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iMac or Mac Pro for gaming
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Hmmm...apart from Dalaran and all that trash at the entrance of ICC 25 I have no serious fps complaints on my MBP...but I play on low settings...
Barefeats benchmarks show very significant gaming improvements with the new "Snow Leopard Graphics Update."
Unfortunately Wow had the smallest improvement of only 9.8% But 67 FPS sounds doable to me.
I have tried playing on high settings and it's playable (but tbh haven't tried that in a 25 man raid). You know what stresses me about gaming on a MBP ? Overheating. I use SMC Fan Control and a stand, but it worries me to play at high temperatures and/or max fan usage. That's why I prefer playing on low settings + capped framerate. For the same reason if and when I'll buy an other Apple computer I'll look into a Mac Pro since I don't think that cooling would be the best on an iMac.
I have quad core MP (early 2009 model) with ATI 4870 and it can handle all recently released games at high setting. Sometimes I have to lower setting from Ultra to high, but still I can play under resolution of 1920 * 1080. I am using my MP for gaming most of the time and I am really impressed with its performance. I don't really care about gaming Pcs; maybe they have better GPU and better expandable options, but MP run smooth, efficient, issue free and build to last. And if I am going to buy second computer for gaming, I will go for MP.
I don't recommend using a MBP for gaming; I had many issues with my MBP like overheating and logicboard failure.
I don't recommend using a MBP for gaming; I had many issues with my MBP like overheating and logicboard failure.
Well after a lot of thinking about which would be a better option for me i.e the iMac or Mac Pro, I decided to finally go with the Mac Pro. I have been lurking in the iMac section and I just had a feeling that in the long run the Mac Pro would serve me better mainly due to it's upgrade options. The iMac also seems like a hit or miss when it comes to the LED screen issues and I don't want to deal with headaches right out of the box.
So with that in mind I placed an order online with Bestbuy last friday for a 2.4 Quad Mac Pro, I couldn't choose 3.3 with 5870 since BB doesn't do custom orders but I think the 5770 should be fine for now as I don't play any hardcore graphics intensive games and I can always upgrade the GPU later, another thing I couldn't do with the iMac. Hopefully I can upgrade to the 3.3GHz westmere if it's possible, if not then at least the 3.2GHz one should the need arise.
So with that in mind I placed an order online with Bestbuy last friday for a 2.4 Quad Mac Pro, I couldn't choose 3.3 with 5870 since BB doesn't do custom orders but I think the 5770 should be fine for now as I don't play any hardcore graphics intensive games and I can always upgrade the GPU later, another thing I couldn't do with the iMac. Hopefully I can upgrade to the 3.3GHz westmere if it's possible, if not then at least the 3.2GHz one should the need arise.
Get the iMac. I had a Powermac G5 (Mac Pro grandfather) when those first came out because of "upgradable graphics" and pretty much whatever was available at the time was good. 2 years later I don't think I had any options as graphic cards retired. I loved gaming on my Powermac G5 though.
(I bought a i7 Dell Desktop for gaming myself and happy with the default graphics card. Forgot what stock card they used but it does everything fine).
(I bought a i7 Dell Desktop for gaming myself and happy with the default graphics card. Forgot what stock card they used but it does everything fine).
I'm quote entertained by this.
The driver effort on the Windows side is much bigger compared to the Mac OS X side.
What you are seeing is the difference between OpenGL <-> DirectX and operating system most likely.
If you plan exclusively on gaming, you'll be throwing your money away.
I think you'll be better buying a PC instead, you'll have regularly updated drivers and the ability to upgrade GPU at a sensible rate and at a market price, not whenever Apple feels like it and paying double the cost.
Furthermore, if your gaming is going to be done under windows, then there's really no point in paying the premium.
Maybe apple will take gaming more seriously in the next few years. After all, they've been really committed to making toys this last years, but for the time being I think it's not worth it.
However, if it's still what you want to do, I think the base Mac Pro has a better GPU than the iMac (you'll want to order the 5870), and you can upgrade it in the future.
I think you'll be better buying a PC instead, you'll have regularly updated drivers and the ability to upgrade GPU at a sensible rate and at a market price, not whenever Apple feels like it and paying double the cost.
Furthermore, if your gaming is going to be done under windows, then there's really no point in paying the premium.
Maybe apple will take gaming more seriously in the next few years. After all, they've been really committed to making toys this last years, but for the time being I think it's not worth it.
However, if it's still what you want to do, I think the base Mac Pro has a better GPU than the iMac (you'll want to order the 5870), and you can upgrade it in the future.
ONe more thing to throw into MAC vs PC debate
I keep finding that not many people know this and being freelance Graphic Designer this is one feature I could not live without and correct me if im wrong but PC's can't do it.
I have been dumping my mac pro "brain" onto external firewire/usb drive and carrying it in my pocket wherever i go.
What I mean is that you can make a copy of your whole drive (my is intel and i use superduper to make the duplicate) os all programs all files all preferences and dump it onto an external firewire/usb drive that you can plug into any other intel mac and select as your startup drive. Meaning i can literally carry my mac pro in my pocket and use it wherever there is another intel mac (pro, imac, macbook etc).
With some clever options in backup software i have also made sync preferences so when i plug my drive back into my mothership macpro all data is synced between the drives.
+ i dont use time machine
+ if my comp die - i can continue working on any other mac in no time at all with all my software and settings and files (can't do that with timemachine)
Hope this can help someone
I keep finding that not many people know this and being freelance Graphic Designer this is one feature I could not live without and correct me if im wrong but PC's can't do it.
I have been dumping my mac pro "brain" onto external firewire/usb drive and carrying it in my pocket wherever i go.
What I mean is that you can make a copy of your whole drive (my is intel and i use superduper to make the duplicate) os all programs all files all preferences and dump it onto an external firewire/usb drive that you can plug into any other intel mac and select as your startup drive. Meaning i can literally carry my mac pro in my pocket and use it wherever there is another intel mac (pro, imac, macbook etc).
With some clever options in backup software i have also made sync preferences so when i plug my drive back into my mothership macpro all data is synced between the drives.
+ i dont use time machine
+ if my comp die - i can continue working on any other mac in no time at all with all my software and settings and files (can't do that with timemachine)
Hope this can help someone