Are you a gamer and want to compare MacBook Pro vs. a gaming laptop to understand which one would be worth considering? Most users want to know the functional and performance difference between these two systems, especially when they don’t have any technical know-how.
Many people have created a mindset that gaming laptops are specifically designed for playing several genres of games. At the same time, others thought that the MacBook Pro just made the work easier. Before you buy any of these devices, let’s read some facts that differentiate them.
Also read: Gaming Laptops vs. Gaming PC
GPU
Gaming laptops are designed with more focus on GPU or graphics processing units. The high-end gaming laptops having Intel Ultra HD Graphics 630 are fitted with the most recent GPU – GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q. These systems have the least graphic card memory, i.e., 6GB.
MacBook Pro, on the contrary, focuses less on GPU because they are not intended for gaming. These performance laptops are equipped with an AMD Radeon Pro 560X graphic processing unit. Hence, here the winner is gaming laptops.
Performance
Gaming laptops, when compared to MacBooks, get high-performance ratings. Their performance relies on the gaming experience they deliver. Gamers need a faster system for better performance.
While playing games, consider optimizing your system by clearing the origin cache. The origin on Mac is the files that store pre-configured settings and other data that help software and games load faster. Deleting these files won’t affect gaming as they keep building.
CPU or Processor
In the battle of MacBook Pro vs. gaming laptop, the winners are both devices. Both laptops are powered by the high-end Intel Core i9 CPU. They both have DDR4, enormous RAM, and enough storage space.
There is no specific apparent difference between the processor or CPUs available in MacBook and laptop. However, the laptop’s performance is highly affected by the cooling systems and clock speed.
SSD
None of the gaming laptops can compete with the excellent MacBook’s speed and SSD storage power. MacBook Pro gets the upper hand over gaming systems for providing more storage and performance.
But, it is not necessarily required to use just a MacBook Pro. You can use gaming laptops for better functioning by installing enhanced SSD storage. Make sure the SSD you’re choosing is fully compatible with your system.
Display
Apple stands out among the competitors for providing a better quality display. Creative professionals who need to use high-end video editing tools often use MacBook Pro. This digital device provides great effects, contrast, and bright colors.
Natural colors and an immersive appearance on MacBook make it an excellent choice for display quality. The display specifications of gaming laptops rely on the pricing, manufacturer, and brand. Dell XPS 15, Asus ROG Strix, and Alienware Area m15 have excellent displays.
Number of Ports
Gaming laptops again win over MacBook Pro for featuring multiple ports for several purposes. The minimalistic design of the MacBook Pro doesn’t comprise various ports. It has just 4 Thunderbolt 3 ports and a single headphone jack port.
Buy dongles for using external peripherals such as hard disk drives or mice. Gaming laptops contain one Thunderbolt 3 port, mini DisplayPort, three USB 3.0 ports, HDMI 2.0, one graphics port, and one headphone jack. So, get gaming laptops when you need multiple different ports.
Battery Life
Gaming laptops can’t provide you with long-lasting battery life. The reason is that they are designed using power-hungry hardware. You can expect a battery life of up to 3-4 hours with the regular use of a standard gaming system.
However, the latest gaming laptop models provide a much better battery life of up to 5 to 7 hours with constant use. Although MacBook Pro also has power-consuming hardware, it provides an enhanced battery life longer than that of gaming laptops.
Longevity or Durability
Apple’s MacBooks stand out as the winner for having a lifespan much greater than gaming laptops. The exceptional quality of the material, resilient operating system, excellent battery life, and awesome customer support make MacBook Pro highly considered.
Users don’t often have to employ multiple software. Their operating systems are designed to get the best of integrated hardware. You can expect 3-8 years of MacBook life when optimized properly. Gaming laptops, however, have different extents of structural integrity.
Compatibility With Games
After getting the hardware and technical matters out of the way, it is also worth talking about potential compatibility problems related to video games.
A dedicated gaming laptop offers more opportunities to play different games. Meanwhile, macOS is not really known as an operating system built for video games.
It is true that more and more video game developers are trying to optimize their IPs for different operating systems, including macOS. However, make sure to check whether the video games you want to play can actually run on macOS or if there are at least some workarounds, such as emulators.
Available Accessories
If you plan to play video games on a gaming laptop or a MacBook, you will need accessories as well. The built-in MacBook keyboard, for example, is not really ideal for gaming. Nor is the trackpad, unless you are playing specific video games that are tailor-made for a laptop’s trackpad.
Compatibility is not really an issue when it comes to gaming accessories. What you want to look at is the price. And here, Apple is known to charge a premium price for quite a few of its accessories manufactured specifically for MacBooks. You have limited options as a Mac owner, whereas a gaming laptop owner would not run into such a problem.
The Conclusion
Apple’s MacBook Pro is a performance device designed to deliver the best performance to programmers, software engineers, and other professionals. Gaming laptops, on the contrary, are designed mainly for gaming purposes. Which device you must buy depends on your requirements.
If you are an avid gamer or used to engage in multitasking, you must invest in gaming laptops. These laptops emphasize more on RAM, CPU, and GPU for an awesome gaming experience. MacBook Pro focuses primarily on CPU and other peripherals instead of GPU.
