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Yoshi Yogurt

macrumors regular
Nov 5, 2010
206
40
The GTX 560M is a better card than the HD 5000 by a pretty wide margin.

It's not a mobile card, I'm talking the desktop 560 card. Well anyway that sucks. Might not get a mac then, as the only one with graphics card is $2600.

I'm a console/handhelds games collector, so I do a very minimum amount of PC gaming, but I still want to actually play some games...
 

TechGod

macrumors 68040
Feb 25, 2014
3,268
1,121
New Zealand
Anybody know if the intel HD 5000 is stronger or weaker than an Nvidia GTX 560 card? Just trying to compare to my old Rig.

Not even close. 560. Check out the X51 by Alienate. Its cheap and fast.

----------

It's not a mobile card, I'm talking the desktop 560 card. Well anyway that sucks. Might not get a mac then, as the only one with graphics card is $2600.

I'm a console/handhelds games collector, so I do a very minimum amount of PC gaming, but I still want to actually play some games...

As a rule of thumb you dont buy Macs for gaming. Only reason I have a MacBokk is that I haven't found something that has the same lightness thinness and screen as the rMBP I have with the iris. I can play Borderlands 2 on all high though. Skyrim smoothly on low.

I'm trying to find a laptop that could be possibly cheaper but have better specs than my MacBook. I fear I won't find it however.
 

ZombiePete

macrumors 68020
Aug 6, 2008
2,319
1,064
San Antonio, TX
It's not a mobile card, I'm talking the desktop 560 card. Well anyway that sucks. Might not get a mac then, as the only one with graphics card is $2600.

I'm a console/handhelds games collector, so I do a very minimum amount of PC gaming, but I still want to actually play some games...

I have a Windows machine for PC gaming and an Xbox One/360 for console games. But I don't play anything other than WoW on my MBA; for everything else it does I find it to be the best notebook I've ever owned, and I've been through a few.
 

Yoshi Yogurt

macrumors regular
Nov 5, 2010
206
40
I have a Windows machine for PC gaming and an Xbox One/360 for console games. But I don't play anything other than WoW on my MBA; for everything else it does I find it to be the best notebook I've ever owned, and I've been through a few.

Really loving the thinness off the air and even rMBP. With student discount, a 13 inch air with the better CPU, 8gbs RAM and 512GB SSD can be had for $1650, not bad on price but the gaming capabilities are pathetic. A New 2014 laptop can't even beat out a 3 year old mid-range card?

I also need to either use Parallels desktop or bootcamp Windows to use the engineering programs in college...so switching back and forth seems pointless. Can't listen to my music on mac OS if I'm in windows working on homework etc.


x51 by alienware? lol ok it's a desktop #1 and I build my own. Alienware is pretty cringe worthy.
 
Last edited:

TechGod

macrumors 68040
Feb 25, 2014
3,268
1,121
New Zealand
Really loving the thinness off the air and even rMBP. With student discount, a 13 inch air with the better CPU, 8gbs RAM and 512GB SSD can be had for $1650, not bad on price but the gaming capabilities are pathetic. A New 2014 laptop can't even beat out a 3 year old mid-range card?

I also need to either use Parallels desktop or bootcamp Windows to use the engineering programs in college...so switching back and forth seems pointless. Can't listen to my music on mac OS if I'm in windows working on homework etc.


x51 by alienware? lol ok it's a desktop #1 and I build my own. Alienware is pretty cringe worthy.
Dude realise the laptop GPUs's especially integrated will never be the same as DESKTOP cards. You have high expectations it seems.
 

ZombiePete

macrumors 68020
Aug 6, 2008
2,319
1,064
San Antonio, TX
[...]but the gaming capabilities are pathetic. A New 2014 laptop can't even beat out a 3 year old mid-range card?

What it boils down to is that gaming is not what it was designed for. Frankly, you wouldn't find much more than an HD 4400 or 5000 in just about any ultrabook, be it the MBA or a Windows system, so if you're looking for something for gaming you're barking up the wrong tree. It will play a pretty decent variety of games and some games it will even play well; like I've said, I play WoW on my MBA and on medium settings get on average around 90fps. I would hardly call that pathetic.
 

HarryWarden

macrumors 6502a
Oct 27, 2012
608
121
I currently have a base model 2012 MBA (4 GB RAM, 1.8 GHz i5) and have ordered a 2013 i7 w/8 GB RAM). Will it be a significant improvement?
 

TechGod

macrumors 68040
Feb 25, 2014
3,268
1,121
New Zealand
I currently have a base model 2012 MBA (4 GB RAM, 1.8 GHz i5) and have ordered a 2013 i7 w/8 GB RAM). Will it be a significant improvement?

It will be an improvement yes. Not significant though.

If you want a serious improvement go for the 8GB ram 256GB ssd RMBP but I understand financial constraints.
 

wt.doc rus

macrumors newbie
Jun 15, 2014
5
0
Russia
Wanted to try to run the Watch Dogs. Wineskin 2.6.0 WS9Wine1.7.20.
Error:
err: process:create_process L"C:\\Program Files\\Watch Dogs\\bin\\watch_dogs.exe" not supported on this installation (x86_64 binary)
wine: Bad EXE format for C:\Program Files\Watch Dogs\bin\watch_dogs.exe.

What's the problem?
 

Mac7

macrumors 6502a
Jun 14, 2009
833
94
Has anyone been able to play The Witcher: Enhanced Edition? I've tried it natively and in bootcamp but both have been giving me a "Does not meet minimum requirements" error.
 

Aegelward

macrumors 6502a
Jul 31, 2005
528
54
UK
How does Borderlands 2 play on OS X from Steam?

Is it playable on low settings/30 fps?

Not sure what FPS i'm getting, but i've been playing with medium settings, ambient occlusion and such on and it's been pretty smooth so far. Not sure what my FPS are.

Gets a bit warm though.
 

bubbleboil

macrumors member
Apr 19, 2014
80
13
Can double check with ppl here, what's the temperature range that I should allow my 2013 mba to go?
Always feel so worried when I hear the fan, especially when playing games. And the keyboard feel so warm.


Does pointing a fan at the MBA with a cooler at the bottom helps?

And does charging while gaming increase the temperature even more?
 

Mirai 11

macrumors 6502
Aug 3, 2005
332
0
I've completed Arkham City from start to finish on my Macbook Air, and I've constantly used Dolphin and PCSX R with no problems.

I boot to Windows for PCSX 2, and Tekken 4 and 5 run great. As well as Onimusha and Timesplitters 2.

So no. To berate anyone that uses an Apple machine to play a game on, is ridiculous.

Also, the two posts I did on my site with screenshots on the games i've played, get more hits than any other, and they all either come from this forum in this thread, or a google search.

Think about what you type, otherwise you're going to look a fool.
 

glitch44

macrumors 65816
Feb 28, 2006
1,121
156
Anyone try the Planetary Annihilation Early Access beta on an Air with HD5000? Specs are listed as:

Mac System Requirements
Minimum:
OS:OS/X 10.7, 10.8 or 10.9 (64-bit)
Processor:64-bit Dual Core better
Memory:4 GB RAM
Graphics:Shader 3.0 / Open GL 3.2+
Hard Drive:2 GB HD space
Additional:These specs are still being determined.
Recommended:
We urge all OS/X users to use the free upgrade to 10.9 to guarantee maximum compatibility and performance.


I doubt it would do well, but it's on sale today so I was curious.
 

tallchris

macrumors member
Dec 11, 2010
74
9
Anyone tried Hitman Absolution for the Mac yet (or even into Windows)?
I'm not really sure it'll work just as smooth..

Would like to bump for this, as it is in the latest Humble Bundle. Min Reqs says HD4000 with 8GB is okay, Anyone tried it with HD5000, or with 4GB RAM
 

ha1o2surfer

macrumors 6502
Sep 24, 2013
425
46
It's not a mobile card, I'm talking the desktop 560 card. Well anyway that sucks. Might not get a mac then, as the only one with graphics card is $2600.

I'm a console/handhelds games collector, so I do a very minimum amount of PC gaming, but I still want to actually play some games...

you're better off getting a G46VW for 699 off newegg..... it easily outpaces even the 750m in the new macbook pros.
 

silverf1re

macrumors regular
Mar 3, 2011
211
8
What it boils down to is that gaming is not what it was designed for. Frankly, you wouldn't find much more than an HD 4400 or 5000 in just about any ultrabook, be it the MBA or a Windows system, so if you're looking for something for gaming you're barking up the wrong tree. It will play a pretty decent variety of games and some games it will even play well; like I've said, I play WoW on my MBA and on medium settings get on average around 90fps. I would hardly call that pathetic.

This guy need to look at the Razer Ultrabook. Thing is skinny and a power house. I also play wow on my air and it handles it well(its a 8 year old game so it should) I cant wait till steam inhome stream suports resolution besides 720 and 1080 because then my air will be perfect.
 

Suture

macrumors 65816
Feb 22, 2007
1,002
212
Anyone know why Legend of Grimrock runs much better on my MacBook Air vs my Mac Mini?

MacBook Air: i7 @1.7GHz, 8GB RAM, Intel HD 5000, 250GB SSD
Mac Mini: i5 @ 2.5GHz, 16GB RAM, ATI Radeon HD 6630M, installed on SSD

Framerates are probably 30% higher on the MacBook Air, and that's without fans spinning up. I figured the Mini would run it better, but I'm not sure if it's the 256MB of video memory that's the bottleneck or not.
 

0983275

Suspended
Mar 15, 2013
472
56
Anyone know why Legend of Grimrock runs much better on my MacBook Air vs my Mac Mini?

MacBook Air: i7 @1.7GHz, 8GB RAM, Intel HD 5000, 250GB SSD
Mac Mini: i5 @ 2.5GHz, 16GB RAM, ATI Radeon HD 6630M, installed on SSD

Framerates are probably 30% higher on the MacBook Air, and that's without fans spinning up. I figured the Mini would run it better, but I'm not sure if it's the 256MB of video memory that's the bottleneck or not.

Seems about right, 6630M is limited by its DDR3 256MB RAM and low clock rate.
 

DelvinChang

macrumors newbie
Apr 12, 2014
6
0
Danbury, CT
I tried playing WoW on my maxed out mid-2013 MBA just to see if it would handle it and after a few minutes, the temperature shot up and stayed around 80-99 celcius. This was with all settings low and vsync on.. pretty scary. Do you guys think that is way too hot to run at long periods of time?
 

0983275

Suspended
Mar 15, 2013
472
56
I tried playing WoW on my maxed out mid-2013 MBA just to see if it would handle it and after a few minutes, the temperature shot up and stayed around 80-99 celcius. This was with all settings low and vsync on.. pretty scary. Do you guys think that is way too hot to run at long periods of time?

Start worrying when it reaches and stays at 100c+.
 

snowboardpunk

macrumors regular
Feb 28, 2013
109
5
Im wondering if any of these will run league of legends. Need a new laptop for school but also want it to run league.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/apple-macbook-air-latest-model-13-3-display-intel-core-i5-4gb-memory-128gb-flash-storage/2712009.p;jsessionid=869786A1A6287EE3484ECDBD157A1942.bbolsp-app02-196?id=1219076158205&skuId=2712009&st=categoryid$pcmcat247400050001&cp=1&lp=1

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/apple-macbook-pro-with-retina-display-13-3-display-4gb-memory-128gb-flash-storage/6941496.p?id=1218815256935&skuId=6941496&st=categoryid$pcmcat247400050001&cp=1&lp=6

Is the pro much better than air? is the rmbp not worth the extra money?
 
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