While gaming may not be the top choice for consumers that buy a Mac, you may already have a Mac that you want to use or use Mac as your primary device and don’t want to purchase another device just for gaming.
Since games are primarily designed for Windows, your Mac gaming experience may leave you feeling frustrated, but there are ways to combat this.
Let’s find out some tips to improve your Mac Gaming Experience:
Tip #1: Use Steam
Steam is an online gaming platform where you can play games and create them. You can also discuss games with other enthusiasts. Steam is available as a Mac app that you can download. You might experience an issue when Steam won’t open mac video games. But this can be easily fixed by reinstalling Steam or clearing the app’s cache.
Tip #2: Quit apps, not in use
For your games to run optimally, you need to have more RAM. Any apps that are not currently in use should be closed. You can also check your Activity Monitor to see if there is an app that is taking up a lot of your processing power.
Once you identify these apps, close them. If they get stuck, you can use the Force Quit option.
Tip #3: Quit processes, not in use
The same goes for processes. You should avoid running background processes that are not necessary if you want to have a better experience while gaming. You can find these processes the same way through Activity Monitor.
Tip #4: Close tabs you don’t need
Again, if you are a tab hoarder, consider closing all the tabs you do not need. This will also free up your RAM and enable you to have a better gaming experience.
Tip #5: Clear the cache
Apps generally create temporary files called cache that allow you to switch between apps faster or start from the point where you last left off. You need to clear your cache to free up processing power.
Tip #6: Buy a better computer
If you can invest in a new computer, you should think about getting a Mac that is better designed for gaming to give the best Mac gaming experience. You cannot use a MacBook Air for gaming. You need at least a Pro. Also, the screen size should be at least 16 inches so that the experience is better.
Tip #7: Play games online
Instead of overloading your system by downloading a game, you can try playing games online. There are several lightweight browser-based games that you can play without a hitch.
You should think about disabling your extensions and clearing your browser cache to create an optimal gaming environment.
Tip #8: Configure the in-game settings
The setting in the game you’re playing can also be tweaked to support a better user experience. There are options to control the resolution, texture quality, shadow quality, and overall game settings. If you set it to medium or low, you may notice an improvement in your gaming experience.
Tip #9: Restart your computer
If you haven’t shut down your computer in a while, consider rebooting it. This will eliminate any temporary files created by apps or processes running in the background.
Tip #10: Upgrade your RAM
If you are an avid gamer, you should consider having at least 8 GB of RAM or 16 GB. 4 GB is okay for casual gaming but will cause issues if you try to try heavy games. Upgrading your RAM will also speed up your MacBook.
Tip #11: Upgrade your HDD
If you have an older MacBook, consider upgrading to an SSD. SSD or solid-state drive is much faster than HDD or hard disk drive. It is more expensive, but if you are serious about gaming, then this is a worthy investment.
Tip #12: Test your hardware
There may be glitches in your hardware that may be causing issues in your game. Run Apple’s Diagnostics Test when starting your computer to see if anything pops up. If there are any issues, take them to an authorized service center to get them repaired.
Tip #13: Remove clutter from the desktop
The default storage for all screenshots is the desktop. The problem is all those icons take time to load and slow down your computer. Consider removing them from your desktop, changing the default location, or using the ‘Use Stacks’ so that they get clubbed into folders.
Tip #14: Use cleaning software
Apart from the clutter on your desktop, there may be several unused files, temporary files, and duplicate files that are on your system. You can automate the cleaning process with cleaning software. This will also recommend what you can do to optimize your existing storage, and some of these apps also scan downloads to ensure there is no virus or malware.
To conclude
There are a lot of tips you can use to make your experience smoother, but ultimately, it comes down to the hardware and software. If you are a hardcore gamer, you should consider purchasing the right hardware with software specifications.