Macbook Gaming Question

[northwindthread]

Hello. I want to get my kids a older Macbook. They like playing Minecraft, and I just want to make sure what I get will run it. I'm looking at 2007/2008 models, like Gen3/4, 2.16 GHZ, 2GB RAM, 120 or 250 GB Hard Drive, and OS 10.6. Would something like this be suitable? Sorry if this seems like a dumb question. I just don't know to much about what it takes to run some of these games. Especially with the older Macbooks. I have a 2011 17" Macbook Pro and it runs great on it, just don't want my kids using it a lot.

 

[Altemose]

Hello. I want to get my kids a older Macbook. They like playing Minecraft, and I just want to make sure what I get will run it. I'm looking at 2007/2008 models, like Gen3/4, 2.16 GHZ, 2GB RAM, 120 or 250 GB Hard Drive, and OS 10.6. Would something like this be suitable? Sorry if this seems like a dumb question. I just don't know to much about what it takes to run some of these games. Especially with the older Macbooks. I have a 2011 17" Macbook Pro and it runs great on it, just don't want my kids using it a lot.

Personally, I would go for one of the late 2009/mid 2010 white MacBooks if a Pro is out of the range. They offer the best expandibility and support. Most of the pre-unibody white MacBooks have a Intel GMA 950 or x3100 GPU which is lacking to say the least. The late 2009 and mid 2010 Unibody models have a Nvidia GeForce 9400M which still shares graphics memory with the main RAM, but has a minimum of 256 MB of VRAM. Also, you can get a great SSD and a RAM upgrade of up to 8 GB in the 2009 or 16 GB in 2010 which greatly future-proofs the machine.

 

[DaKKs]

Mid/late 2009 or a mid-2010 would be the best. Stay clear of the Intel GMA equipped macbooks.

I own a Mid-2009 and Mid 2010, both are perfectly capable machines, including some light gaming.

The GMA X3100 will run minecraft, though the definition of "run" is a matter of opinion. Minimum graphics with a resolution that will make your eyes bleed. Forget the GMA 950.

 

[AlexxRyzhkov]

Mid/late 2009 or a mid-2010 would be the best. Stay clear of the Intel GMA equipped macbooks.

I own a Mid-2009 and Mid 2010, both are perfectly capable machines, including some light gaming.

The GMA X3100 will run minecraft, though the definition of "run" is a matter of opinion. Minimum graphics with a resolution that will make your eyes bleed. Forget the GMA 950.

I agree. I ran Minecraft on an iMac with GMA950, and the only way to get it playable is to run minimum settings with optifine, and play it in a small window

 

[DaKKs]

I agree. I ran Minecraft on an iMac with GMA950, and the only way to get it playable is to run minimum settings with optifine, and play it in a small window

I wouldn't call it playable either ,honestly. I could barely get 18-20 fps with a GMA 950.