Is iMac perfect for gaming ?

I want buy iMac 21.5-inch: 2.9GHz
It's perfect for gaming like BF3 , Far Cray 3 ,and Crysis 3 (any game have number 3 :P) in high quality ?
Note : I don't have much information about iMac
and thank you :)

Hi, I wouldn't call it ideal in any way, ideal iMac would be the 27" with Quad core & the MX680 graphic card with 2 GB VRAM. Sadly a PC would be cheaper/better for gaming.

Similar Messages

Re: using the iMac i5 for gaming

I have recently purchased an iMac I5 which I'm delighted with. I realise that it will be anathema to many but my question is could you use it for gaming? I am thinking of downloading Dragon Age Origins but cannot get my mind around how I could operate the keyboard as it is the small Bluetooth one. Has anyone used their's for gaming and how did they get round the keyboard issue?

You can plug any USB keyboard into your Mac. F-keys typically are mapped as they should be. Some extra keys can also be mapped with Apple menu -> System Preferences -> Keyboard and Mouse -> Keyboard -> Full keyboard access. Alt and Windows keys are in reverse locations from an Apple keyboard. Logitech, Kensington, and Microsoft all have Mac versions of their keyboards with the appropriate key mapping. As long as the GPU and processor and RAM meet the qualifications on the game's recommended system requirements on its box, you can run it on your iMac. I've not played the game in question.

What is iMac like for gaming?

Hi. What is it like to play games on a iMac?

Overall good but if you want state of the art gaming performance then you should have a dedicated gaming PC with top of the line graphics cards, RAM, etc... However if gaming isn't your #1 priority in life then you would probably be very happy gaming with an iMac, there are a variety of specifications available so just choose the one you want and order it. One primary advantage a Mac has over a PC is it can run both OS X and MS Windows, they can even run them simultaneously if you use virtualization software such as VMWare Fusion or Parallels.

Which Imac would be better for gaming?

So i've got a choice between these two models -
£1329.60
3.1GHz Quad-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.9GHz
TB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm
8gb Ram
NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M 1GB GDDR5
Apple care
27 inch model
3.2GHz quad-core Intel Core i5
Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz
8GB (two 4GB) memory
1TB hard drive1
NVIDIA GeForce GT 755M with 1GB video memory
Apple care
£1407.60
Basically, the decision is down to, do I want a slightly better graphics card and bigger screen, or a smaller screen and better processer?
I just want to gauge opinions, i'll be using it as my day to day computer as well, some video editing, but nothing too strenuous. How big is the difference in graphic and processing powers.
Thanks for your help

With all due respect the question was "which iMac would be better for gaming?". Key word here is 'better', not 'perfect', not 'ideal'; just 'better'. Unqualified answers and/or sweeping statements do very little to contribute to a discussion, let alone answer the question under consideration.

IMac for Gaming using Win XP Pro

Early 2006 I purchased an iMac 2.0 w/ 2G RAM using x1600 ATI card w/ beta boot camp using XP Pro for gaming purposes.
Now I want to expand my horizons a bit to a new iMac with the same idea as above.
My gaming includes Battlefield 2, COD4, and soon Crysis. So here is the system I want:
iMac 3.06 w/ nvidia 8800 GS which I read is NOT the 8800 but some other nvidia card. I want to expand to 4G RAM, BUT replacing all the RAM with either Crucial or Kingston for Dual Channel. Will XP Pro be stable w/ 4G dual channel? Will this system utilize DX 10. w/ the nvidia card on this Mac? If I get Crysis, I want to be able to set everything on HIGH. Are there any Driver problems that I should be aware of?

Firefox has no built-in sounds. The following Extension offers a few.
*Navigational Sounds: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1030/

IMacs are good for gaming

Im thinking about buying a 21'' Imac for gaming and other stuff, would it be good for playing some games?

Buy a dedicated gaming box, instead.
Better for gaming than a Mac and less expensive.
The 21 inch screen iMac models won't cut it for gaming if you need high resolution, fast refresh graphics.
The 21 inch screen iMac models only come with a 512 VRAM GPU.
Not enough GPU power for high end gaming with high resolution graphics requirements.

Perfect Hardware for Gaming?

hi guys, i'm wanting to buy a new MacPro... to use for day-trading, but also for serious gaming (PC games via BootCamp).
Although I'm willing to spend whatever money it takes on hardware to get the best possible gaming experience, I don't want to waste money on any hardware that won't translate into a noticeable increase in gaming performance.
Also, i'll be using it with a seamless triple-monitor setup (each with 1600 x 1200 res).
questions:
1. Would a 12-core 2.93GHz processor give noticeably better gaming performance than, say, a 6-core 3.33GHz processor, or an 8-core 2.4GHz processor?
2. Would 64GB of RAM make a noticeable difference from 32GB?
3. Someone told me that a RAID card would benefit gaming performance, but i find this very hard to believe - is this true?
4. Twin ATI Radeon HD 7550 .... will these give good enough performance for gaming across triple monitors (with a TOTAL res of 4800 x 1200)?
Any advice is appreciated... bearing in mind that it needs to cope with today's games as well as games coming out in the next year or two (which will obviously be more demanding in terms of hardware)

Part of the answer is going to depend on how and when you game, as well as what type of games.
Are your games generally high stress, high demand video, or lower stress, with more static images and logic puzzles that fast action?
When you buy a new game, do you play every day until you finish, and never play again?
I don't have hours per day/week to play.
I may not play at all during any given week.
It may take me 6 months or longer to play through any given game.
If you tend to take time to play through a game, a regular computer may not be the best option.
I say that because f there is a security update, OS update, etc, it may break your game.
After a certain amount of time has passed, the developer is likely to tell you something like
"We wrote the game for 10.6.1, but you are running 10.6.7"
"The solution to your problem is to downgrade your OS."
Both of which I have heard from tech support of the game developer.
Enter the Playstation.
No longer have that problem. If so inclined, I can (and have) played 10 year old games, without issue.

New Macbook Pro 2014 for Gaming / casual use

Hello there! I currently have a 2011 13" Macbook Pro with
Intel HD Graphics 3000 512 MB
16GB RAM
500GB Harddrive
and a 2.4 GHz Intel Core i5
I really like to play video games but with this current setup ^ its very sluggish and I get very low FPS
I'm considering getting the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display and with the 3.0GHz Dual-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.5GHz
My questions:
Will this computer be able to handle a constant 60fps in most games? (Borderlands 2, portal 2, Bioshock Infinite)
And I've heard other places that this computer also has a Nividia graphics card that it switches over to when you play anything that requires more than the Intel 4000 that it comes with.
Thanks for the help!

Hi there!
No it wont.
Macbook Pro's hardware are mediocre for gaming. In your specific case, the 13" does not offer the possibility of a dedicated graphics card, only comes with Intel Iris. The 15" one does, the NVIDIA GT 750M with 2gb, yet it's weak for gaming above 40-50 fps, also dual-core processors are not very powerful these days either and you will most likely experience heating issues on intensive gaming sessions. If you like gaming Mac is not very efficient for it, unless you get a mac pro, but of course you would loose portability. The 27" iMac can be set with the GT 780m, it has 4gb but its still weak since its a mobile graphic chip as well, even the 5k iMac uses almost identical hardware setup than the regular iMac but with an AMD chip (also 4gb ram), while the 5k looks great with such hardware it is unable to handle smooth gaming on that resolution as well.
Dont get me wrong, I'm not here to trash Apple, at the office we work with around 8 to 10 macbook pros but none of them, not even high end ones are able to game smoothly, in fact, some games run better on windows via bootcamp than OS X.
Hope it helps.

Macbook Pro and 30" Cinema display for gaming?

Does anyone know if a Macbook Pro (17" i7 2010) would be powerful enough to drive the 30" Cinema display (or a Dell 30") specifically for gaming to a reasonable performance FPS with a game such as Call of Duty 4?
Would I have to knock down the resolution from the native 2560x1600 and if so is the image quality still acceptable or blurry? I realize I need either the dual link adaptor or the display port to achieve the max resolution but just wondering if it is asking too much of the graphics card?
Thanks in advance, any info much appreciated.
Rick.

Hi. The graphics card will be able to handle it. I would suggest using a Min Display Port to HDMI adapter. Most new adapters will even transfer the sound too so you can use the speakers built speakers on the TV.
I often use my 2008 model MacBook Pro with a Mini Display Port to HDMI on my 62'' Samsung DLP. Perfect 1080p quality.

Is the MacBook Pro with retina display good for gaming?

I was looking at the MacBooks and I was thinking about the one with retina display. I wanted to know if it was good for gaming also. Just something like skyrim or maybe WOW.

If you're not a heavy gamer, then yes it will be great.
I play WoW at full retina display with the performance I noted above - if you have trouble, you could always revert to 1440x900 just for WoW and Skyrim.
I know WoW lets you choose a resolution within the game so nothing wo worry about outside - not sure about Skyrim but maybe so?
I am a light gamer. I used to have a 2011 MBA, just an off the shelf model with no upgrades, and it played WoW very well for its size etc.
An iMac would be great too. For the price of a rMBP you could go for an iMac for games/home use and a base spec MBA for working on outside...?
However iMacs are pretty outdated atm - not allowed to say much on here but might wanna wait for something to happen...

How good is a Macbook Pro with dual video cards for gaming?

I've been a PC guy my whole life (aside from my iPhone which I love). My gf has been pushing me to try out a mac and considering how my PC laptops have a pretty good track record of dying on me or encountering some other problems after a year or two, I can't help but consider making the investment. The only thing is, I'm a big gamer and usually get the latest games. I'm not super tech savvy though I do my research and get a sense of what kind of specs are better and worse.
In terms of gaming, I always assumed that more ram = better. In that sense, I'm a little put off that even the most expensive MacBook Pro only comes with 4 gigs of ram (which is what my year and a half old laptop has now) especially when it seems most newer laptops have 8 gigs minimum for a fraction of the price (and 16 gigs if you're willing to spend as much as you would on the most expensive macbook pro). Does RAM somehow work differently on a Mac or is it truly that little?
Also, how does the whole dual video card thing work, does that mean I'd be having the power of those two cards put together?
Personally, I've been leaning towards the Asus G53SX-NH71 because I can buy it for less than the cost of the cheapest macbook pro and as far as gaming purposes go it seems to have more power than even the most expensive Macbook which costs over double the price.
Am I missing something here? Do the dual video cards really bring that much to the table or for gaming purposes am I better off with a PC?
Thanks.

I've been watching this forum for years, and I'll have to say that gamers are not a big group around here. A few things. First, getting 8GB of RAM for the MacBook Pro is cheap. Most people either don't care, pay Apple to do it, or, like me, DIY. The max you put in a MBP is 8GB, so no 16GB, unless you were looking at the iMac or MacPro.
Second, there is no dual video card in a MacBook Pro. There is an integrated video card, an Intel HD3000, which shares RAM with the CPU, or a discrete video card, an AMD, various versions on different MBP's. The Intel is for low battery usage. The AMD is more powerful, and it's to be used when you've got power. The video card has more applications than just gaming, but also in video and photo editing.
No one here is going to talk you into one platform or another. If you are only going to game in Windows, then it's a waste to get a Mac. If you're going to game in Windows but want the Mac side to do everything else, the build quality and elegance of the Mac will far exceed most products out there. You can run Windows in Boot Camp natively, and as I understand, gamers love it, because the Mac is actually a better Windows machine than most Windows machines. But I don't play games, so I have no proof.
So the choice is yours. And we could argue all day long about the side by side comparison of a cheap Windows machine vs. the Mac. You are using the price vs. price comparison that is a false dichotomy, ignoring how one values various features. For example, the trackpad on a MacBook Pro far exceeds (and I mean light year exceeds) anything on any other laptop out there.
I spent 10 minutes answering your question. I'm not debating you on x vs. y. The choice is totally on what you're going to do. Most of us are trying to contribute to the world, so gaming is low on the needs list.

I think to bye imac for graphic design use purpose. kindly guide me. Is iMac best for me ?

i think to bye imac for graphic design use purpose. kindly guide me. Is iMac best for me ?

Hello artistsagar,
The word best is always subjective. It is all a question of your needs, your working practice, your available space; I could go on.
A Mac (probably a 27"one) may well be perfect. Good size screen, easily understood basic functions and a huge number of recommended programs. Just Google Mac graphic design to see what is available.

Macbook Pro 15'' options for gaming and college

Hi there Apple Community!
I'm having trouble choosing the best cost benefit for a new Mac. I'm a college student and my main priority is to have a mobile unit to cary with me for classes. I'm also a gamer, and since this will be my main computer I'd like to have one that could also run games like Civ 5 and WoW smoothly. Therefore I believe the best option for me would be the cheapest 15'' MBP.
However, both the price and the extra weight scare me. I'm not confortable with walking around with a R$ 6,600.00 notebook (about US$ 3,300.00 - I'm in Brazil and thanks to taxes all the prices are overrated ).
I'm studying options to reduce the risk of walking with such a valuable piece of hardware around while giving me what I need where I need, and after some time I've matured the idea of having more than 1 device.
My first option would be to get me cheapest 13'' MBA along with a Mac Mini - the one with the Radeon 6630M videocard on it. They cost together about the same as the 15' MBP, and would give me both a lighter option to go to college and a dedicated videocard for games, though this card is weaker than the one in the MBP - and I'm not sure how well this card would handle the games I want to play.
Another option would be to get myself the both cheapest 21'' iMac (with the same videocard as the MBP) and the cheapest MBA. This would be a bit more expensive than the MBP, but no big deal, and I'd still have both a decent unit at home for games and the mobility I need for college.
My last option would be to get the 13'' MBA and use the rest of the money to assemble a gaming Windows 7 PC. This would be my last resort, though. I know I can assemble a terrible machine with this budget, but I believe I could have what I need - decent (not extreme) gaming experience at home - from a Mac, even if I have to use Bootcamp.
I'd like to know from you who own Macs what you think about these options. I intent to make my purchase this month or the next, as my classes begin in August. What would u think to be the best combination? Or is the MBP the best option? Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

Thanks for the reply, OGELTHORPE. Refurbished products were the 1st thing I thought when I saw the cost of a 15''MBP. Unfortunately there's not even a link for this store in Brazil's store. I'm not sure, but I believe this is because of the mistrurst we brazillians have upon refurbished equipments sold by many other companies that fail to meet quality specs - some companies even try to push them as 'new' to the customers... I know that US Apple follows refurbishing rules to the letter - not hard to find people around the web saying that they got a nice deal for buying a refurbished Apple and that they would do it again. I wish I could buy a refurbished unit from the american Apple Store and have it delivered to Brazil, but I believe this is way too much to ask for the 'free shipping' they offer...
As for gaming, I do like it, but I'm not looking for a gaming station - otherwise I'd look for a PS3, Xbox 360, etc. I do want a computer to complement my studies at home - this is my main focus after all, and it would be desirable if this new computer could also run some games for me to play when I can.
I'm just not satisfied with the Intel HD 3000's performance (some people say they are even weaker than the previous nVidia models they replace). This is why I'm trying to get my hands on one of those new Radeon videocards.
Anyway I've heard that Apple may show some new products on this week's presentation at WWDC.Let's hope something good is coming.

Costumizing a mbp for gaming/video

Hi could someone tell me what would be the best costumization for gaming and video editing/playback for the macbook pro? And would a regular macbook be just as good in proformance? I am trying to spend as little money as possible while getting good proformance!
Right now i have a G5 imac with 2GH, 2x512mb memory, and a ATI Radeon 9600 128mb it cant play call of duty 2 without lag or it says "file handle none free" Im assuming that means not enough video memory?

for video editing, you really need the 2gb of memory. But don't go 2gb from apple. The most you should get from apple is 1gbx1dimm because everything above that is way overpriced. You can get a 1gb stick for about $80 and upgrade it yourself.
If you want the best deal, I would go with the 2.16 15"/100gb 7200rpm HD (need a fast HD for video capturing)/1gbx1dimm. I think that's $2599 non-edu.
If you want the 2.0ghz to save money...then just go with the cheapest memory option but still get the 7200rpm hard drive. then buy 2 1gb sticks of ram after-market. I purchaed transcend memory and it works fine and has a warranty.

Where do I buy old iMacs like the iMac G3 for example?

I wanted to buy an iMac G3 because I want to use that old machine for gaming and web-surfing and use my Mac mini G4 exclusively for animation.
Please I beg of you do not suggest eBay!
I considered Frys Electronics but I doubt they sell used computers and I don't know of any in the State of Texas.

Hey Cheerle,
Welcome to Apple Discussions,
Here's a site that compares all the iMacs that were made. I would only consider a slot loader for what you are doing for it. I would try to at least get a 400 MHz up to a 700 which would be ideal.
A lot of school districts are cycling out their iMac G3s. Also a lot of graphics design studios and companies that used them for production. If you're close to a large town you can also check in thrift stores and also garage and yard sales.
If there's a Craig's list in your area also another great source. I search iMacs in the computer ssection and pick the oldest posts and offer them what I think it's worth.
I pick up iMacs here in Chicago for $25-$35 for 400 slots up to $60 for a 700 slot.
Richard

Is iMac perfect for gaming ?

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for