MacBooks, despite having a somewhat negative reputation in the gaming community, are still relatively good so long as you do not go overboard with in-game graphics.
Sure, not all video games are going to run on macOS, nor does every video game developer bother optimizing their IP for MacBooks. However, with the shift of manufacturing Macs with better hardware, the status quo is changing.
Having said all that, MacBooks are no different from other gaming machines in terms of technical issues. You are bound to encounter them, and if you do not know how to solve these issues, you will not have a good time gaming.
In this article, we present common Mac issues while gaming and potential solutions to them. Absorb the information below, and you should be more than capable of improving how your Mac runs while you are playing video games.
Crashing and Stuttering
Crashing and stuttering are some of those issues that you cannot really pinpoint. It might take a while to figure out whether it is a potential malware or even the lack of updates leading to the problems.
You can look for different solutions, such as needing to uninstall anaconda navigator mac has, or check whether the OS and some individual apps have the latest version available.
In case you cannot come up with a solution yourself, you will need to seek professional help from someone who specializes in fixing MacBooks.
High CPU Usage
Since video games take a toll on the overall computer usage and resources, it is to be expected that you will see higher CPU usage than usual.
There are some video games that do not require high system resources, but even they will affect the CPU.
It does not help if there are other issues with the CPU. For example, you might encounter certain errors, such as the Kernel Task one. Thankfully, there are informative sources that let you know how to deal with these errors.
High CPU usage could also be the result of redundant background processes. Check Activity Monitor and find out whether there are active applications that you can quit to free up the system resources on macOS.
Memory Leaks
Memory Leaks are one of those issues that are not that easy to spot. However, if you have a little bit of experience and notice how the MacBook performs throughout the day, you should notice that there are instances when it feels sluggish.
This sluggishness is usually the result of memory leaks. If the operating system is mishandling the memory, it is natural that you will not have a good time gaming.
The simplest solution is to restart the device. As a rule of thumb, you can prevent memory leaks or minimize them by restarting the MacBook every few hours.
FPS Drop
FPS drops in video games are not something exclusive to MacBooks. The problem is common in other gaming machines, including consoles like PlayStation and Xbox.
If we were talking about custom-built PCs, one of the first recommendations to improve FPS would be to upgrade the computer hardware.
Sadly, MacBooks are not flexible when it comes to their hardware. Only a few models are available for modification, and even then, the price is not really worth it.
So, in this case, what you can do is try lowering in-game graphics. Disable shadows, water reflections, and other redundant effects. Finally, try to play the video game in both full-screen and windowed modes. Sometimes, the performance improves when you switch from one mode to another.
Overheating
Overheating is another example of an issue you can expect to see when playing video games. Since video games are demanding, they will take a toll on internal fans.
It can be difficult for the fans to cool the hardware, which would mean that you need to seek ways to counter the issue. One of the solutions could be a cooling pad, an accessory that costs about 50 dollars.
Cleaning the dust inside is worth a shout as well. If you have not bothered checking how much dust has accumulated inside the MacBook, the odds are that there is more than the computer can handle, and you need to take action.
Crashing and Stuttering
Crashing and stuttering are some of those issues that you cannot really pinpoint. It might take a while to figure out whether it is a potential malware or even the lack of updates leading to the problems.
In case you cannot come up with a solution yourself, you will need to seek professional help from someone who specializes in fixing MacBooks.
Battery Issues
A laptop’s battery is one of the biggest issues when we are strictly talking about gaming. On average, laptop owners need to replace a gaming laptop’s battery every two years or so.
There have been some improvements recently hardware-wise, but you can still expect to see this problem.
In the case of a MacBook, however, you should not be as worried about potentially needing to replace the battery. Instead, keep an eye on the overall percentage so that it does not drain too soon, specifically if you do not have the charger plugged in while gaming.
Gaming consumes a lot of resources, and that includes the battery and you should keep that in mind when you are gaming on MacBooks.
