Considering getting a MacBook...

[Jaffa Cakes!]

Hello,

I am currently considering getting a MacBook. I already have a Windows PC and Laptop but am wanting a mac, They are sleek, great for webdesigning and graphics and MacOS looks very easy to use. I am in the position where I can either get a Gaming PC so I could play better games on here, or get a MacBook as Im getting into the whole design idea and have always loved the Mac interface and hardware style.

Does anyone have anything that will help me choose?

Would games (like HL2: Deathmatch and Counter-Strike: Source) run OKish on a MacBook, say If I was round a friends or something.

How much RAM is recommended?
Would you get any accessories with it?
;; Tom

P.S. I am 13 turning 14 next month. I have around £220+ to put towards a MacBook for my 14th birthday :]

 

[MattJessop]

Half Life 2 has been known to run great under Boot Camp/XP -
Counter Strike: Source has some framerate issues, but as far as I'm aware, by reverting it back to Direct X 7 or 8.1, you can easily avoid this, and get it to run fine

If gaming is a MUST, then go with a Macbook Pro, but for smaller/older games, then a Macbook should be fine

I'd recommend 2GB of RAM if gaming is going to be a priority, but 1GB should more than cover the bases.

 

[Silver-Fox]

Half Life 2 has been known to run great under Boot Camp/XP -
Counter Strike: Source has some framerate issues, but as far as I'm aware, by reverting it back to Direct X 7 or 8.1, you can easily avoid this, and get it to run fine

If gaming is a MUST, then go with a Macbook Pro, but for smaller/older games, then a Macbook should be fine

I'd recommend 2GB of RAM if gaming is going to be a priority, but 1GB should more than cover the bases.

half life 2 was prety poor for me on my macbook, c2d 1 gig ram under bootcamp and CS: S didnt even work when i installed it on bootcamp, just a black screen, so i wouldnt bother trying

 

[Jaffa Cake]

How much RAM is recommended?
Would you get any accessories with it?

I can't advise on the performance of the two games that you mention, other than the fact that the MacBook doesn't have a dedicated graphics card – instead it takes up to 64MB of your RAM to do all the fancy graphics stuff. So bear this in mind if these games are especially demanding in terms of graphics.

As for RAM, the MacBook will take up to 2GB of the stuff – or at least, that's the 'supported' limit. Some folks have put more in, although it apparently only reads the first 3.3GB or something. In any case, it's worth your while shopping around and looking for sources other than Apple to buy your RAM, as theirs is a bit pricey.

 

[Jaffa Cakes!]

Half Life 2 has been known to run great under Boot Camp/XP -
Counter Strike: Source has some framerate issues, but as far as I'm aware, by reverting it back to Direct X 7 or 8.1, you can easily avoid this, and get it to run fine

If gaming is a MUST, then go with a Macbook Pro, but for smaller/older games, then a Macbook should be fine

I'd recommend 2GB of RAM if gaming is going to be a priority, but 1GB should more than cover the bases.

Would It be advisable to buy RAM from Offtek.co.uk or somewhere as ive heard Apple's RAM is expensive?

half life 2 was prety poor for me on my macbook, c2d 1 gig ram under bootcamp and CS: S didnt even work when i installed it on bootcamp, just a black screen, so i wouldnt bother trying

Google came up with stuff about black screen the other day, it said try changing it to a lower DX Version like 7 or something.

I can't advise on the performance of the two games that you mention, other than the fact that the MacBook doesn't have a dedicated graphics card – instead it takes up to 64MB of your RAM to do all the fancy graphics stuff. So bear this in mind if these games are especially demanding in terms of graphics.

As for RAM, the MacBook will take up to 2GB of the stuff – or at least, that's the 'supported' limit. Some folks have put more in, although it apparently only reads the first 3.3GB or something. In any case, it's worth your while shopping around and looking for sources other than Apple to buy your RAM, as theirs is a bit pricey.

Nice Name btw
I could turn the settings to low xD. I would only be playing it every few weeks as I stay round my brothers house for the weekend or something when I go to see my mate or my parents go somewhere

Thanks for posting people! Keep 'em coming

 

[Silver-Fox]

i was on a lower version on DX and it still didn't work, but half life 2 was ok i guess on normal settingfs, but froze and crashed alot when i played for about 20 mins at a time

 

[Jaffa Cakes!]

Thanks ;P I don't HAVE to be able to play Games on. It looks as If I will be getting a MB on the 15th August . Will be great!

Should I wait for Leopard to come out? If not, would I get a discount off Apple for buying a MB quite near the release date off Leopard?