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When it comes to operating systems, the Microsoft Windows vs Apple macOS debate will possibly never see an end. Both have their set of advantages and disadvantages in different categories and users usually pick the one that suits their primary area of interest the most.
With the growing popularity of gaming and esports, those looking to purchase a machine will naturally get caught up in the infamous operating system debate at some point in time.
Windows and macOS are highly capable systems that get regular updates to ensure apt performance and up-to-date features. Despite some burning differences, both offer equally good facilities. However, there are a few areas where Windows triumphs over macOS and vice versa.
If you are looking to get a computer that can offer some serious advantages in gaming, this article settles the OS debate for this genre and shares a fair verdict.
macOS has superior hardware, but Windows offers better customization options and compatibility in gaming
With Apple shifting its focus to gaming in recent times, things have changed for macOS in this genre. Modern Mac systems feature powerful processors and beautiful displays, which definitely makes gaming on such machines worth it. Plus, Steam is now supported on macOS, which seals the deal for many fans.
macOS comes with powerful processors
With the latest Apple Silicon - M2 Max and M2 Pro - offering irrefutable performance in the graphical aspect, Mac fans can experience satisfactory frame rates in AAA titles without having to compromise on resolution. However, modern Mac systems don’t support discreet graphics cards (yet).
On the latest MacBook Pro models, the M2 Pro features 19 GPU cores, while the M2 Max offers 38 GPU cores, which is a major boost over their predecessors.
The Mac Mini, on the other hand, offers a model with the M2 Pro chip, featuring 16 GPU cores. It may not be as powerful as the MacBook Pro 14 and 16-inch models, but it can deliver console-level (Xbox and PlayStation) performance.
That said, it’s needless to say that Mac systems are prominently pricier than Windows PCs. To grab the 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M2 Max chip, one has to shell out over $2000, which is not a viable option for casual gamers.
Windows offers more than just power
Windows PCs are highly advantageous from a price point of view. Not only can users build a gaming-friendly rig at less than half the cost of a MacBook Pro 16-inch, but they can also upgrade internal components whenever needed.
Mac systems don’t provide consumers with the opportunity to upgrade any internal components yet. However, Apple may integrate such options in the future. Note that gaming laptops based on Windows don't support GPU or CPU upgradation either, but some models allow users to bump up the RAM.
Such systems support powerful graphics cards (dedicated) from Nvidia and AMD that offer some of the most advanced visual features in video games. From ray tracing to DLSS, PC users can have it all. Highly capable CPUs from Intel and AMD make the gaming experience on PCs all the more complete.
Microsoft Windows offers a multitude of customization options when it comes to gaming and performance. With Game Mode, one can easily optimize their low-end machines and enjoy a lag-free experience. Furthermore, the Xbox Game Bar offers an alluring set of features for players and creators who want to capture and share their achievements with the world.
The most significant difference between macOS and Windows is the lack of support for video games. Steam offers a significantly larger number of titles for PCs (over 75,000) as opposed to what it offers for macOS (around 16,000). Many popular offerings are yet to receive native support for the platform.
Verdict
To sum it up, macOS has definitely come a long way in the gaming segment and is one of the best operating systems for high-level graphical processing. Considering the hardware it comes with, many may even prefer Apple's operating system over Windows.
That said, hard-core gamers may not get enough advantage off a Mac system, considering the restricted library support, price, and no internal component upgradation potential.
At the time of writing, Windows is the clear winner over the premium Mac experience in the gaming department. However, Apple is on its way to close the gap.
