA 950. Its horrible if you want to game. Like I said compare it to any real gpu. I have a mini with a very old 9200 in it and had a mini with gma 950. the 9200 was much better looking and it was being pushed by a cpu thats 4-5 times slower known as G4.

[rodti]

I wouldnt say that GMA 950 is garbage. Its pretty decent considering that you are able to play some of the most 'demanding' games like halflife 2 and CSS:

Damn right. It's just a shame you have to boot into XP to do it. Valve would officially be the most bestest people in the world if they released an OS X port....

[neonblue2]

Thats just fairy tales, the gma doesnt outperform a 9800 in gaming, doesnt even outperform a geforce 3. In frame rates its not close plus its missing lots of stuff for drawing pictures. For Email/and the net its fine for gaming its a huge step backwards. Apple went 4-5 times faster with its CPU, it went 3-4 times slower with its GMA 950. Its horrible if you want to game. Like I said compare it to any real gpu. I have a mini with a very old 9200 in it and had a mini with gma 950. the 9200 was much better looking and it was being pushed by a cpu thats 4-5 times slower known as G4.

Are you using bad RAM in your Intel Mini or what? The GMA950 is one step forward (faster than 9200) and one step back (integrated).