Buzz Out Loud Lounge: Mac recommendations
Mac recommendations
by rdriskell - 10/19/06 9:23 AMHello buzz folks.
I love the show, listen everyday, however first time posting.
Here is my question:
I am thinking about buying a Mac(long time PC/Windows user).
My only hang up is I like to game. Specifically WOW.
My Delimma, I can only afford something along the lines of a Mac Mini, like either the 599 dual core one or the 799 dual core one.
I am running a super fast computer for WOW right now(Dell XPS Gen2) but don't want to downgrade the gaming experience too much by going the way of Mac.
can anyone give me some advice. Is the Mac Mini ok for playing WOW on? Does it totally suck?
Thanks
Rob
probably decent
by gamegeek90 - 10/19/06 9:43 AM In reply to: Mac recommendations by rdriskellbut not great. WoW has reasonably low graphics demands, so it should run ok on a mini- get the dual core. With that said, if you are looking for a high end gaming experience, look elsewhere.
If Speed is That Important Upgrade or Don't Switch
by pkscout - 10/19/06 10:06 AM In reply to: Mac recommendations by rdriskellI'm a long time mac user, but if that's the money you have to spend, you have a system that already works, and you don't want to sacrifice, don't bother.
The buy in point for the XPS is $200 - $300 more than what you want to spend on a Mac. So if you want comparable gaming performance on a new Mac, you need to be willing to spend the same about. If you aren't, then you will sacrifice some performance. The Macs are comparable in price/performance, but not better.
Thanks everyone
by rdriskell - 10/19/06 2:48 PM In reply to: If Speed is That Important Upgrade or Don't Switch by pkscoutThanks for the info.
I understand totally that the XPSGen2 will out power a MacMini on Game performance. At the time i could afford such a gaming machine. Life as it is, getting married and buying a house and so on. All I can afford anymore is about a Mac Mini.
Therefore, I guess my question, taken the xps out of the mix, is does the Intel 950 on the MacMini run WOW decently?
I appreciate all your feedback.
Thanks
Rob
can you keep your PC?
by savanger - 10/19/06 3:21 PM In reply to: Mac recommendations by rdriskellWhen you say that you can only afford a mac mini, are you meaning that you can afford that now or you can afford it if you sell your currant PC, because if you can keep your PC the you can just use it for gaming and do everything else on your mac.
imac
by danbriant - 10/19/06 3:30 PM In reply to: Mac recommendations by rdriskellI got a 17inch intel imac and it runs WOW very good 
Although the gcard in intel macminis is a bit poo.
you need to buy the gpu, not the ram/cpu
by benanzo - 10/20/06 3:51 AM In reply to: the core 2 duo imac? by jialuoluumm, yeah, so games need a sweet gpu in addition to the cpu/ram. You won't get very far with pixel shaders, bloom effects and other hardcore 3d rendering with just your cpu, no matter how fast it is. And ram only says how much you can do, not what. Remember, everything rendered 3D on your screen (in games, usually) has to be done in the GPU on the VIDEO CARD, not from the CPU. That said, any integrated graphics (ie the intel stuff) suck for games. I tried to load up AOE on my macbook with the i945gm chip, and, ummm, it sucked. Don't try it, believe me. I even turned the settings way down and it was still terrible. I added my own ram and hardrive to the macbook (because Apple charged ridiculously high prices to put 2gb ram in their dumb machine. Apple thinks their customers are stupid, by the way. I put my own 2gb of ram in for $130, as opposed to apple's $500. I pity those poor people who actually bought apple's crap-ram for that price, it's totally value ram. I also got the stock 80gb hd which I immediately switched out for a 250gb for $265. The biggest I could get from apple was a 120gb for $200.) So, to make it poignant, don't buy a mini to play games.
(NT) I'll give you 200 bucks for your PC
by garabeki - 10/19/06 3:48 PM In reply to: Mac recommendations by rdriskellImac seems like the better option
by rdriskell - 10/20/06 7:35 AM In reply to: (NT) I'll give you 200 bucks for your PC by garabekiWhat I am understanding is Imac is the better option. I appreciate everyone's feedback..
And to the offer to buy the XPSgen2 for 200. Um.. how to put it nicely...no.
I will keep it and play games on it and use the mac for other things, if not gaming.
Take care,
Rob
(NT) Sounds like a good plan
by Owyn - 10/20/06 7:39 AM In reply to: Imac seems like the better option by rdriskellhmm
by nickswim - 10/20/06 9:17 AM In reply to: Mac recommendations by rdriskellI'm in the same situation as you (PC useer maybe converting)
but I don't think a mini is worth it.. either a laptop or their tower versions..
what you should think right now is that Macworld is coming up in Janurary. And they will have some new products come out then. And probably lower the prices of their old products.
So decide if you want newest stuff they got or old product? Either way you may have to wait to get a price reduction.
My advice (for what it's worth) :)
by MacHugger - 10/20/06 5:09 PM In reply to: Mac recommendations by rdriskellAs benanzo mentioned, the GPU (graphics card) is more important for most games these days than the CPU. On that mark, the MacMini does not measure up. The Mac Mini is a great little product but it has its niche and gaming is certainly not it.
You will want at least an iMac if you plan to do gaming and I would caution that even an iMac is not the greatest gaming machine - merely adequate for your WoW needs. The problem with the iMac is its limited expandability. It's not the easiest thing to upgrade.
If you have a severely limited budget at the moment, you can likely get a much better bang for the buck with a new PC. I don't suggest that lightly as anybody who has spent more than a month on this forum will tell you.
If you are more interested in trying out the Mac experience but also still wish to play WoW, keep playing it on your PC if you don't have to get rid of it. Otherwise, don't consider anything less than an iMac.
-Kevin S.
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