Advice needed - Battle of the Mid 2012 Laptops - 13" of casual gaming.

[marcel37]

Hi everyone,

I'm about to throw a curve ball into the debate from the perspective of a very specific, but populated demographic: the "early-thirties-plays-occassionally-works-a-lot-doesn't-want-to-buy-a-console" male.

I've been an apple customer for over ten years. However, with the fairly recent release of games like Black-Ops and FIFA12 (both native to MacOS and both the only types of games I like to play) I have one more thing to consider when I buy a new laptop this month (Either the top of the line MBP or MBA with 256 - no way I'm about to dish out 500 extra bucks for that extra space.)

I know these laptops are "unsupported" and I know a bit about processors, RAM, and the difference that SSD brings to the table. However, I don't need 1000 FPS. I just need decent game play for a few hours each week that doesn't lag. I would like to hear from people who have experience on these laptops and game on them in the manner described above.

What is your experience? Does the fan go crazy? Is the game play smooth?

Any advice is appreciated. Concerning my budget, I can do the top 13" with the i7, but would prefer to get the entry model like I did three years ago.

M

[jwm2]

At one point in time I bought a laptop in order to play games as well as do my other daily tasks. Bad idea. I found that I never used the laptop due to its bulk and size. So in the end I ended up wasting several thousand on a machine I never wanted to use. A few years later I bought a net book which couldn't be used for gaming at all. I took that thing everywhere I went. I learned the hard way portability trumps the ability to play games occasionally. At least for me this was the case. Your experience may vary but I'd suggest buying a laptop you will actually use for the main purpose for which you are buying it. Play games on your ipad or mobile phone instead.

[Yebubbleman]

Originally Posted by marcel37

Hi everyone,

I'm about to throw a curve ball into the debate from the perspective of a very specific, but populated demographic: the "early-thirties-plays-occassionally-works-a-lot-doesn't-want-to-buy-a-console" male.

I've been an apple customer for over ten years. However, with the fairly recent release of games like Black-Ops and FIFA12 (both native to MacOS and both the only types of games I like to play) I have one more thing to consider when I buy a new laptop this month (Either the top of the line MBP or MBA with 256 - no way I'm about to dish out 500 extra bucks for that extra space.)

I know these laptops are "unsupported" and I know a bit about processors, RAM, and the difference that SSD brings to the table. However, I don't need 1000 FPS. I just need decent game play for a few hours each week that doesn't lag. I would like to hear from people who have experience on these laptops and game on them in the manner described above.

What is your experience? Does the fan go crazy? Is the game play smooth?

Any advice is appreciated. Concerning my budget, I can do the top 13" with the i7, but would prefer to get the entry model like I did three years ago.

M

Really, I'd get a low-end 15" non-retina MacBook Pro. I know it's likely larger than you were initially planning and likely more than you were hoping to spend, but I'll give you a couple good reasons why you should consider it anyway:

1. It sounds like you want to play games that otherwise won't work on the Intel HD 4000.

2. a 15" non-retina will last you longer in terms of what it can do versus any of the 13" machines.

3. It'll handle whatever you're likely to throw at it and will for quite some time to come. (And thusly, it'll likely last you 5 years where a 13" might only last you 3).

4. Quad-Core > Dual-Core, especially as more things finally start taking advantage of more than two cores.

[marcel37]

Thanks for the advice. I did notice that my ipad has taken over as my mobile "computer" of choice - does all I need an ultraportable to do. I'll consider what you guys said. Thanks, again!

[MacRazySwe]

A couple of years ago, back in 2007, I was to purchase my first brand new Mac. Being 14 years old, and having saved up a lot of money, I wanted it to last me for a long time forward. I had the intention of editing media, browsing, doing schoolwork et.c. but also wanted to be able to play games. Instead of purchasing a MacBook, I opted for the MacBook Pro with dedicated graphics. It had one of the best graphic-cards available for laptops at the time. As I had bought it, I played various games. Call of Duty 2, Hitman, and a bit of X-Plane (only the demo however). The computer got so hot, and the fans started to spin like jet-engines, it totally ruined the gaming experience for me. This was on a brand new MacBook Pro, the best laptop you could buy from Apple at the time, playing old games. Hence, I have come to the conclusion that laptops (unless gaming laptops like Alienware et.c.) are not made for gaming. Nowadays, I only play games using my Xbox 360 or PS3, and opted for a MacBook Air to replace my Pro - which has all the processing power I need, for everything except gaming, moreover it is ultra silent (I never hear the fans) and never gets hot. The Air cost me almost half of what I paid for the MBP back in 2007, and is better in every way.

Get a dedicated gaming console, and buy the 13" MBP Retina or MBA 13". Nothing beats an SSD, or having a computer which is incredibly thin and light to carry around.

[Lindsford]

Originally Posted by marcel37

Hi everyone,

I'm about to throw a curve ball into the debate from the perspective of a very specific, but populated demographic: the "early-thirties-plays-occassionally-works-a-lot-doesn't-want-to-buy-a-console" male.

I've been an apple customer for over ten years. However, with the fairly recent release of games like Black-Ops and FIFA12 (both native to MacOS and both the only types of games I like to play) I have one more thing to consider when I buy a new laptop this month (Either the top of the line MBP or MBA with 256 - no way I'm about to dish out 500 extra bucks for that extra space.)

I know these laptops are "unsupported" and I know a bit about processors, RAM, and the difference that SSD brings to the table. However, I don't need 1000 FPS. I just need decent game play for a few hours each week that doesn't lag. I would like to hear from people who have experience on these laptops and game on them in the manner described above.

What is your experience? Does the fan go crazy? Is the game play smooth?

Any advice is appreciated. Concerning my budget, I can do the top 13" with the i7, but would prefer to get the entry model like I did three years ago.

M

Personally, I think the Air Will run Fifa 12 and Black Ops perfectly in Low-med settings.

I'd go for 8gb ram 256SSD and skip the i7