[Windows] Best way to play PC games?

doobybiggs · Oct 27, 2012, 09:30 AM

Is the best way to play PC games on an iMac just to install bootcamp and go that route? I have heard about problems with out programs ... so just curious before I get my new iMac I am wanting to figure this out first.

... I will be using win 7 - not that 8 crap

Mackilroy · Oct 27, 2012, 10:33 AM

Yes, Boot Camp is your best bet–while there are a fair number of games that would work well in a VM or by being converted with Wineskin, playing a game in Windows natively is still the optimum method (assuming you want the highest performance).

Dagless · Oct 27, 2012, 11:11 AM

Bootcamp, as nature intended.

doobybiggs · Oct 27, 2012, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mackilroy

Yes, Boot Camp is your best bet–while there are a fair number of games that would work well in a VM or by being converted with Wineskin, playing a game in Windows natively is still the optimum method (assuming you want the highest performance).

OK, I thought it would be, but I always like to ask before I go diving off into anything Apple related

doh123 · Oct 27, 2012, 11:50 AM

question: What is the best way to play PC games?

answer: It depends what is "best" to you. For most people that would mean... play on a PC. Using Bootcamp to dual boot your mac turns your Mac into a PC when you are booted into Windows... so for most people, don't play on a Mac, just play on a PC (aka Bootcamp) is the "best" way to go. For others, they don't want to run a PC, so they find other solutions, but then there is no "best" that way, it varies from game to game.

MacGamerHQ · Oct 27, 2012, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doh123

question: What is the best way to play PC games?

answer: It depends what is "best" to you. For most people that would mean... play on a PC. Using Bootcamp to dual boot your mac turns your Mac into a PC when you are booted into Windows... so for most people, don't play on a Mac, just play on a PC (aka Bootcamp) is the "best" way to go. For others, they don't want to run a PC, so they find other solutions, but then there is no "best" that way, it varies from game to game.

Good comment.

The initial question is way more complicated than that.

The best way is bootcamp, IF you don't mind booting windows all the time. If you play a LOT and plan to spend a lot of time on wndows, then the BEST setup would be to just get a PC (cheaper and you can get a more adapted machine for playing)...

In my case (I prefer not to boot windows) is to get the best native OSX games out there and play them (there are more than you know) and for the rare exception try a wineskin or bootcamp...

My 2 cts..

Wardenski · Oct 27, 2012, 03:36 PM

Bootcamp is best.

If you want a gaming experience, why settle for anything else than the best your computer can give you. Waiting a few minutes for a re-boot is a worthy compromise.

phoenixsan · Oct 27, 2012, 07:39 PM

bother with VM to run a game. Any software I had to run in Windows, runs better using Bootcamp. Not saying VMs are not useful

Chewbaca · Oct 28, 2012, 11:41 AM

I think if you're playing more casual/adventure games you can look into VM but if it's something you really want performance from then Bootcamp all the way.

Just my 2 cents.

vicecity · Oct 30, 2012, 06:16 PM

All the info can be found here about all the softwares that could help you run window games on mac os x.

http://civicactions.com/node/1271

doh123 · Oct 31, 2012, 01:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vicecity

All the info can be found here about all the softwares that could help you run window games on mac os x.

http://civicactions.com/node/1271

no.. thats old info and missing some good options.

mentaluproar · Oct 31, 2012, 01:26 AM

Try wineskin first. If you don't like it, it's a quick easy cleanup. No partitioning, installing an OS, updating said OS, etc.

doh123 · Nov 1, 2012, 07:15 AM

Bootcamp cannot play games.... it lets you dual boot Windows.

saying to "Use Bootcamp" is a bit misleading as i run into so many people that think that it is some type of program they run that lets them run their games.

While most people would install Windows using Bootcamp, its not required to use Bootcamp, and its also not required to install Windows if you do use it... you can use the Bootcamp utility and install Linux if you want wether Apple 'supports' that or not.

BornAgainMac · Nov 1, 2012, 11:27 AM

I used Bootcamp for years for gaming but then when it was time to upgrade my iMac I picked a dedicated PC gaming system instead. The money I save getting a simple Mac without a powerful GPU is enough to pay for a nice gaming PC. No more rebooting between Windows / Mac or dealing with the tradeoffs of gaming in a virtual.

For my needs, I ended up getting a gaming laptop that cost a bit more but it isn't as much of a eye sore as a traditional PC desktop. My frame rates exceed the iMac I was using before it.

Wardenski · Nov 1, 2012, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by doh123

Bootcamp cannot play games.... it lets you dual boot Windows.

saying to "Use Bootcamp" is a bit misleading as i run into so many people that think that it is some type of program they run that lets them run their games.

While most people would install Windows using Bootcamp, its not required to use Bootcamp, and its also not required to install Windows if you do use it... you can use the Bootcamp utility and install Linux if you want wether Apple 'supports' that or not.

So what would you say instead?

doh123 · Nov 1, 2012, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wardenski

So what would you say instead?

"Dual boot with Windows" ... the more normal term.

"Use Bootcamp to install Windows" .... may be the easiest for most people to understand, but many still wouldn't have a clue what that meant.

Oct 27, 2012, 09:30 AM	#1
doobybiggs macrumors 6502 Join Date: Mar 2012	Best way to play PC games? Is the best way to play PC games on an iMac just to install bootcamp and go that route? I have heard about problems with out programs ... so just curious before I get my new iMac I am wanting to figure this out first. ... I will be using win 7 - not that 8 crap
	0

Oct 27, 2012, 10:33 AM	#2
Mackilroy macrumors 68040 Join Date: Jun 2006	Yes, Boot Camp is your best bet–while there are a fair number of games that would work well in a VM or by being converted with Wineskin, playing a game in Windows natively is still the optimum method (assuming you want the highest performance). __________________ Can a mortal ask questions which God finds unanswerable? Quite easily, I should think. All nonsense questions are unanswerable.
	1

Oct 27, 2012, 11:11 AM	#3
Dagless macrumors Core Join Date: Jan 2005	Bootcamp, as nature intended. __________________ Maybe if everyone who'd ever been close to you had died, you'd be sarcastic, too. Also come join us Steam users!
	2

Oct 27, 2012, 07:39 PM	#8
phoenixsan macrumors 6502a Join Date: Oct 2012	I will not..... bother with VM to run a game. Any software I had to run in Windows, runs better using Bootcamp. Not saying VMs are not useful __________________ Mac Pro 2010 3.06 Westmere version, 12 Core 64 GB RAM, 4 TB , iPhone 5 (black)
	0

Oct 28, 2012, 11:41 AM	#9
Chewbaca macrumors newbie Join Date: Oct 2010	I think if you're playing more casual/adventure games you can look into VM but if it's something you really want performance from then Bootcamp all the way. Just my 2 cents. __________________ Hired trainer for GarageBand for Windows PC. 16Gb 3G iPad. iPhone 4S
	0

Oct 27, 2012, 11:50 AM	#5
doh123 macrumors 65816 Join Date: Dec 2009	question: What is the best way to play PC games? answer: It depends what is "best" to you. For most people that would mean... play on a PC. Using Bootcamp to dual boot your mac turns your Mac into a PC when you are booted into Windows... so for most people, don't play on a Mac, just play on a PC (aka Bootcamp) is the "best" way to go. For others, they don't want to run a PC, so they find other solutions, but then there is no "best" that way, it varies from game to game.
	1

Oct 27, 2012, 03:36 PM	#7
Wardenski macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jan 2012	Bootcamp is best. If you want a gaming experience, why settle for anything else than the best your computer can give you. Waiting a few minutes for a re-boot is a worthy compromise.
	0

Oct 30, 2012, 06:16 PM	#10
vicecity macrumors newbie Join Date: Oct 2012	All the info can be found here about all the softwares that could help you run window games on mac os x. http://civicactions.com/node/1271
	0

Oct 31, 2012, 01:26 AM	#12
mentaluproar macrumors 6502a Join Date: May 2010 Location: Ohio, USA	Try wineskin first. If you don't like it, it's a quick easy cleanup. No partitioning, installing an OS, updating said OS, etc. __________________ Powered by OSX 10.9 Ocelot Will someone please make a safari extension that gives us back the downvote button?
	0

Nov 1, 2012, 07:15 AM	#13
doh123 macrumors 65816 Join Date: Dec 2009	Bootcamp cannot play games.... it lets you dual boot Windows. saying to "Use Bootcamp" is a bit misleading as i run into so many people that think that it is some type of program they run that lets them run their games. While most people would install Windows using Bootcamp, its not required to use Bootcamp, and its also not required to install Windows if you do use it... you can use the Bootcamp utility and install Linux if you want wether Apple 'supports' that or not.
	0

Nov 1, 2012, 11:27 AM	#14
BornAgainMac macrumors 601 Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Florida Resident	I used Bootcamp for years for gaming but then when it was time to upgrade my iMac I picked a dedicated PC gaming system instead. The money I save getting a simple Mac without a powerful GPU is enough to pay for a nice gaming PC. No more rebooting between Windows / Mac or dealing with the tradeoffs of gaming in a virtual. For my needs, I ended up getting a gaming laptop that cost a bit more but it isn't as much of a eye sore as a traditional PC desktop. My frame rates exceed the iMac I was using before it.
	1

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