Online gaming is one of the most popular areas of the entertainment industry. With such a diverse collection of games to choose from, it appeals to a wide range of people.
Whether you like traditional games such as Pacman, fighter games like Mortal Combat or casino games such as Lucky Lady Charm – there’s a game out there for everyone’s taste.
There’s also a multitude of options when it comes to how you play. Most games are optimized so that they can be played on smaller, handheld devices. You can play on your phone through an app, or on a tablet if you’re in need of a bigger screen.
But a lot of people still prefer to play on a laptop as the screen is bigger and you have a bit more room on the keyboard. The rivalry between Mac and PC years is one that has been running for years – and there’s still no signs of it slowing.
We won’t get into the thick of this competition this time. We’ll just be giving you all the info you need to make sure you’re getting the best gaming experience when using a Mac.
Best gaming setup on a Mac
- Ensure the cooling system is uninterrupted
Playing games on any device uses up a lot of power as everything is working at maximum capacity. This means that your device is going to get very warm, very quickly.
Most Macs have a pretty good cooling system, but you can always help it along. Making sure the fan is completely uncovered is the first way to ensure the fan works at its best. You can also monitor your Mac’s cooling system in the settings.
- Maximize your graphics settings
When you’re gaming, you want to make sure everything looks as good as possible. A Mac will typically work off of two different graphics processors. One is called a discrete GPU and the other is an integrated GPU.
To get the most out of the graphics, you need to make sure your Mac is switched to the discrete GPU. This will help to maximise your Mac’s graphics performance.
To do this, you need to select the ‘System Preferences’ in the Apple menu and make sure it’s switched to the ‘Energy Saver’ mode. Next you need to uncheck the box next to the ‘Automatic Graphics Switching’.
You might be asked to confirm to logout at the stage which you can accept. This will save the change in settings.
- Maximize your storage
Games take up a lot of room on your Mac so making sure you have enough storage is key. This will ensure that your game can keep up to date as well making it all run smoothly. There’s nothing worse than a slow loading or glitchy game.
You’ll ideally have a minimum of 8GB RAM when playing any game. Investing in an SSD card is always a good idea too.
Benefits of gaming on a Mac
- Powerful processors
One of the best things about using a Mac is the power of its processors. The Mac 18 Pro is one of the most powerful Macs on the market at the moment. It has huge computing power which means that it’s compatible with all modern video games.
Macs might be more on the pricey side, but you do get a lot of processing power for your money. They even have a slight edge on the PC which wasn’t the case a few years ago.
- Better graphic capabilities
With a typically bigger screen than your average PC, there is a bigger capacity for better graphics. We’re now used to having everything in HD so we expect the same level of graphics from our video games too.
A Mac really gets the most out of the graphics that we have in modern video games. However, this is only the case if you have the newer Macs available and these come with a high price point.
If you’re an avid gamer and graphics are non-negotiable, it’s definitely worth shelling out the money for.
- Easier to use
There has always been an argument between Mac and PC users when it comes to which is easier to use. However, if you’re used to using a Mac then it is definitely going to be easier to game on.
You know where all the shortcuts are and your hands are adapted to the keyboard. There’s nothing worse than having to build up muscle memory for where the different keys are.
If you’re already a Mac user and are used to using one, it’s going to be best to stick with it so you can get the most out of your game.
Using Mac’s to game means you can get the best out of the graphics and processors – as long as you keep your Mac cool with lots of storage space.