We generally do not associate MacBooks with serious gaming because that’s not what they are meant for. MacBook Pros are meant to help corporate executives and creative professionals with work above all else. However, things have changed in the last few years. At long last, we do have a few MacBook models today that can handle games a lot better than their predecessors could. To know which MacBook you should buy next, and what kind of a performance you can expect from it, do read on.
How Apple Changed their Approach to Gaming on the Mac
For decades, the MacBook’s lack of gaming power was not something that Apple considered a flaw. Given that gaming is a multibillion-dollar industry, they have taken a different approach to it recently. The Apple Arcade Gaming subscription service was originally limited to iPads and iPhones only, but it has since been expanded to include the MacBook as well.
It’s not just that the mobile and tablet games are now available on compatible MacBooks; they have expanded both the Apple Arcade service, as well as the App Store itself to include new desktop grade games that are not available for iPhones and iPads. If you are not exactly an avid gamer, and more a professional who likes to play games every once in a while, Apple Arcade and the App Store have better collections of games for the new MacBooks.
Can You Play Any of the Popular Games on a MacBook?
There are several, popular multiplatform games that you can play on both a PC and a modern MacBook these days. More games than before are now starting to support Macs, but compared to the PC, your options will still be quite limited. Also, you will need one of the more powerful Macs to run demanding games which are available outside the App Store.
Can You Play Casino Games on Any MacBook?
Yes, you can play casino games on the browser directly or by installing an app on almost any MacBook, iPad, or iPhone. For more information, check this list of mobile casino apps and games at Gamble Online that you can install on almost any iPhone, iPad, or MacBook. You do not need any of the latest models to play casual games.
Which Ones are the Most Powerful MacBooks for Gaming?
As of early 2022, there are two MacBooks that come highly recommended for some advanced gaming sessions:
- 16-inch MacBook Pro (2019) with an Intel Core i9 CPU, 32GB RAM, and a dedicated Radeon Pro 5500M GPU (8GB GDDR6 VRAM)
- 16-inch MacBook Pro (2019) with an Intel Core i7 CPU, 16GB RAM, and a dedicated Radeon Pro 5300M GPU (4GB GDDR6 VRAM)
Even if you cannot find or afford any of the two older devices, just download Steam on your MacBook and the client will only let you install games that support the device, such as Civilization VI, Total War: Warhammer III, Disco Elysium, Borderlands 2, and Hades.
If you are wondering why the M1-series of MacBooks is not mentioned, then that’s because the new Apple M1 chips are still in their early days and the two intel models mentioned are superior in terms of gaming performance.