neoinarien
Solid State Member
- Messages
- 20
Background
So I have a pretty nice desktop for gaming, but I want to upgrade to a new (keeping the desktop, just getting rid of old laptop) laptop so it can run PC games. It's a basic Mac powerbook G4. I really appreciate the Mac line for laptops, so I'd like to stick with them. I had a Macbook Pro for a few months before trading it to my wife because it was just too large to be lugging around all day. As a result, I'm looking to the Macbook (the new ones can run bootcamp). The mac book air seems impractical for gaming (no ethernet, though it does have an adaptor... same for CD drive). Anyone here have a macbook air and play games on it? It also has a weaker processor, which is somewhat of a concern. So I'm looking between these two lines.
Needs
I am not talking about running Halo 2, bioshock, or anything super demanding on a video card/processor. I am talking about RTS (starcraft 2 when it comes, dawn of war, etc) along with some tame FPS (maybe some counterstrike, red orchestra, etc). But it NEEDS to be able to run Star craft 2 when it comes, dawn or war, etc.
Questions
1. Will a Macbook or Macbook Air be capable of smoothly playing the above games using bootcamp? I am mainly worried about the video card.
2. What is the outlook like for compatibility and meeting requirements on games for the next few years?
3. Macbook air: does anyone have gaming experience on this? I realize it is a "profile" computer, but do the USB adaptors for ethernet, cd, etc, kill speed, produce lag, lag spikes, etc?
General thoughts?
Proposed comp 1: Macbook (black)
Apple - MacBook - Technical Specifications
Ram
2GB (two 1GB) of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300); supports up to 4GB
Video
Intel GMA X3100 graphics processor with 144MB of DDR2 SDRAM shared with main memory
Processor
2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Proposed comp 2: Macbook Air
Apple - MacBook Air - Technical Specifications
The same stats as above, except processor is 1.6.
So I have a pretty nice desktop for gaming, but I want to upgrade to a new (keeping the desktop, just getting rid of old laptop) laptop so it can run PC games. It's a basic Mac powerbook G4. I really appreciate the Mac line for laptops, so I'd like to stick with them. I had a Macbook Pro for a few months before trading it to my wife because it was just too large to be lugging around all day. As a result, I'm looking to the Macbook (the new ones can run bootcamp). The mac book air seems impractical for gaming (no ethernet, though it does have an adaptor... same for CD drive). Anyone here have a macbook air and play games on it? It also has a weaker processor, which is somewhat of a concern. So I'm looking between these two lines.
Needs
I am not talking about running Halo 2, bioshock, or anything super demanding on a video card/processor. I am talking about RTS (starcraft 2 when it comes, dawn of war, etc) along with some tame FPS (maybe some counterstrike, red orchestra, etc). But it NEEDS to be able to run Star craft 2 when it comes, dawn or war, etc.
Questions
1. Will a Macbook or Macbook Air be capable of smoothly playing the above games using bootcamp? I am mainly worried about the video card.
2. What is the outlook like for compatibility and meeting requirements on games for the next few years?
3. Macbook air: does anyone have gaming experience on this? I realize it is a "profile" computer, but do the USB adaptors for ethernet, cd, etc, kill speed, produce lag, lag spikes, etc?
General thoughts?
Proposed comp 1: Macbook (black)
Apple - MacBook - Technical Specifications
Ram
2GB (two 1GB) of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300); supports up to 4GB
Video
Intel GMA X3100 graphics processor with 144MB of DDR2 SDRAM shared with main memory
Processor
2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Proposed comp 2: Macbook Air
Apple - MacBook Air - Technical Specifications
The same stats as above, except processor is 1.6.