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Then you can forget about a next Mac Pro. Maybe a next Mac Mini (if it ever gets updated) or a low-end iMac/Laptop that you equip with an eGPU. But with that budget, you're indeed better off with a PC.

lol I'm well aware of the cost of a Mac Pro.
That budget was if I was to keep my current setup and just get a windows machine as I've been debating for the thread.
I would just use my iMac as the monitor.

Just wanted to know what I could get without spending a lot on Mac Pro and if it would be as good


The kind of games will be more first person shooter e.g. Cod or strategy games
Thanks for the links gkarris I will take a look
 
np - you'd want at the very least what I ended up getting - an AMD RX 470 (a benchmark of at least 7385)...

I generally get around 100fps at 1080p/high+

THanks that's the sort of info I need as I have no idea what is good and bad reading those numbers lol
 
np - you'd want at the very least what I ended up getting - an AMD RX 470

Sorry to thread-jack a little, but can I ask if you've got this card running under bootcamp at all, and if so, which version of windows and bootcamp?
 
Around £1k maybe slightly more if worth it

cMP 4,1 $400 (flash to 5,1)
X5677, W3690, X5690, just get the cheapest one $100 (require 5,1 firmware)
3x8GB ECC server pulled RAM $75
~250GB SATA SSD, $100
GTX 1060, $200
Misc (thermal paste etc) $25

This $900 build can play any games including decent VR experience.

This is a native Mac able to run Windows 10 (in EFI mode) and the coming High Sierra.

And this is an upgradable (except CPU) Mac that most likely can play any games in the next 5 years (newer GPU may be required).

TBH, I totally agree that's it's a bit late to join the cMP party. However, by considering it's cost to performance ratio. It's still the best Mac for gaming.
 
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cMP 4,1 $400 (flash to 5,1)
X5677, W3690, X5690, just get the cheapest one $100 (require 5,1 firmware)
3x8GB ECC server pulled RAM $75
~250GB SATA SSD, $100
GTX 1060, $200
Misc (thermal paste etc) $25

However, by considering it's cost to performance ratio. It's still the best Mac for gaming.

This is exactly what I'd be aiming for with a £1000. However, if you plan on doing any pc gaming, I don't know if it's possible to use the lovely 27" imac screen. AFAIK, it won't work as a monitor under bootcamp.
 
This is exactly what I'd be aiming for with a £1000. However, if you plan on doing any pc gaming, I don't know if it's possible to use the lovely 27" imac screen. AFAIK, it won't work as a monitor under bootcamp.

Not sure, but AFAIK, target display mode simply turn an iMac into a very high power consumption monitor. From memory, someone can play PS3 on it. So, I think it's OK in bootcamp, but I really not 100% sure.
 
This is exactly what I'd be aiming for with a £1000. However, if you plan on doing any pc gaming, I don't know if it's possible to use the lovely 27" imac screen. AFAIK, it won't work as a monitor under bootcamp.

I'm running a 2009 MacPro with a 1060 gpu as my dedicated Windows gaming computer. I'm using it hooked up to a 43" TV, as I don't have to wear my glasses then to see what I'm doing (I *hate* wearing glasses).

Just another option...
 
Thanks for your replies and suggestions.
I will probably post next spring when the new mini and pro are out.

The problem is there is no cheap gaming pc as the spec required goes up +£1k minimum.
I may as well put that towards a new pro but if the new pro isn't GPU upgradeabke then I think a gaming PC will be the solution. I'm not sure how upgradeable PCs are but probably more so than macs lol
Would you like to save some money, a lot of money? Keep your Mac for your computer tasks, and buy a Digital Storm PC for as little as $800. I'd buy the $1100 one.
 
Do you know of a seller in the UK of a similar nature ?
Unfortunately I don't. In Oct 2013, I built my PC for $1000 (see signature). At the time I could of purchased a Digital Storm computer with virtually the same specs for about $150 more. You might be able to find a local computer store that builds computers for the same kind of prices.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Mac and the MacOS, although I'm not happy with how expensive they are. I'm really irritated that my last lap top cost $2000 when $1000 PCs can run circles around it for gaming. And Mac prices, instead of going down, have actually gone up. I had been willing to pay $2500 for my 2011 MBP that had dedicated graphics, but this time, the price jumped to $3000 and I said no frick'n way and still ended up paying $2000. :oops: However that $1000 I saved will go along way for my next PC! :)

Based on my experience with Macs and PCs over the last 27 years, strictly for gaming, for a variety of reasons, the PC or even console are a better choice for gaming. You can buy a MacBook Air for $1000, and a gaming PC for $1000 or a consol for $400 and still spend less than the single purchase of the top of the line MacBook Pro with a dedicated, mediocre graphic card for $2900. Being in the PC environment, you won't have to wait for games to be ported, with lesser features, and in some cases with limited or non-existent cross platform multiplayer.

Apple's plan for VR is interesting, but having to purchase an external GPU in addition to the expense of Mac hardware?:eek: That just does not sound competitive. I'm hoping Apple gets a rude awakening from their base and sees the light.
 
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Unfortunately I don't. In Oct 2013, I built my PC for $1000 (see signature). At the time I could of purchased a Digital Storm computer with virtually the same specs for about $150 more. You might be able to find a local computer store that builds computers for the same kind of prices.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Mac and the MacOS, although I'm not happy with how expensive they are. I'm really irritated that my last lap top cost $2000 when $1000 PCs can run circles around it for gaming. And Mac prices, instead of going down, have actually gone up. I had been willing to pay $2500 for my 2011 MBP that had dedicated graphics, but this time, the price jumped to $3000 and I said no frick'n way and still ended up paying $2000. :oops: However that $1000 I saved will go along way for my next PC! :)

Based on my experience with Macs and PCs over the last 27 years, strictly for gaming, for a variety of reasons, the PC or even console are a better choice for gaming. You can buy a MacBook Air for $1000, and a gaming PC for $1000 or a consol for $400 and still spend less than the single purchase of the top of the line MacBook Pro with a dedicated, mediocre graphic card for $2900. Being in the PC environment, you won't have to wait for games to be ported, with lesser features, and in some cases with limited or non-existent cross platform multiplayer.

Apple's plan for VR is interesting, but having to purchase an external GPU in addition to the expense of Mac hardware?:eek: That just does not sound competitive. I'm hoping Apple gets a rude awakening from their base and sees the light.

Those are good prices for those gaming rigs.

I use my Mac's for getting work done, and I have a PC that I only use to play games with, pretty much (or run Office with).

I love the MacOS, but the hardware, specifically increasing laptop prices (wtf?) and lack of a serious mid-line model have me scratching my head. BTW, my solution to getting a MacBook with 16 GB of memory was to buy a used 2010 MacBook (the white, plastic model) for $300 and sticking 16GB of memory in there and an SSD. And get this, it will run High Sierra! Works perfectly for my needs.
 
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Huntn, suspended? What the bejangles!?!

What he said was bang on the money though, so to speak. Until apple re-embrace gaming with decent, competative hardware, the choices are limited.
 
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Unfortunately I don't. In Oct 2013, I built my PC for $1000 (see signature). At the time I could of purchased a Digital Storm computer with virtually the same specs for about $150 more. You might be able to find a local computer store that builds computers for the same kind of prices.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Mac and the MacOS, although I'm not happy with how expensive they are. I'm really irritated that my last lap top cost $2000 when $1000 PCs can run circles around it for gaming. And Mac prices, instead of going down, have actually gone up. I had been willing to pay $2500 for my 2011 MBP that had dedicated graphics, but this time, the price jumped to $3000 and I said no frick'n way and still ended up paying $2000. :oops: However that $1000 I saved will go along way for my next PC! :)

Based on my experience with Macs and PCs over the last 27 years, strictly for gaming, for a variety of reasons, the PC or even console are a better choice for gaming. You can buy a MacBook Air for $1000, and a gaming PC for $1000 or a consol for $400 and still spend less than the single purchase of the top of the line MacBook Pro with a dedicated, mediocre graphic card for $2900. Being in the PC environment, you won't have to wait for games to be ported, with lesser features, and in some cases with limited or non-existent cross platform multiplayer.

Apple's plan for VR is interesting, but having to purchase an external GPU in addition to the expense of Mac hardware?:eek: That just does not sound competitive. I'm hoping Apple gets a rude awakening from their base and sees the light.

OK thanks.
 
Huntn, suspended? What the bejangles!?!

What he said was bang on the money though, so to speak. Until apple re-embrace gaming with decent, competative hardware, the choices are limited.
I was completely stunned too, and then when I looked at his posts, saw he had posted on a religious thread. Mind you, I didn't see anything there that would seem worthy of the ban-hammer, but you never know what people complain about, and what sides the mods take.

Heck, I once got a nasty-gram from a mod for "trolling" when in a post I referred to "Microsoft" as "M$" -- really!
 
Do you know of a seller in the UK of a similar nature ?
There are loads of them. Try Overclockers, their list of VR PCs has some good ones.
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/pc-systems/gaming-pc/vr-gaming-pc

This one below is comparable with the $1200 US one mentioned, when you consider the 20% VAT. It has a faster CPU and a better graphics card but you can reduce it to more or less the US price by downgrading that part.
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/tita...a-geforce-gtx-1070-8gb-graphic-fs-002-og.html
 
There are loads of them. Try Overclockers, their list of VR PCs has some good ones.
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/pc-systems/gaming-pc/vr-gaming-pc

This one below is comparable with the $1200 US one mentioned, when you consider the 20% VAT. It has a faster CPU and a better graphics card but you can reduce it to more or less the US price by downgrading that part.
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/tita...a-geforce-gtx-1070-8gb-graphic-fs-002-og.html

Thanks for that :)
 
There are loads of them. Try Overclockers, their list of VR PCs has some good ones.
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/pc-systems/gaming-pc/vr-gaming-pc

This one below is comparable with the $1200 US one mentioned, when you consider the 20% VAT. It has a faster CPU and a better graphics card but you can reduce it to more or less the US price by downgrading that part.
https://www.overclockers.co.uk/tita...a-geforce-gtx-1070-8gb-graphic-fs-002-og.html
Those look like good computers.

I would figure that, if you got a good CPU, you could upgrade the card at least once and hang on to the rig for 4-5 years, or more.
 
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