MacBook Pro For Gaming

[niploteksi]

my questions is mac owner are you happy with your mac with gaming?

Gaming on the Mac has always ben sub-par compared to Windows and non Apple hardware in my opinion. You buy a Mac for other reasons, then you game on it if you feel like it and try to ignore how Apple just screwed you over because of useless drivers and stupidly expensive upgrades. That is if you don't want to boot camp it...

This way you won't feel so disappointed

 

[Ethosik]

Gaming laptops (true gaming laptops) are ridiculous. Do not buy one. I would much rather play games on LOW on a MacBook Pro that has good cooling, than have the ability to play games on High with horrible cooling. My friend got a gaming laptop a few years ago. It became useless with newer games VERY QUICKLY. Meanwhile, my GTX 680 at the time he got rid of his laptop was still holding strong on any game I threw at it. Maybe not MAX, but it was still VERY GOOD.

People also need to understand that resolution is a major killer in performance. My desktop GTX 1080 cannot do 4K gaming at a SOLID 60fps on newest games, even if I adjust the settings. Like that guy with the YouTube video. 3840x2400 gaming resolution on a laptop? While my desktop GTX 1080 even dips sometimes around that resolution? Get real.

4K is still bleeding edge. I regretted ever attempting it for gaming. I am happy with 2560x1440, and STILL with my GTX 1080 I have some issues here and there playing at even THAT resolution.

Optimization is most important.
My GTX 1080, Windows 10 64 GB of RAM, 4TB of SSD drives:
WoW even at 2560x1440 with MEDIUM settings sometimes struggles to even get 25 FPS in some areas. WoW is not a good game to test.
Heroes of the Storm drops to around 40 FPS sometimes.

Yet

Doom (2016 one) is on MAX set at 2560x1440 and it gets a CONSTANT and SOLID 144fps.
GTA 5 at 2560x1440 on MAX gets a solid and CONSTANT 100fps.

With all this being said, I DO play games on my MacBook Pro systems. But these are the games I play on it:

Terraria
Prison Architect
Stardew Valley
Minecraft (sometimes - Windows is still the best here)

 

[ginofresh]

on the mac while gaming playing wow is there anyways i can have the f1-9 keys always showing?

 

[Mindinversion]

I'll be straight here: I game on my 2016 pro 460 MacBook. It's a very pleasant experience for the titles I run [Mostly Blizzard stuff, Overwatch in Boot camp] When I'm in a match in HoTS, even though I'm not maxed out [shaders medium, 2880 x 1880] It's an absolute JOY to game on. The lack of settings is made up for by the glossy display.

My other machine is a 6700k @ 4.7Ghz with an Asus Maximus IX Formula Z270 Motherboard, 32 gig DDR4 3000, and freshly upgraded to dual GTX 1080 in SLI, running on an LG 27UD68 4k monitor.

Not exactly a fair comparison, I'll grant you, but the EXPERIENCE is roughly the same. My desktop is more built for my Oculus Rift, but it's buttery smooth with anything I could possibly throw at it.

And when I need to be in the other room hanging' out with the kiddo, or wanna sit with the wife for some HoTS, I can do that and still be just as comfortable.

It's NOT a bad laptop for gaming, as long as you know it's limitations.

 

[ginofresh]

I'll be straight here: I game on my 2016 pro 460 MacBook. It's a very pleasant experience for the titles I run [Mostly Blizzard stuff, Overwatch in Boot camp] When I'm in a match in HoTS, even though I'm not maxed out [shaders medium, 2880 x 1880] It's an absolute JOY to game on. The lack of settings is made up for by the glossy display.

My other machine is a 6700k @ 4.7Ghz with an Asus Maximus IX Formula Z270 Motherboard, 32 gig DDR4 3000, and freshly upgraded to dual GTX 1080 in SLI, running on an LG 27UD68 4k monitor.

Not exactly a fair comparison, I'll grant you, but the EXPERIENCE is roughly the same. My desktop is more built for my Oculus Rift, but it's buttery smooth with anything I could possibly throw at it.

And when I need to be in the other room hanging' out with the kiddo, or wanna sit with the wife for some HoTS, I can do that and still be just as comfortable.

It's NOT a bad laptop for gaming, as long as you know it's limitations.

i think i am going to get it as i have said i been wanting an mac forever and i just want to get the feel out of it as i dont game to much but i do plan on putting bootcamp in just in case there is a game i want to play

 

[SteveJUAE]

i think i am going to get it as i have said i been wanting an mac forever and i just want to get the feel out of it as i dont game to much but i do plan on putting bootcamp in just in case there is a game i want to play

Why not, Enjoy and you have 14 days to play with it

 

[ginofresh]

Why not, Enjoy and you have 14 days to play with it

see that is the way i thought about it as well if i dont like it i can just return it

 

[SteveJUAE]

see that is the way i thought about it as well if i dont like it i can just return it

I'm sure you will like it and you can always escape to Bootcamp as the initially weeks of learning MacOS will be frustrating as some bits you will like but others will drive you nuts LOL

 

[ginofresh]

I'm sure you will like it and you can always escape to Bootcamp as the initially weeks of learning MacOS will be frustrating as some bits you will like but others will drive you nuts LOL

is is that hard to learn?

 

[SteveJUAE]

is is that hard to learn?

No just they way something are done are different to Windows its the silly things that get on your nerves for a while

Google for the alternative key strokes like cmd/backspace is for the delete key you have lost and cmd/shift/f11 for printscreen if I recall correctly

You may of hated explorer until it's gone and how you navigate menus will seem weird, just perceiver if your adamant about the switch

 

[ginofresh]

No just they way something are done are different to Windows its the silly things that get on your nerves for a while

Google for the alternative key strokes like cmd/backspace is for the delete key you have lost and cmd/shift/f11 for printscreen if I recall correctly

You may of hated explorer until it's gone and how you navigate menus will seem weird, just perceiver if your adamant about the switch

well i dont really know how to do any of that stuff on windows so i dont think that will be a problem lol but thanks for the info

 

[Chocomonsters]

so i have a razer 2015 and i love my laptop dont get me wrong but i have everything apple iphone,apple watch,tv ipad and just missing a mac computer. now i do game but the only game i do really play is wow and maybe heartstone and been looking at some games on steams and etc and i would plan on playing the sims. now i do understand that mac are not made for gaming but i am on the look for a new laptop and i am looking at the new razer blade or the macbook pro 2.9GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz 1TB PCIe-based SSD Radeon Pro 460 with 4GB memory witch is going to cost me $3,500
i dont want to use boothcamp but i do need to have palarell for some work programs, and i cant ask this questions anywhere else because a lot of people **** on apple and make me feel dumb. my questions is mac owner are you happy with your mac with gaming?

Any particular reason you don't want to use bootcamp?

You can install and run Windows 10 from USB 3.1 gen2 external drive with SSD. It will connect at 10 Gb/sec speed which is twice speed of USB 3 external drive. This is more than enough to host Windows 10 volume and run Windows game.

Try Akitio Neutrino U3.1 drive. It is USB 3.1 gen2 unlike most USB-C external drives out there.

This way, you don't have to use up your precious MacBook SSD space for bunch of Windows games and extra OS. You just connect this USB-C external drive when you want to use Windows games.

I like this way as you can install Windows in standard "System/EFI"-"MSR"-"Windows"-"Recovery" partition layout, rather than Apple bootcamp partition layout.

You can certainly add eGPU later for more horsepower. Razer Core, Akitio Node, or many other eGPU options out there.

 

[ginofresh]

Any particular reason you don't want to use bootcamp?

You can install and run Windows 10 from USB 3.1 gen2 external drive with SSD. It will connect at 10 Gb/sec speed which is twice speed of USB 3 external drive. This is more than enough to host Windows 10 volume and run Windows game.

Try Akitio Neutrino U3.1 drive. It is USB 3.1 gen2 unlike most USB-C external drives out there.

This way, you don't have to use up your precious MacBook SSD space for bunch of Windows games and extra OS. You just connect this USB-C external drive when you want to use Windows games.

I like this way as you can install Windows in standard "System/EFI"-"MSR"-"Windows"-"Recovery" partition layout, rather than Apple bootcamp partition layout.

You can certainly add eGPU later for more horsepower. Razer Core, Akitio Node, or many other eGPU options out there.

Well I didn't understand the point of it, but now I do as you only use boot camp when you want to play a game or need windows I just thought I was always be into windows on my Mac witch I didn't understand but I now understand that you switch back and forth when you need to be so I would be getting boot camp but I do still need palarell to have my work program in working while I am in Mac OS and I plan on only using boot camp when I want to play a big game like overwatch

 

[Scorcher]

I was in a position trying to decide between the razer blade and the Mac. I ended up getting the Macbook pro with the AMD Radeon 455. I have a lot of apple products, so the mac works great with them.
As for gaming I installed bootcamp. I can play the withcer 3, GTA 5 and other games at around 40 FPS at 1080P. not amazing but still good. Im sure that with the Radeon 460 you can do even better

 

[lamunkya]

I find that my 2013 15" rMBP became excellent for gaming ever since I bought a little headless computer (4x3.2 Ghz Haswell + GTX 1060 6GB) and set it up for Steam in-home streaming. The machine only cost me $500.

I can play any Windows game at 2800x1800 with Ultra details streamed to macOS. Framerates vary between 30 FPS (Witcher 3 @ Ultra), 45 FPS (Rise of Tomb Raider @ Ultra) and 60 FPS (all Blizzard titles and roughly speaking any game older than 2 years @ Ultra).

Display delay over 802.11ac is 20-30ms which isn't much worse than an average TV or non-gaming monitor.
I find the delay imperceptible compared to playing directly on the computer with a NEC LCD2690WUXi monitor attached, even in twitchy games like Overwatch.
Running http://www.humanbenchmark.com/tests/reactiontime/ "local" and "streamed" confirms that there's really only ~25ms delay on average.

The rMBP stays silent and cool while gaming and installed games don't take up any precious SSD space.
Battery runtime while gaming is similar to watching Netflix.
I'm much happier with this solution than with an eGPU and having to mess with dualbooting.

I can also continue using this solution when I switch to Linux in the foreseeable future because current Apple has lost me with the new MBPs and treating macOS like abandonware.

 

[ginofresh]

I was in a position trying to decide between the razer blade and the Mac. I ended up getting the Macbook pro with the AMD Radeon 455. I have a lot of apple products, so the mac works great with them.
As for gaming I installed bootcamp. I can play the withcer 3, GTA 5 and other games at around 40 FPS at 1080P. not amazing but still good. Im sure that with the Radeon 460 you can do even better

Do you ever regret it ?

 

[Scorcher]

Do you ever regret it ?

At first I had some second thoughts. The razer is better at gaming than the 15 inch macbook. but for everything else the macbook is significantly better. the screen is bigger and brighter with better colors. the macbook lasts longer on battery than the Razer does, and its faster. not to mention the macbook actually weighs less. Im not a hardcore gamer, but I wanted to be able to game occasionally on my computer. After using it for 3 months now I can honestly say that its great

 

[ginofresh]

At first I had some second thoughts. The razer is better at gaming than the 15 inch macbook. but for everything else the macbook is significantly better. the screen is bigger and brighter with better colors. the macbook lasts longer on battery than the Razer does, and its faster. not to mention the macbook actually weighs less. Im not a hardcore gamer, but I wanted to be able to game occasionally on my computer. After using it for 3 months now I can honestly say that its great

See the screen is a main selling point for me and the keyboard

 

[Scorcher]

See the screen is a main selling point for me and the keyboard

well dimension wise - if you put both computer next to each other they are virtually the same size, but the mac has the better screen. keyboard wise, I got used to it really fast, and now i perfer it. but if you dont like that kind of keyboard, I can understand why this might not be a computer for you.
I suggest you get it, and try it out for a while. If after a week or so you're still not used to it than return it, because you're probably not going to get used to it

 

[deany]

the games that you even mention i dont even pllay or have any plans on playing

The guys trying to help you, with examples,and you respond like that, maybe you should look elsewhere.

 

[ginofresh]

The guys trying to help you, with examples,and you respond like that, maybe you should look elsewhere.

I was not trying to be rude I was just expressing to him that I don't play those games so I don't think that would be a problem.
[doublepost=1488147504][/doublepost]but I did appreciate his comments about what games I can and can't play on this
[doublepost=1488147848][/doublepost]

well dimension wise - if you put both computer next to each other they are virtually the same size, but the mac has the better screen. keyboard wise, I got used to it really fast, and now i perfer it. but if you dont like that kind of keyboard, I can understand why this might not be a computer for you.
I suggest you get it, and try it out for a while. If after a week or so you're still not used to it than return it, because you're probably not going to get used to it

See that what my friend said but I think what makes me thinks the Mac is bigger because there no bazels

 

[Codybby1]

Does anyone here that plays WoW on the new MBP know how to disable mouse acceleration? It's hard to play the game with a crippled cursor.

 

[SteveJUAE]

Does anyone here that plays WoW on the new MBP know how to disable mouse acceleration? It's hard to play the game with a crippled cursor.

Are you sure it's mouse acceleration as mouse can be very erratic if your playing in a window and not full screen, check your settings as game is almost unplayable otherwise as the cursor and movements appear really fast

 

[Codybby1]

Are you sure it's mouse acceleration as mouse can be very erratic if your playing in a window and not full screen, check your settings as game is almost unplayable otherwise as the cursor and movements appear really fast

I've tried both, but play fullscreen normally. This isn't fast or erratic movement but more so the cursor seems extremely slow. It tough to explain but the cursor always seems to stop short of where I'm expecting it to go, perhaps a bit slow? I will say that this isn't present in league of legends, only WoW has this behavior.

 

[SteveJUAE]

I've tried both, but play fullscreen normally. This isn't fast or erratic movement but more so the cursor seems extremely slow. It tough to explain but the cursor always seems to stop short of where I'm expecting it to go, perhaps a bit slow? I will say that this isn't present in league of legends, only WoW has this behavior.

Have you tried BT mouse vs cable to see if same occurs ?