Forum menu
2015 Macbook Pro. O...
 

[Closed] 2015 Macbook Pro. Ok for gaming?

Posts: 9
Free Member
Topic starter
 
[#7446270]

As title really. Can the latest Macbook Pro handle decent games?


 
Posted : 10/11/2015 10:23 am
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Not sure if they still have split GPU meaning the only time they kick in the better graphics is if you have an external monitor connected. Worth looking in to to get the best potential out of it.

Other than that it's just a case of speccing something with a sensible spec.


 
Posted : 10/11/2015 10:28 am
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

I've got a 2013 Macbook Pro 15" Retina and that seems pretty good. I don't play lots of games but it seems to deal with Elite Dangerous and F1 2013 pretty well.

It has a discrete graphics card in it which is used when playing games (you don't need a separate monitor). It does eat the battery and get a bit warm though when its using it though.

I notice that of the modern ones, the only one with a separate graphics card is the top spec one. They do however have better integrated graphics than mine so not sure if its as much of a requirement now?


 
Posted : 10/11/2015 10:54 am
Posts: 0
Full Member
 

Dpeends what your playing and how high your standards are. I played WoW on a 2004 Macbook Pro for years.

You'll also have to go 15" to get discrete graphics now, although Iris Pro is a decent performer by my standards if you say games I'd always go discrete.

If you can think of a game that's demoable I can try it on my 13" i5 retina (iris 6100)


 
Posted : 10/11/2015 11:45 am
Posts: 1335
Full Member
 

Not sure if they still have split GPU meaning the only time they kick in the better graphics is if you have an external monitor connected. Worth looking in to to get the best potential out of it.

That's not quite the way it works (or worked?) - the discrete GPU gets started when the programs running need it. It will always be used when you're plugged into an external monitor though (I think only the discrete GPU is attached to the display port) - but it'll quite happily switch to the high performance graphics when not plugged into an external monitor.

You can get utilities (such as [url= https://gfx.io ]gfxCardStatus[/url]) that can tell you which card you're running on (and let you force it to use the one you want).


 
Posted : 10/11/2015 12:19 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

the discrete GPU gets started when the programs running need it

You can also force it to use the discrete GPU. In Energy Saver you have the option to switch off automatic graphics switching. (That's 10.8.5, so it might be different/removed with recent OS)


 
Posted : 10/11/2015 12:40 pm
Posts: 12
Free Member
 

This is anecdotal as opposed to based on stats, but top titles take a long time to filter down to Macs, if they ever do.

[url= http://www.anandtech.com/show/6023/the-nextgen-macbook-pro-with-retina-display-review/8 ]This is worth a read[/url] - the effect of retina displays on GPU performance and chasing steady FPS.

I do know I could get a nice GPU (or two) instead of a MBP ๐Ÿ™‚


 
Posted : 10/11/2015 1:38 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

My 2 pence has always been if you want to play games buying a gaming machine like an X-Box


 
Posted : 10/11/2015 2:36 pm
 Kato
Posts: 825
Full Member
 

Not so sure. Mine runs red hot running football manager


 
Posted : 10/11/2015 3:08 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

*skip to the end*

If you're buying one to game, then don't.


 
Posted : 10/11/2015 3:24 pm