The latest Mac and MacBook computers from Apple are powered by Apple Silicon chips developed by Apple, which have significantly improved the performance of these computers. For this reason, many people are considering playing video games using these powerful machines. To cater to this demand, Apple has developed a set of Game Porting tools, which they unveiled at their annual WWDC 2023 conference to help developers make their games fully compatible with Mac computers. However, Mac and MacBook computers are still not suitable for video games, and we will explain the reasons why.
Reasons Mac Computers are not Suitable for Video Games
Expensive Mac and MacBook computers:
Mac and MacBook computers are known to be expensive. Even though there is a relatively low-priced MacBook Air model, the MacBook devices powered by Apple Silicon start at $999. Additionally, you would need to purchase additional accessories such as a monitor, keyboard, and mouse, which adds to the cost ($150-200). Therefore, gamers who want to play video games without spending a lot of money would find it better to get a computer with Intel or AMD processors instead of Mac computers.
Inability to upgrade Apple Silicon-based Mac computers:
Apple Silicon chips have enhanced the power and performance of Mac computers. However, their integration as System on a Chip (SoC) hampers the upgrade process. These chips combine the processor, graphics processing unit (GPU), memory, and storage in a single package. Due to this integration, upgrading these computers becomes challenging, while gaming computers usually offer easy upgradability.
Unavailability of some gaming drivers for macOS:
Many video games rely on other applications to run properly, such as DirectX 12, which is not supported by macOS. Instead, Apple relies on its proprietary application programming interface, Metal API. To run games that do not support Metal API, users need to use compatibility applications like CrossOver.
Limited availability of video games for macOS:
Despite some video games being compatible with Mac computers, the availability is much lower compared to games available for other operating systems. Popular games like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and Company of Heroes 3 are not available for Mac users. Even well-known older video games like Grand Theft Auto V and Red Dead Redemption 2 are not compatible with macOS.
If you want to play these games on Mac computers, you will need to use applications like CrossOver or Wine to ensure compatibility. However, even with these applications, you won't get the optimal gaming experience as these games are not specifically designed to run on Mac devices.
