Unlike their Windows counterparts, Mac computers don’t have a reputation as a gaming platform. This idea is only reinforced by Apple’s marketing, which never talks about video games when it comes to the Mac. But is this image deserved?
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Mac computers are renowned for their sleek design, innovative features, and excellent software optimization. These features tend to make Macs an excellent choice for work computers, especially for those who work with apps creation and editing requiring a lot of processing power, such as software video or photo editing or graphic design programs. However, those who already use a Mac computer for these types of tasks, or who are considering buying one, may wonder if these powerful machines are also a good choice to take advantage of their video games favourites.
A restricted catalog
Although Apple has adjusted the specifications of the latest Macs in order to offer its users performance of Game higher quality, especially since the release of its new processors M1, there’s still one major downside when it comes to gaming on a Mac: the game selection itself. When it comes to computer games, almost all of them are coded to run on Windows. This makes sense from a financial point of view since Windows is the platform with the most players compared to the Mac, which is struggling to reach 10% market share.
Most of the games that come out are simply not coded with a compatible version for the Mac, or in some cases the macOS version comes out much later than the Windows version. In addition, we must now take into account the fact that the Mac has two distinct architectures for which we must code: x86 for processors Intel and ARM64 for processors Apple Silicon (M1). The consequence is a split user base, which means extra efforts to reach all players on the platform. These development constraints are certainly not going to help things in the years to come as the Mac is in the process of transitioning to Apple Silicon processors.
The Apple Arcade case
Apple Arcade is Apple’s premium gaming service that allows users to download and play games for a monthly subscription fee. The games in question are accessible on all Apple devices, from the iPhone to the Mac via theiPad. Although available on the Mac, the games offered are mainly ” mobile “, far from the AAA and independent experiences that one can expect from an expensive machine like the Mac.
Is the Mac a good choice for gaming?
Macs are not good for gaming because they focus more on software optimization than raw hardware power. Most Macs simply don’t have the hardware power required to run modern games. Also, high-end Macs, which are powerful enough for gaming, don’t offer good value for money, as they are mostly equipped with hardware intended for workstations.
Cloud gaming, a viable solution for the Mac?
The latest revolution in the world of video games, the cloud gaming don’t leave the Mac behind. Indeed, many services like Xbox Game Cloud or Nvidia GeForce Now are available on the Apple computer. The advantage of this method is that it does not require powerful hardware. In addition, cloud gaming services generally offer a wider range of games than the Mac. Finally, they allow you to take full advantage of two major strengths of Apple computers: the screen and theautonomy.
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