How to choose the best Mac for gaming

Is a Mac computer not a game tool? Not so! This article will guide you to choose a suitable Mac computer for gaming, and explore the impact of the M1 chip on gaming performance and skills to improve the Mac gaming experience.

How to choose the best gaming Mac?

Run 2D and 3D games smoothly, a powerful graphics card (GPU) is crucial. The faster the processing speed, the higher the frame count. Therefore, the first choice is a high-performance graphics card. Other factors that affect game quality include:

• Processor: 3D gaming requires at least an Intel Core i5 processor, i7, i9 or Apple's latest M1 chip is the better choice.
• Memory: 16GB of memory is the minimum requirement, and professional players may need to upgrade to 64GB.
• Storage: Call of Duty: Warzone requires 175GB of available space. The M1 MacBook Air can be configured with a maximum of 2TB of storage space, and professional players need to pay attention to the maximum configurable storage space.
• Graphics Card: The 16-inch MacBook Pro's Radeon Pro graphics card is enough to handle large 3D games, but in most cases, the graphics card still needs to be upgraded.
• Display: All modern Macs come with a high resolution Retina display without worrying about image quality. But a larger screen can bring a more immersive gaming experience, and it is recommended to choose a 16-inch model.
• Thunderbolt interface: Professional players usually use peripherals such as gamepads. It is recommended to choose a Mac with at least 4 Thunderbolt interfaces.

Is Mac suitable for gaming?

To be honest, the Mac gaming experience is not the best. While the Mac is one of the most innovative devices on the market, it was not designed to be used for gaming. Modern 3D games require powerful graphics cards, and Macs have shortcomings in this regard, resulting in few game developers developing games for macOS.

However, some MacBooks perform better when it comes to gaming. Choose the right configuration and make some optimizations to get a satisfying gaming experience. Let's start by choosing the best gaming Mac.

Mac game toolkit

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Best gaming Mac in 2021?

Overall, the MacBook Pro is more suitable for gaming than the MacBook Air, and the 16-inch model is usually better than the 13-inch model due to its larger screen, more powerful graphics card, and more memory and storage space. But the impact of the M1 chip is still unclear.

Apple began to switch from Intel to M1 chips in 2020, promising to improve battery life and performance. Currently, the 16-inch MacBook Pro is still based on Intel, while the 13-inch model offers two versions of M1 and Intel, but the Intel version is expected to be eliminated soon.

Here are some Mac computers currently available for gaming:

16-inch MacBook Pro (2019) i7

Best Uses: Professional and Quasi-Pro Players

Level: Game lover

Price: Starting at $2,399

Most veteran players will recommend a 16-inch MacBook Pro with Intel Core i7 processor. It's more affordable than the high-end i9 version and has everything you need to have smooth gaming: a 2.6GHz Intel Core processor (upgradable to 4.5GHz via Turbo Boost), 512GB of storage and 16GB of RAM (upgradable to 8TB and 64GB), a great graphics card and four Thunderbolt ports. A stable and immersive gaming experience is guaranteed.

Conclusion: If you can immediately tell me three games you’ve played in the past month, this Mac is right for you.

16-inch MacBook Pro (2019) i9

Best Use: Experienced Professional Players

Level: Professional level

Price: Starting at $2,799

This is by far the most powerful MacBook with an Intel Core i9 processor. What makes it better than the i7 version is: it has 1TB of storage (512GB for the i7) and a more powerful graphics card. Overall, both models have excellent features—a great graphics card, memory and storage, a 16-inch screen and 4 Thunderbolt ports.

Conclusion: If you're willing to pay $400 more for a more powerful graphics card and larger configurable storage, this Mac will suit your needs.

13-inch MacBook Pro (based on Intel)

Best Uses: Daily Work and Occasional Games

Level: Primary or Intermediate

Price: Starting at $1,299

If you're just playing games occasionally, the 13-inch MacBook Pro is a good entry-level option. It's lighter, more affordable, and has longer battery life than the 16-inch Pro.

Apple now offers a 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 chip, but for now, the Intel version is more suitable for gaming (although we believe this may change in the near future). Currently, older versions equipped with Intel Core i5 processors provide greater memory and storage space. The M1 MacBook Pro can be upgraded to up to 2TB of storage and up to 16GB of memory. The Intel-based version can be upgraded to 4TB of storage space and 32GB of memory. It's twice as much!

Conclusion: If you can accept smaller screens and don't want to be a professional player, the 13-inch MacBook Pro is a great choice. Intel-based models are more suitable for gaming, but the M1 model is very suitable for tasks such as web browsing, photo/video editing, etc.

MacBook Air M1 (2020)

Best Uses: Processor intensive work and a small amount of gaming

Level: Non-game player

Price: Starting at $999

If you ask which Mac is the best overall, we will confidently say the MacBook Air M1. First of all, the price is very attractive. Secondly, it is equipped with Apple's latest processor, which is enough to meet the various needs of ordinary users. But if you are a veteran gamer, it's not very suitable.

While it offers up to 18 hours of battery life and overall performance is excellent, the M1 MacBook Air is not a gaming laptop. It lacks memory and storage space, and only has two Thunderbolt 3 ports (there are four on the 13-inch MacBook Pro).

Conclusion: The M1 MacBook Air is the most cost-effective model. If you just try some popular games occasionally, instead of playing them often, this Mac is your choice.

Professional tips: Optimize Mac gaming experience

As you can see, the features of gaming MacBooks vary greatly, with some models costing twice or even triple the price of others. So it all depends on your priorities. But no matter which model you choose, you can use the following tips to improve the gaming experience:

Use Boom 3D to improve sound effects

Modern video games can immerse you in a whole new world. To interact with the world, you need to hear it. Unfortunately, there are limits on the volume of the Mac. Additionally, the quality of the speakers may vary by model: The MacBook Air M1 has a less speaker than the MacBook Pro. Fortunately, there is a solution.

Boom 3D is a Mac volume booster and equalizer that can improve game sound effects. You can use it to turn the volume beyond the regular limit, use 3D surround sound to achieve immersive audio and more. Boom 3D has a preset designed specifically for the game, so you don't have to fumble on your own. Just go to Boom Presets > Games and you can hear the audio improvement.

Increase Mac speed with CleanMyMac X

If your Mac is filled with a lot of file and system junk, you will face two big problems. First, you lack storage space – insufficient storage means your Mac is no longer suitable for gaming. Second, your Mac becomes unbearable – a slow Mac is useless.

CleanMyMac X will perform a deep scan of your macOS and free up space in minutes. It can delete millions of duplicates, mail attachments, old backups and more. It also analyzes your current performance and suggests what tasks you should run to speed up your Mac. Whether you play games or not, having a CleanMyMac X can save you a lot of trouble.

Optimize network connections with NetSpot

If you play online games, your happiness is seriously dependent on your internet. NetSpot is a Mac app that analyzes your network environment and tells you the best gaming location. You can even draw your living space, home or office, and NetSpot will visualize the best places for you to connect to the network. We recommend installing this app before you move into your new apartment.

Improve online gaming experience

ClearVPN will help you achieve low latency server connections, making many online games available to you. ClearVPN is a fully featured VPN app that has a dedicated shortcut called "Enhance the Online Gaming Experience". Just turn it on to enable a faster gaming experience. You can also use ClearVPN for a better experience with specific services like Twitch and Steam.

Extend game time: Endurance

One of the reasons we expect the M1 Mac to perform better when it comes to gaming is the improvement in battery life. This is important because the game is more power-consuming than anything else. Remember, Mac is not born for gaming! This is where Endurance really works.

Endurance is an app that can extend the battery life of your Mac by up to 20%. You don't need to do anything! Endurance extends battery life by automatically enabling some energy-saving modes based on your activity.

in conclusion

Is Mac suitable for gaming? If you compare it to PC, the answer is no. However, some Macs can run large 3D games, so there is no reason to ignore them altogether.

For professional players, the best choice is the 16-inch MacBook Pro i7 or i9. If you play games occasionally and want a lighter Mac, you can choose the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Intel processor. Finally, if gaming isn't your top priority, and fast video/image editing, web browsing, etc. are more important, the latest MacBook Air M1 is the best choice.

Once you have selected your gaming Mac, you can further upgrade with CleanMyMac X, Boom 3D, Endurance, ClearVPN and NetSpot – all of which are part of Setapp, a one-stop productivity service that solves your tasks through the application. Free trial for 7 days, then $9.99 per month.

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