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IMac and gaming

F

fukuhela

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 20, 2001
73
0
Scandinavia
I've heard alot about IMac and gaming but I don't know what to make out off all the things i've heard.

If someone please could enlighten me: Is the IMac really that bad a machine when you want to play bigger games like CS or Quake (3D shutem-up) or other games that need a good graphics card?

I'm planning to buy a nem mac in the nearest future. But if I can't use it for gaming then I don't want spent all that money... If you know what I mean :eek:
 
the 1 Gigger is good.

Well, if you're thinking of buying the 1 Ghz iMac, then there will be no problem. If it's gonna be the 800 Mhz, then Quake won't be much of a problem, but maybe MOHAA, for example, could be too much if you set all details to high.

The 1 GHz has a 133 MHz bus, DDR RAM, and a GeForce 4 MX (64MB): This is absolutely good enough for today's games (and the ones in the near future)

The 800 Mhz (ofcourse 200 MHz less to start with) only has the old 100 MHz bus, no DDR RAM (but SDRAM), and only the old GeForce 2 MX (32 MB)

Note that both don't have Level 3 cache (which means it performs a little less than the G4 1 GHz tower)

So: 1 Ghz iMac is gr8 for gaming, the 800 MHz is not really good enough.
Hope this helps.
 
The main thing a gamer really needs to worry about when buying an iMac is that the video card is not upgradable. You'll be stuck with that graphics card till you replace the machine. For gamers I suggest the low end PowerMac for that main reason, and gamers usually end up adding more RAM, HardDrive, and cards themselves, which the lowend tower will let you do at a competitive price, and you can pick your display, or use your current one.
 
I agree with that, as long as you already have the display. One of the nice things about the 1Ghz iMac is the 17 " TFT.
Come to think of it.... isn't this a problem with gaming? I have never tried it before, but usually games are displayed at a 4:3 ratio, so I'm not sure what will happen on a 16:10 monitor: strecthed, or "black curtains" on the sides...
 
Re: the 1 Gigger is good.

Originally posted by MacsRgr8
Well, if you're thinking of buying the 1 Ghz iMac, then there will be no problem. If it's gonna be the 800 Mhz, then Quake won't be much of a problem, but maybe MOHAA, for example, could be too much if you set all details to high.

The 1 GHz has a 133 MHz bus, DDR RAM, and a GeForce 4 MX (64MB): This is absolutely good enough for today's games (and the ones in the near future)

The 800 Mhz (ofcourse 200 MHz less to start with) only has the old 100 MHz bus, no DDR RAM (but SDRAM), and only the old GeForce 2 MX (32 MB)

Note that both don't have Level 3 cache (which means it performs a little less than the G4 1 GHz tower)

So: 1 Ghz iMac is gr8 for gaming, the 800 MHz is not really good enough.
Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

The old 17" 800 mhz does have the geforce 4mx. You can't buy that model any more from apple but you could always get a used one.
 
I was in a local Software Etc. the other day looking at PS2 games. A guy came in asking about Mac games and some PC dip**** in the back corner of the store laughed looked at him and went back to looking at the software while shaking his head.

Yes, I did have a nearly uncontrolable urge to go back into that corner and play a round of soccer with his head but I fought the urge and left the store.

PC people can be such arrogant piss heads sometimes. I know that Mac people can be too but I just get it from PC more often then not. I do agree that there are fewer games for the Mac there are still more games then I need and if I really want to have a large selection of awesome games to play I just go play with the PS2.
 
Originally posted by MacsRgr8
I agree with that, as long as you already have the display. One of the nice things about the 1Ghz iMac is the 17 " TFT.
Come to think of it.... isn't this a problem with gaming? I have never tried it before, but usually games are displayed at a 4:3 ratio, so I'm not sure what will happen on a 16:10 monitor: strecthed, or "black curtains" on the sides...
Click to expand...

It all depends on the game. Some leave black stripes, while other that are programmed well will support the wide screen resolutions.
 
Originally posted by sparks9
Gamers shouldn't buy macs... :p At least not if gaming are your main computer use.
Windows pcs are best for gaming. :)
Click to expand...

I am a diehard mac fan. For me, given the audio work I do, PCs are NOT AN OPTION.

However.. for games, go get a PC. It'al cost you less, offer you more games, and give you better graphics. For $2000, you can have a game machine a dual G4 for $2000 can't touch.

Now the only games I play are text-based RPGs, email Diplomacy (a very awesome board game), and the occasional Ghost Recon. For games, I'm covered on my mac.

But if you are ONLY a gamer, get a PC. If you do anything worthwhile, get a mac.
 
i have a 800Mhz iMac and i play large multiplayer games of warcraft III on it and it runs perfectly even with a lot of stuff happening on screen... just though id say that.
 
The biggest disadvantage with the iMac is the inability to upgrade the GPU. If you get the one with the GF4, it should last for a while into the future. Maybe some company will come up with a small-format card that you can add to the iMac somewhere down the road.
 
Does anyone know if it is posible to use one of the newer graphics cards from the new i macs, in the 800 mhz model?
 
Good for you Corje for searching for a thread based on a topic you are interested in, instead of starting your own.
Some old threads still have life in them! :)
But to disappoint you: no.
The grfx "cards' are built in, i.e. soldered on. They are not installed in an AGP slot like in a tower, they are melted in like in a laptop.
Unlucky.
 
Well I guess that is one way to get people (who want to be able to play World of Warcraft) to buy a new machine. Thanks for the info, even though it isn't what I wanted to hear. :(
 
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