How Apple’s Macs Could Become Powerful Gaming Machines

Jonny Evans

Watching Apple since 1999. I don't say what they should do. I say what they might do. They sometimes do.

3 Responses

  1. Harvey Lubin says:

    Even though many people have commented (negatively) on Apple’s neglect of the Mac, especially desktop Macs, I fully believe that not only is Apple aware that several of its Mac products have not been updated in an unusually long time… I also believe that Apple is doing this intentionally.

    We can only speculate on WHY Apple is ignoring its desktop Macs.

    I think that there are these possibilities:

    – Apple is preparing a completely new lineup of desktop Macs to replace the current models, but the company has been holding off until Intel FINALLY produces a reliable supply of Kaby Lake desktop CPUs.

    – Apple is preparing a completely new lineup of desktop Macs to replace the current models, but the company will introduce them with an entirely new line of Apple-designed ARM desktop processors, and running an ARM-native version of macOS (with third-party apps running in emulation until they are written natively). The initial ARM processors will compare well against the performance of the older Intel processors in the current Apple desktop line.

    – Apple is actually backing away from Mac desktop computers, as they are in much less demand than Apple’s notebook computers. Considering that the PC business has been in decline for several years, and is expected to continue this downward trend, spending R&D money and chasing after a declining portion of a declining business is not in Apple’s best interest business-wise. Apple will discontinue all of its desktop Mac business over the coming year.

    – (This one is least likely, but still a remote possibility) Apple will be introducing a totally new line of iPads and iPad accessories, to make the giant leap into “Pro” territory for real this time. The iOS operating system version for the iPad will have a complete make-over in UI and features (rather than just being a larger version of iOS for the iPhone) making it undeniably a powerful and productive replacement for computers that run desktop operating systems. This would be the long awaited transition from the PC that has been with us since 1984, to a new modern paradigm of the thin, light, and powerful mobile computer that can transform via external accessories (keyboard, trackpad, monitor, hub) into a powerful desktop computer.

  2. doug says:

    Everyone compromises something and Apple has decided that Sleek and quiet are their priorities. This combined with the speed that GPU’s are still advancing and the longevity of Macs and it is no surprise that we are where we are. That said, Blizzard choosing to not create Overwatch for the Mac should have opened eyes and turned heads. I hate when people invoke what steve might have done but I would bet he would have been on the phone with Blizzard and the engineers of the desktop and laptop teams to figure out what could be done to bring the mac back into the proper range to attract Blizzard.
    Also, I do believe Tim Cook understands that VR/AR don’t really work until it can be powered by phones and tablets. I’m hoping this is why the A10X chip never saw the light of day and that instead Apple will Shock and Amaze with the A11X in the next generation iPad pro line.
    I hope Tim is taking this all seriously, because I believe that Apple can walk the line between sleek and quiet with enough power to get the job done.

  3. Constable Odo says:

    Any Mac good enough for serious gaming will be priced so high only those with the deepest pockets will be able to afford it. Any Mac that can be used as a gaming platform will be totally closed and use some exclusive components only Apple can replace. Apple keeps wanting to screw over customers in that respect. I get sick just thinking about what Apple did to the last update of MacMinis. You buy it totally sealed and can’t upgrade it at all. That’s just a damn selfish of Apple. If you can’t afford the initial cost of the best MacMini you end up being screwed for the life of the product.

    I can afford the high-end Mac but I think it’s unfair for those who can’t. Why should they be penalized for not having the initial cash? I’m sure this must hurt MacMini sales. Every month when MacMinis show up in the refurbished area, they’re immediately sold out within days. There has to be a good demand for them.

    I love my 2012 quad-core i7 MacMini of which I upgraded the memory and hard drive. That was the last of the good MacMinis. It’s built like a brick and runs great. Why couldn’t Apple have kept building on that model instead of completely sealing up some dual-core i7 MacMini? It’s just stupid strategy.

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