MacBook Pro 2018 gaming?

[leman]

Over 60% of my steam library is unplayable and then it’s because it’s steam (Jade Empire is available in the Mac store but can’t be played on origin or steam) and not on the Mac store.

I guess it depends what games one plays. I am mostly into strategy, simulation and RPG games and most of the recent titles are available for Mac as well. Its funny that big studios don't bother to have cross platform titles, but smaller developers do. Shows something about passion and readiness to go an extra way for the fans.
[doublepost=1532038006][/doublepost]

The gpu is not that good. AMD offering are already inferior to Nividia as it is and the 560 isn’t even close to a 1060.

Of course its not close. It has half of 1060 power consumption. Next you will complain that a 1050 is not close to the 1060.
[doublepost=1532038173][/doublepost]

Ok? Cool? The AMD 560x is not a professional gpu

It is subject to more strict selection criteria and additional manufacturing steps, just like professional GPUs. In simple terms, the chips Apple gets as their GPU are some of the most premium Polaris chips that AMD is producing. Its as professional as the Quadro cards that you have in the more mobile Dell Precision...

 

[Blue Sun]

The gpu is not that good. AMD offering are already inferior to Nividia as it is and the 560 isn’t even close to a 1060.

Yes, but the 560X is a 35W GPU, whereas the 1060 is closer to 75W.

 

[bulldoze]

I have a new 13" quad core with iris 655 onboard.

My son is asking if it can play Fortnite as he wants to play with his friends while on holiday. Can it play it? I am sure it will run but how terrible an experience would it be? if it is going to be really poor then I will just tell him it can't run.

 

[Ethosik]

I have a new 13" quad core with iris 655 onboard.

My son is asking if it can play Fortnite as he wants to play with his friends while on holiday. Can it play it? I am sure it will run but how terrible an experience would it be? if it is going to be really poor then I will just tell him it can't run.

Isn't Fortnite free? Is that something you can download and see how it performs? Also, do you have a Windows license? It will probably run better on there.

 

[theISHkid]

Anyone playing planet coaster through bootcamp on a new 2018 yet? I've been playing on a 2013 but once you get a couple dozen people in the park it crawls. Hoping a 2018 gives me a little speed bump at least.

 

[AdamA9]

Solid machine and I’m almost all with you where the eGPU is destined to be “the hub” for peripherals, connection to my TV (also using Logi kB/mouse), and for charging.

I have a HUGE amount to learn and I’ll get a lot of use out of my first new Mac in over 20yrs ! Yes that long.

Best site to review sold or build yourself eGPUs with many Mac users submitting confíes and their findings.

Not sure if the Atiko eGPU case is a good start as it used to 2yrs ago.

https://egpu.io/

Well I ordered the Blackmagic eGPU for delivery tomorrow so I'll report back with how I find it. Right now, I'm more excited for the fact it is also a huge dongle because my desk right now looks stupid.

 

[DeepIn2U]

Well I ordered the Blackmagic eGPU for delivery tomorrow so I'll report back with how I find it. Right now, I'm more excited for the fact it is also a huge dongle because my desk right now looks stupid.

Good choice. Should provide useful performance for st least 2yrs. You’ll need a long TB3 cable as the one supplied is the exact same that Lenovo does with their TB Dock for X1, P52 and T480s 5/6” in length.

 

[eltoslightfoot]

trust me... games and macs should not be in the same sentence. $2000 machine unable to run 5 year old games. Its just a sad state.

Apple though cares about what they call "casual games" on iOS devices where your average joe downloads candy crush for $5 and just play away on a game that uses '97 graphics.

This.

 

[leman]

trust me... games and macs should not be in the same sentence

As someone who regularly has been playing plays games on a range of Mac laptops for the last 10 years I find this statement mildly amusing.

 

[MacBH928]

Good choice. Should provide useful performance for st least 2yrs. You’ll need a long TB3 cable as the one supplied is the exact same that Lenovo does with their TB Dock for X1, P52 and T480s 5/6” in length.

I think the shorter cable is needed for better performance. I read this somewhere that the cable has to be specific length otherwise performance will hinder.

 

[DeepIn2U]

I think the shorter cable is needed for better performance. I read this somewhere that the cable has to be specific length otherwise performance will hinder.

Considering you can get TB3 cables close to a metre in length; I’m doubtful shorter length equals better performance.

Apple sells a 2metre TB3 cable
https://www.apple.com/ca/shop/product/MD861LL/A/apple-thunderbolt-cable-20-m

An argument you’ve mentioned seems to only affect smaller file transfers or apps that use multiple small transfers or the like.

https://macperformanceguide.com/Thunderbolt-cable-Optical30m.html

 

[AdamA9]

My Blackmagic is due any second now. Just waiting on the postman to turn up. Will report back after some initial tests.

 

[AdamA9]

My Blackmagic is due any second now. Just waiting on the postman to turn up. Will report back after some initial tests.

It's going back.

I'm playing a game that really isn't graphically intensive at all and it's stuttering all over the place. I could try running it in Parallels or bootcamp I guess, but I expected better if I'm honest.

 

[Gudd]

Ouch! That's not good to hear. I have an OWC Helios FX (same as Sonnet Breakaway 550) with RX580 turning up on Monday. I haven't decided yet whether it will go into the office or stay at home for gaming.

What game(s) have your tried?
[doublepost=1532177296][/doublepost]Ah, also - what else, if anything have you got connected to the Blackmagic?

 

[AdamA9]

I have an LK 4k monitor and my MacBook connected, that's all.

I am playing Football Manager, so a really simple game. I tried this first before anything else. I'll try rebooting a few times yet and leave it for a day or so to 'bed in' just in case anything needs to settle down.

 

[Gudd]

Hmm, I don't know what impact trying to drive the 4k screen for gaming might have. I'm not running at 4k but I will certainly be interested to hear if you get anything resolved before ultimately deciding whether to send it back or not. Apart from my machine being the 2017 model so fewer cores and half the disk space, we have essentially the same machine and in theory, if you're not connecting anything else then the same spec of e-GPU.

 

[AdamA9]

I am hoping it's something I'm doing wrong. I'll do some research and play over the weekend. I mean, this system should be good enough...

 

[leman]

I'm playing a game that really isn't graphically intensive at all and it's stuttering all over the place. I could try running it in Parallels or bootcamp I guess, but I expected better if I'm honest.

Does it stutter if you play it without the eGPU? Do you have other games to try out?

 

[AdamA9]

Does it stutter if you play it without the eGPU? Do you have other games to try out?

Yeah seems the same with and without.

However, I rebooted the laptop with the eGPU connected and now it's running much better. I still need to do some testing, but I guess initially it wasn't registering it because it was the same as gaming without it.

 

[MacBH928]

I have a 2012 retina MBP and 2014 retina iMac...Both have bootcamp (Windows 10) for gaming. The iMac also has Windows XP set up in a virtual machine for playing older games. Yes, you have to turn down settings.
s.

I am interested in the Windows XP in virtual machine setup. When you say you play older games, how old are we talking and how well do they run?
I am hoping that mid 2005 games could work, something like Psychonauts.

 

[existe]

Using a Sonnet 650 with a Vega 56 on the 15 2018 MBP. Learning that a good TB3 cable does make a difference on performance. So far WOW is running great on a Dell 2K screen

 

[Gudd]

That’s good. I like a bit of WoW and it would be good to free up 60gb on the gaming PC. What cable are you using? I was assuming that once the shock of the initial purchase has passed over I’d get the 2M active CalDigit cable

 

[Lennyvalentin]

I like a bit of WoW and it would be good to free up 60gb on the gaming PC.

Yes, if anyone has tried WoW on the 2018 13" MBP it would be nice to know what the performance was. As my MBP is still in the process of being ordered I can't check myself (yet! )

 

[Gudd]

Without the e-GPU it will largely come down to how much noise and heat you are prepared to accept. It plays ok on a 2017 13” i7 as long as the settings are medium to low but the fans drive me nuts. I imagine the 2018 will be pretty similar. WoW will benefit from the newer CPU especially when you are in a busy area with lots of players but the Intel GPU has only had a minor increase so that will still get as stressed as ever I imagine.

 

[ocnitsa]

I am interested in the Windows XP in virtual machine setup. When you say you play older games, how old are we talking and how well do they run?
I am hoping that mid 2005 games could work, something like Psychonauts.

Right now, I'm playing Temple of Elemental Evil (Circle of Eight Mod) and Mafia 1 in it. I have Neverwinter Nights, too, but haven't played it extensively. These games are a couple of years older than Psychonauts. I've had no problem at all with them. I'm using an XP image, so I didn't have to install it myself. I assign the VM two cores and 2GB of RAM.