Apple’s Mac range was never targeted at gamers to begin with. While some of its products do feature dedicated hardware that allows for light to moderately demanding games that run just fine, Apple’s key customer base was always those that wanted a Mac for professional use. However, all that might change because according to a new report, a ‘gaming’ Mac could launch in 2020, giving PCs a possible run for their money, if the price is right.
Rumored Gaming Mac Could Fetch a $5000 Price, Which Isn’t All That Much Considering What Apple Charges
Patently Apple reports that a rumor originating from Taiwan talks about a ‘gaming’ Mac from Apple that could fetch a price of up to $5,000 with the sole intention of targeting the e-sports market. This will be the first time Apple will enter such a segment, and it’s not disclosed whether this will be a desktop computer or a high-end MacBook Pro, though rumors state that it might be an AIO like the iMac line or a gaming notebook.
Given how user-upgradeable the new Mac Pro is, our gut tells us that Apple could be focused on a desktop first before releasing a notebook. As it so happens, Apple’s 16-inch MacBook Pro and previous iterations of high performance portable Macs are near-impossible to upgrade by an average user thanks to soldered components. Hardware that isn’t easily replaceable won’t exactly do well against a competitive market that delivers on both performance and somewhat future-proofing with swappable hardware.
There’s also the question of a limited library of games that can run on macOS and if that wasn’t enough, Apple’s Mac family relies on specific AMD GPUs, which aren’t designed with gaming in mind. However, if possible, Apple should provide configuration options for customers to opt for ‘gaming’ Mac hardware. Apple Arcade is one piece of evidence that the company is serious about entering the gaming market, but the titles offered with the service don’t cater to e-sports players. For that to happen, at the bare minimum we’re looking at a display with a higher refresh rate, and that’s something we were quite upset about as the feature is sorely missing on the new 16-inch MacBook Pro, despite its high asking price.
Regardless, coming back to the rumor revolving around the ‘gaming’ Mac, the industry expects the gross profit margin of Apple’s supply chain manufacturers to be positive as a result of targeting this market, with another factor centered around the growth of e-sports too.
Unfortunately, like all rumors, do treat this one with a pinch of salt, though we can’t help but wonder about what Apple’s plans are for a ‘gaming’ Mac if any. If you’d like to see what we think an ideal gaming-centric Mac should be all about, do let us know down in the comments, and we’ll be back with more updates on the matter.
News Source: Patently Apple
