Apple MacBookPro gaming performance while running XP?

I'm looking for a decent gaming laptop and I was prepared to buy the Dell 1705. Well the week I plan to purchase they swap the GPU. Doh.

I just read that the XP on MBP contest was won this week. I hadn't considered the MBP until this tidbit. The spec seems similar to the Acer 8200 series with the x1600. Has anyone successfully run XP on the Apple? How is the gaming performance? Any driver issues? I'd love to run OS X for the majority of my computing and then only boot XP when I want to game.

One more question. Does anyone know whether Sager will release a core duo with a 7800gtx? And when? Their site doesn't mention it.

Thanks.

--
Don

 

There are tons of driver issues now with the MBP.

But, considering you will have an army of programmers working on it, it wouldn't be surprising if this were solve quickly. You'll like OS X

(Typed on PowerBook)

 

Considering they just released info on getting XP to work on a Mac Book Pro last week...I doubt hardly anyone knows.

As for drivers...most of the components are pretty standardized. No reason to think that most drivers aren't already available. I haven't seen any posts on boards dealing with the problem listing availability of drivers as an issue.

As far as the performance hit for the BIOS emulation, no real numbers yet. I'm guessing I wouldn't worry about it until they get some time to really finesse the setup. I'd wait about two months to see how it all falls out. I suspect we'll see some benchmarks though in a few weeks. However...don't be surprised if they're not good. Give them time to tweak everything and see what they can do.

 

Apples are terrible for gaming. I can imagine that it was very difficult to get it to boot Windows, and as said, probably a lot of issues.

I would check out the Acer TravelMate 8204WLMi - that's a great alternative to a mac.

 

Chaz...that makes no sense. The new Mac Book Pro's have similar specs to any other Windows-based PC. What in the world would bring you to that conclusion?

The issue with WinXP is solely due to them moving on beyond the dated BIOS implementation to the same format that PC's will be using soon. WinXP just didn't include support for that is all.

If you have some type of inside information on an architectural issue on the new MBP's that would some how hamper their gaming performance...please share. Otherwise, that's just an irresponsible comment to be making.

 

It does make sense. There are not nearly as many games avaliable for macs as there are for Windows PCs. Gaming on a mac is a novelty, not a reality. Get a Windows PC for gaming purposes.

I wasn't saying they are bad for gaming as far as performance goes, just with software.

 

He specifically stated he plans to do it with Windows though. We have no documented proof that even with the BIOS emulation deal, that there's a significant performance hit(although it'd obviously not be surprising if there was). Besides...once Vista is out, if it indeed does work natively, performance should be easily comparable.

I usually wouldn't recommend a Mac for gaming...but depending on how the results for this new XP option turn out, it might be fine. It just seems a shame to dismiss it when there's no evidence yet to prove that it will be a poor performer.

 

i bought a 17 inch powerbook last year, and hoped to use it for some gaming..however, the prices of the games, and the availability of games led me to building the desktop in my sig. apple computers ARE NOT for gaming, although you can. you wouldnt use a geo metro to race...although you could, it would not be very good at it..same thing applies here..you buy an apple for productivity, not for gaming. i spent $3000 on my powerbook (for a productivity laptop) to play older games, and WoW..i do not need anything else that i cant get off a windows box. I regret every penny that i spent on it..dont make the same mistake i did.

also, as far as a dual boot on the mac, i think it will be a virtual PC like thing right now..it will emulate a slower windows box. also, for the few things i like about osx tiger, i would much rather have an xp box.

hope this helps,

pb,out.

 

Why are Apples terrible for gaming? I see almost every game come out for them, be it maybe a year or less later, they still come out.

 

As of currently, no one has been able to successfully run XP on a MacBook Pro - many believe, including myself, that is impossible due to compatibility issues with EFI.

 

That's why Vista will not work on a mac as well.

If you are buying a mac, then use OS X - that's the biggest reason to get a mac. And if you use Windows the majority of the time, then get a Windows box. Simple as that.

 

no games huh, well check this site out. it has reviews for ~ 400 games for mac
< http://insidemacgames.com/ >

 

do you really want to compare the amount of games?

per your link, mac has 400 games.

from my link, windows has 6131 games/mods.

http://www.gamespot.com/games.html?type=games&platform=5

as i said before, apple computers are not gaming machines. they CAN do it, but they will not do it better then windows...cut and dry, plain and simple.

pb,out.

 

in my book 400 games is alot. and i don't know if that list is comprehensive or not. so there could be more. My main point is that there are more games out there then most people realize.

 

im not saying there isnt, just that windows is much better for gaming then OSX.

i.e. would you race with a geo metro (osx) or would you race with a nascar (windows)

pb,out.

 

i wouldn't say windows is better for gaming, just that there are more for it.

 

care to explain why osx is better for gaming?

pb,out.

 

I mentioned this in post #3.

http://onmac.net/

I did just read there's some discrepancy now due to a release from MS if Vista will support EFI in the desktop versions...but we haven't seen performance numbers from the first hack, much less any others that might evolve in the next weeks.

 

Then some of you may be interested in this:

http://www.engadget.com/2006/03/16/windows-xp-on-mac-solution-posted/

So, who's first? ^__^

 

i have read that before, but where is the driver support? i dont think that MS will easily let any gpu manufacturer release drivers for OSX...so it might work, but i wouldnt expect to run anything that well without the proper drivers.

pb,out.

 

Again...read the original post. OSX? MS? What do they have to do with each other? MS can't stop ATI from releasing enhanced drivers for OSX. Plus, that has nothing to do with this. If they're running XP on the machine, they use the ATI drivers for windows. Just about every component on that machine is available in some windows-based machine. EFI is the only difference...and that's being addressed(although we just don't know how well yet). Show me one of the developers who's gotten XP running on a MBP and had serious driver issues. I'd believe some components might not have drivers, but basic sound and video functions should be fine(as well as chipset).

 

again..they got xp to boot in windows..have they tried playing games on it? if it was flawless, with no driver errors, etc... then ill retract my statements...but if all you want to do is show someone xp on a mac then driver support is null and void. you do not need drivers to boot into windows. also remember that gaming is not a basic video function. you will not be able to play a game without drivers.

pb,out.

 

I agree there might be performance issues with the hack for XP...but drivers? There are already Windows drivers out there. The hack only relates to initialization for boot. Windows is controlling the resources...so the windows XP drivers for the components(that is obviously available...cause we're already using those drivers in windows, right?) should work fine.

I can't comprehend what driver issues you think there are. I haven't seen any printed issues about drivers for the components in XP. They're all standardized components. What would the driver issue be?

 

i guess the issues come from it still being efi controlling the components. and there aren't any windows drivers yet that recognize efi

 

I posted about this article a few weeks ago. It doesn't look good for Windows support on a mac:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20060310-6361.html

 

Actually...Windows controls the components after boot for resources. BIOS just initializes them for boot. If you can strap something inbetween until Windows launches...I've not found any documentable evidence that you still couldn't directly access each component from within Windows.

If someone has documentation on how EFI itself would require a different driver set...please tell me. I have found nothing saying that. Anywhere. I've looked, too. So if I'm wrong...please show it to me. I keep seeing posts like this...but never has anyone shown any documented evidence to support it.

 

Chazman, they have actually booted a functional Windows XP on Macs, somebody won the contest on www.onmac.net , you can currently download the instructions to install XP on your Macbook Pro or Intel IMac. As for driver issues, it can be expected that there are going to be issues, but there are plenty of people out there working on solutions so that the X1600 (and everything else)will work flawlessly. People really don't realise how awesome the possibilities are, running both OSX and XP on one machine!

 

i have a g4 17 inch powerbook running tiger, and i can honestly say..windows is more stable for me...nothing like using safari, only to have to closed the second after it opens due to an unexpected error. but this isnt a trolling thread...the possibilities ARE great, but the driver support has to be there. if it is going to be a functional gaming machine, then it needs drivers to run the games...if it cant do that, then it will just be another form of Virtual PC (windows emulator). it will not be emulated, but the things you would be able to do, would be somewhat limited.

pb,out.

 

I'm aware that you can run XP on a Mac. It's not all that easy.

Gaming on a mac is not practical. If you want a gaming machine, buy a Windows box.

 

Again...please tell me what reason there is to suspect that drivers aren't available or are an issue? Could someone point me to the documentation stating this? Driver support is there. Standardized components that are already available on Windows machines. Running Windows XP...use the WinXP drivers. Sure the BIOS stuff is an issue...but how does it effect drivers once you've booted windows? If I'm wrong here...I'd like to find out. I see posts all over saying this is an issue, but never any type of technical data to back that up.

 

this thread is about gaming in windows on a MBP. it is not about anything else. therefore, as i stated, i do not think it will be a good platform to game on. AFAIK there is no driver support for anything, except the standard windows drivers. since i have not booted windows on a mac, and do not plan on it, i cannot comment how it works. i do however know that windows is THE gaming platform for computers. right now, if you put any video card in any computer, you will have great difficulty running the game without drivers from the vendor. Windows drivers do not cut it for gaming. i have tried this on my SLI setup (both SLI, and single cards), and both times, the games simply will not play.

again i will state: booting windows on a mac is one thing, but playing games on it is another story.

- get a windows notebook, and do not install the drivers for the video card, and then try to play the game. you will quickly find that it doesnt work, has a great deal of problems. many vendor drivers are not WHQL (windows hardware quality license...i think), meaning they are not digitally signed by windows. also, windows does not provide anything but generic drivers, which are not enough to play games.

pb,out

 

There is already a video of someone playing HL2 on the MacBook Pro with an experimental X1600 driver, but performance is only around 20fps.

Check out:
www.macrumors.com
onmac.net

 

can you post a link?

pb,out.