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MBP - Snow Leopard, 9600GT, Gaming

HAHA, OH WOW. You want to play games on your MBP but you won't even dualboot Windows? What's the point in that then? Games perform tons better across the board in Windows, just because they utilize DirectX and other more advanced driver features than OS X does. All the games ported to Mac have to use inferior OpenGL renderers to even perform properly, and even then you can expect at best half the video performance you would get by dualbooting.

Give up the ghost, Windows isn't that bad, especially if you just use it exclusively for games. Download the Windows 7 beta for free and use that. I love OS X for all of its other applications, but gaming isn't one of them and I don't understand why anybody would restrict themselves to a small library of B-rate games and less than stellar software performance on very stellar hardware just because they hate 't3h micro$oft'.
 
Well you're either very rich or a die hard Apple fan.

You can build a very good gaming rig (based on Windows) for a few hundred dollars, or get similar spec'ed computer in the form of a Macbook Pro for a thousand more.

Get a Macbook, and a custom built gaming rig.
 
im kind of confused

windstarfy said:
You can build a very good gaming rig (based on Windows) for a few hundred dollars, or get similar spec'ed computer in the form of a Macbook Pro for a thousand more.
Click to expand...

where can you get a good gaming computer for a "few hundred dollars?" and he IS looking at getting a MBP.

windstarfy said:
Get a Macbook, and a custom built gaming rig.
Click to expand...

dont think it would be cheaper but its not a bad idea. altho the OP said very specifically he is very opposed to using windows so i dont think that will fly.
 
ViciousShadow21 said:
dont think it would be cheaper but its not a bad idea. altho the OP said very specifically he is very opposed to using windows so i dont think that will fly.
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Alu Macbook + gaming desktop is pretty good idea if you don't want to do anything intensive on OSX. Macbook is around $1200 and you can built a desktop with a ATI 4850 for around $600 with windows. That leaves an extra $200 for a IPS 20in monitor.
 
It isn't so much windows that I hate as Vista/7 (which anybody with a beta says is a lot like Vista). I'm fine with XP.

The problem is if I have a macbook + gaming rig, I can't take my rig with me. What happens when I want to play a game somewhere other than my house? The only reason I'm considering a MBP is so I can have portable gaming. If it weren't for that, I would have already bought a gaming rig, and would be saving up for a macbook now. But I need portability with my gaming.

I don't see why apple can't support the gamer.
 
GameFORtomorrow said:
It isn't so much windows that I hate as Vista/7 (which anybody with a beta says is a lot like Vista). I'm fine with XP.

The problem is if I have a macbook + gaming rig, I can't take my rig with me. What happens when I want to play a game somewhere other than my house? The only reason I'm considering a MBP is so I can have portable gaming. If it weren't for that, I would have already bought a gaming rig, and would be saving up for a macbook now. But I need portability with my gaming.

I don't see why apple can't support the gamer.
Click to expand...

Then your best bet is buy a mbp now. There is a trade off between battery life/thinness when it comes to what gpu apple can use. Apple might increase the cpu speed in a couple of months.
 
GameFORtomorrow said:
It isn't so much windows that I hate as Vista/7 (which anybody with a beta says is a lot like Vista). I'm fine with XP.

I don't see why apple can't support the gamer.
Click to expand...

It's not about Apple. Why bother making all of your games for 10% of the market? That's not smart business.

Your hatred of Vista is unfounded, and if you don't like Windows 7 then you've got no experience with it.
 
My hatred of vista comes after using a vista computer for 2 years. It was awful. One main reason games are not directed at apple consumers is due to the fact that apple computers used to be absolutely horrible for gaming.

You would be correct, I don't have first hand experience with Windows 7, but anybody I know who has used it says it is a step up from Vista, but still not a good product.

Anyway, could somebody with a 2.66GHz MBP run that test linked on the first page?

My iMac results:

1.1 60 fps
1.2 59 fps
1.3 57 fps
1.4 51 fps
1.5 49 fps
2.0 50 fps
2.1 55 fps

Those are with the described settings..
 
GameFORtomorrow said:
My hatred of vista comes after using a vista computer for 2 years. It was awful. One main reason games are not directed at apple consumers is due to the fact that apple computers used to be absolutely horrible for gaming.

You would be correct, I don't have first hand experience with Windows 7, but anybody I know who has used it says it is a step up from Vista, but still not a good product.

Anyway, could somebody with a 2.66GHz MBP run that test linked on the first page?

My iMac results:

1.1 60 fps
1.2 59 fps
1.3 57 fps
1.4 51 fps
1.5 49 fps
2.0 50 fps
2.1 55 fps

Those are with the described settings..
Click to expand...

alright here are the results i got with the settings that the guy gave.

1.1 - 278
1.2 - 297
1.3 - 280
1.4 - 273
1.5 - 266
2.0 - 257
2.1 - 94
 
Sorry to resurrect a thread that hasn't seen any action in weeks, but if the OP hasn't made a decision yet, I thought I'd weigh in with my advice.

I think you're right on the money considering a refurb 2.4 MBP 256 VRAM. The savings over buying a new 2.66 will easily cover the cost of a mouse/keyboard, 24" monitor (I recommend 1920x1200, at least for WoW, makes a HUGE difference), and a nice set of speakers.

Now, if you want true portability, the other option is a unibody MacBook. The 9400M GT plays WoW great at the MacBook's native rez. My brother raids Ulduar with a 2.0 Macbook 9400M GT on a 32-inch LCD TV at 1360x768, with no problems.

With the cash saved going with the MacBook, you could easily build a gaming PC. That being said, I totally understand your aversion to windows. I have a Penryn MBP and a powerful gaming rig I built...and to be honest, I raid more these days on my MBP, which runs at 1920x1200 on my 24" just fine.

It's also a hassle to maintain two computers. Not to mention the power bill savings that come from running a laptop as your main machine (it'll never draw more than 85W).

My recommendation is the refurb MBP. Get a nice set of speakers (I recommend the Logitech Z-4i for a Mac look), mouse and keyboard (I recommend the Logitech S530),laptop stand (I recommend the Griffin Elevator, or Rain mStand), and monitor.

A 24" TV will work, but will be expensive. The bonus is the built in TV tuner, but you can buy an Elgato EyeTV tuner for your MBP for less than the price difference between a monitor and TV. Try to pick up a MVA or IPS monitor panel, and stay away from TN. Dell traditionally uses MVA and Apple puts IPS in their 24" iMacs and Cinema Displays. If you're shopping in a store, the easiest way to spot TN panels is vertical viewing angle, viewed from the bottom. If the screen washes out when you crouch down, stay away.

Sorry for the novel, but good luck with your purchase!
 
This thread is retarded.

If you want to game, build or buy a PC for a third the cost of a MBP. It will kick the MBP's ass and you'll have lots of money left over to buy Apple posters for your room.
 
The 9600m GT card is pretty good on par with dell and other notebook that uses the 9600m gt cards as well.

If your looking for a pure gaming rig then I would do like the poster adviced on building a pc for gaming but seems that the OP wants a notebook.

There are other notebook companies out there that uses better gpu but they still cost around the $3000 range or more. So for the 9600m gt card I think the mbp is adequate for playing most of the current games while you get to use OSX and features that pcs cant touch of course. :)
 
GameFORtomorrow said:
On a side note, I may wish to buy a separate display in the future, but at $900, the 24" LED display is just too pricy. I would really like a display for under $400. Can anybody provide me with any quick pointers or links to help me out?
Alternatively, many of my friends simply buy a 24" LCD television and plug their computer into that. Does anybody have experience with that who could help me out?
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look at the dell 24" monitor. half that price and has more ports

also..your much better off getting a macbook for work and holding that pc for gaming..throw in a new videocard and you're set..maybe the ati 4850
 
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