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For Gaming: Boot Camp vs VMware Fusion

Modacke

Modacke

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 6, 2009
66
0
Ok so I wanted to play games on my MBP, but there windows games so I have to either use Vista through Boot Camp or VMware Fusion. Which one would be faster to use. I kind of would like to use VMware fusion but if there is a speed difference, its a total other story. Also which type of vista should I get???

Also would it be faster to use Mac games? Some of my games that ware windows are also available mac games as well. Examlpe: COD 4

****Update: I think going with Boot Camp and Windows XP. Which XP should I get??? Also 32 bit or 64 bit and whats the difference*****

Thanks
 
Gaming

Use boot camp as it runs MUCH faster than a emulated machine (VMware). You may also get issues using VM ware for gaming as it does not allow the OS to recognize your Graphics card or use your own drivers, hence, it runs slower.

Don't get vista at all, get XP. It runs games faster than Vista because it has more resources going to other things than the OS, allowing a higher frame rate (FPS). If you are going with vista anyway, get home premium, but seriously, think about the consequences of getting a worse operating system for more money....
 
Boot Camp is actually not really a program, its just a method of installing Windows, so when you use windows your using it like you'd just installed it on a PC, so for gaming you'll get full speed. VMWare and Fusion are just emultors, and run windows like a program, so you have OS X slowing your system down, plus VMWare/Fusion and whats left in terms of system resources is whats left for your games. So clearly Bootcamp is better for gaming. Windows XP 32 Bit.
 
CastrolSyntec said:
Don't get vista at all, get XP. It runs games faster than Vista because it has more resources going to other things than the OS, allowing a higher frame rate (FPS). If you are going with vista anyway, get home premium, but seriously, think about the consequences of getting a worse operating system for more money....
Click to expand...

This is such an outdated stereotype.
 
i agree with the vista stereotype statement,but youll have to install which ever os you feel you want. vista will have dx10 and xp will have 9. and only play games on the os you install,like xp. so youll have to boot into that os,dont play from the mac side cause i tried that and it lags really bad.
 
If you're buying a new copy of Windows, why would you buy Windows XP? It's outdated and deprecated. Purchase a copy of Windows Vista 64-bit in the edition that fits your needs and/or budget, and run it as a Boot Camp installation.
 
For me, it's already been proven that for gaming, XP is seriously over Vista for 3 of the Macs I've tried with (MacBook Pro 17" 2.16GHz, iMac 2.8GHz, iMac 2.4GHz). Running, COD4 on Vista on my MBP, it is impossible to turn on "Specular Map" on 1024x768. The frame rate would fall under 25-30FPS. While on XP, it has almost no problem! Same setting it runs on 60FPS.
 
CastrolSyntec said:
Use boot camp as it runs MUCH faster than a emulated machine (VMware). You may also get issues using VM ware for gaming as it does not allow the OS to recognize your Graphics card or use your own drivers, hence, it runs slower.

Don't get vista at all, get XP. It runs games faster than Vista because it has more resources going to other things than the OS, allowing a higher frame rate (FPS). If you are going with vista anyway, get home premium, but seriously, think about the consequences of getting a worse operating system for more money....
Click to expand...

Consequences? Worse operating system for the money? Vista has been out long enough now and it runs just fine, if you have a capable machine. I've been running Vista on my gaming PC almost since launch and have had absolutely no issues. Vista gets so much hate, especially from people who don't use it and don't know what they're talking about. Mojave anyone?

To the Thread Starter, Boot Camp for sure.
 
Modacke said:
Whats the difference between 64 bit and 32 bit
Click to expand...

64 bit operating systems can take full advantage of the 64 bit hardware you have, however, drivers/program compatibility for XP 64 bit is very low. If you were running Vista, I'd say 64 bit as the support for that OS has grown quite large. XP, you're better off with 32 bit.
 
I've started to wonder about the heat management issue. It's an established problem that Windows runs hot (temperature wise) on the Boot Camp side when gaming. In order to even keep temperatures from hitting 80 degrees, I've found I have to use smcFanControl to force the fans to run at 4000rpms or higher.

Until someone comes up with a driver or patch that allows Windows to dynamically adjust the fans in response to increased temperatures, wouldn't VMware Fusion or Parallels be more reliable?
 
64 OSes can also address more than 2GB of RAM, so if your Mac has 2 or more GB, while windows may see it, it will not be able to utilize it for any program.
 
Neil321 said:
Virtual Machine not emulated Machine
Click to expand...

a virtual machine still has to emulate or translate everything but the CPU in some form or other.

as to gaming, get xp, or maybe try windows 7 beta for now, skip vista.

you'll have to get 32bit xp though I think, unless you want to play around with drivers a lot as apple only support 32bit xp.
 
it depends how much memory u have. if u have 4gb or more go with 64bit.

Modacke said:
Ok so I wanted to play games on my MBP, but there windows games so I have to either use Vista through Boot Camp or VMware Fusion. Which one would be faster to use. I kind of would like to use VMware fusion but if there is a speed difference, its a total other story. Also which type of vista should I get???

Also would it be faster to use Mac games? Some of my games that ware windows are also available mac games as well. Examlpe: COD 4

****Update: I think going with Boot Camp and Windows XP. Which XP should I get??? Also 32 bit or 64 bit and whats the difference*****

Thanks
Click to expand...
 
sfzMacBookPro said:
I've started to wonder about the heat management issue. It's an established problem that Windows runs hot (temperature wise) on the Boot Camp side when gaming. In order to even keep temperatures from hitting 80 degrees, I've found I have to use smcFanControl to force the fans to run at 4000rpms or higher.

Until someone comes up with a driver or patch that allows Windows to dynamically adjust the fans in response to increased temperatures, wouldn't VMware Fusion or Parallels be more reliable?
Click to expand...

Not true. The idle temperatures for Boot Camp are higher than on OS X, but the full load temperatures are the same.
 
bootcamp without a doubt the graphical limitations of vmware make it useless for all but the most basic games.

in vista 32 bit no my mbp (see signature) i can run call of duty 4 all settings at max between 20-30fps possibly less with high action, and simply reducing the resolution will result in 30fps minimum more than adequate for me
 
Bootcamp Bootcamp Bootcamp.

I would recommend XP until Windows 7 is out, then again many run Vista?
32 or 64 bit? Well all Macs are full 64bit as far as I know, as to how well the Windows OS utilises it, not entirely sure. If you read this forum, people slate XP 64bit as satans child! Others can't praise it enough and it's the second comming!
So it really is split, Vista from what I heard is better with 32bit and 32bit drivers but it's full of bloatware.

I use XP 32 bit via bootcamp, mainly cause I already had it. Works fine. But if you have nothing, I would go with XP 64 bit?
 
32 bit for windows xp. REGARDLESS that your machine is 64bit.

software has to be optimized for 64bit windows.

there's a reason you don't hear about 64bit windows. no one makes software optimized for it.

as far as i know, 64bit windows were installed primarily on AMD machines a while back, for a specific processor, but this was in the early 2000's
 
uicandrew said:
32 bit for windows xp. REGARDLESS that your machine is 64bit.

software has to be optimized for 64bit windows.

there's a reason you don't hear about 64bit windows. no one makes software optimized for it.

as far as i know, 64bit windows were installed primarily on AMD machines a while back, for a specific processor, but this was in the early 2000's
Click to expand...

That's because AMD were the only ones who made a 64 bit CPU, hence XP 64 bit was installed on those machines. And like I said, lot's of people say XP 64 bit is crap, lot's of people say XP 64 bit is fantastic.
 
Boot Camp, you use full power of your Mac. Where as Fusion takes what is left to power the OS and your game.


Also, XP is better for games; however, if you want Vista's fancy gimmicks you might be able to still download Windows 7 of Microsoft's website. I have been using Win 7 and it runs games as if it were XP. A bit slow sometimes, but its beta and still impresses me.

Now stop and think, if MS could put out this good beta, imagine what Apple has for us in Snow Leo???
 
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