Gaming On A Mac? Well, Okay...
Every generation has its story, and as of 2017, there is one truth that dominates the way the world plays video games: consoles and Windows computers are it. In the world of business, it doesn't matter. Any system can run basic productivity systems, and as far as creativity, it's all about brand loyalty and doing what seems the easiest. If you're a part of the gaming world, whether it's as a casual player, a professional who makes high profits from streaming gameplay and game-related content, or as a paid tournament player, you'll need to figure out how to get multiple systems to work together. For Mac users, here are a few things to understand about gaming, as well as ways to make your other systems work better.
What Constitutes A Gaming Computer?
Before working with any technical aspects, it's important to separate marketing terms from technical terms. In this case, a gaming computer is any computer that can play games with high resource demands requiring a video card.
It's more of a fluid definition than a hard limit of technical requirements, and although there are some arguments about the definition, arguments to not make the computers work any better. If you want to play the newest games of 2017, such as For Honor, Mass Effect: Andromeda, Shenmue, Vampyr, or Quake Champions, to name a few, you need a system with a video card.
Beyond the video card is where brand differences and Operating System (OS) challenges begin. In addition to requiring a video card for power and specific instructions that can't be understood without a video card, many games are programmed for specific operating systems.
As of 2017, Windows is the go-to desktop and laptop game OS, but it wasn't always that way. Anyone who used computers from the Apple II and early iMac days can remember the shift, but for now, you'll need a computer that can play games. Getting a basic Windows computer and having a support professional configure it for nothing but games can help, but there are other options for the brave.
Hackintosh Works Better Every Day
The term "Hackintosh" is thrown around a lot and attached to a few popular systems, but the concept is simple. Many things are written for Windows, and although alternative version for other systems (ports) are made, they often happen much later or with lower performance due to errors in translation. Programming languages are true languages, and mistakes happen when converting from one to another.
To make it work for Mac, skilled professional or hobbyist programmers rewrite or slightly edit the programs. Such programs are called Hackintosh programs, since it's a hack for Macintosh. If the word hack is unsettling, know that a hack is merely a clever fix to a given problem, not just illegally breaking into computers.
Emulators are basically programs that act like other systems. In both legal and illegal forms, many gamers would get Super Nintendo emulators to play Super Nintendo games on the Mac, Windows, and Linux computers instead of having to find a working Super Nintendo or to play games that were never released in their country. This is another hack that works.
If you want to be a gamer on a Mac, you'll either need to wait for a port, get a Hackintosh version of the computer, or emulate Windows. There are many ways to approach the problem, but there is guidance on the way. Contact a Mac support company like Computer Help, Inc to discuss your gaming needs and to find a way around the problem--a hack.
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