Macbooks are a decent choice when it comes to playing video games. Nowadays, these computers come with decent hardware that can even run AAA games.
And you can improve the gaming experience on a Mac even more by making some adjustments. It may be that an older computer has some performance issues, but that can be fixed. The tips in this article should help with enjoying video games on a Macbook.
Tip #1 – Free up Disk Space
Lack of drive space is quite common among Macbook users since the drives do not provide that much storage in the first place. Moreover, if you aim to play video games, they require a lot of space, so you have even less to work with.
Aim to have at least 15% of disk space free. Delete old apps and downloads that you no longer need. Also, transfer some files to clouds and external storage devices, such as memory sticks.
Temporary system data is another item on the list of things you want to remove from the computer. However, doing it manually takes too much time, not to mention how monotonous the work is.
Get yourself a cleanup utility application that does the work for you by removing unwanted temporary storage automatically. Ask for recommendations from your tech-savvy friends or review the apps online to find the most optimal choice.
Tip #2 – Make Sure the Computer Is Malware-Free
A malware-free Macbook should be a goal regardless if you play video games or not. But when it comes to gaming, even an insignificant virus can cause plenty of performance problems. And the default antivirus might not be enough to take proper care of the system and protect it from potential threats.
Get yourself proper antivirus software and have it run in the background. Also, if you want to improve your security and privacy even more, enable the Firewall and use a virtual private network when surfing the net.
Tip #3 – Get a Cooling Pad
A cooling pad is a nice accessory to have, particularly when playing video games. You should notice how much louder the Macbook fan noise becomes when gaming. And the same can be said about an increase in temperature.
Another source of cool air is what the laptop needs and cooling pads provide that. Also, if you want to improve the workrate of the internal fans, remember to remove the dust and dirt that accumulate inside the Macbook.
Tip #4 – Declutter Desktop
Each desktop icon consumes computer resources, so you would be better off moving the files to another location instead of keeping them on the Macbook’s desktop.
It may be convenient to access files without navigating through the folders or using the search function, but this convenience is not worth it when you are sacrificing the overall performance of the laptop.
Tip #5 – Close Background Apps
Take a look at your background applications and see which of those you can quit while playing video games. There might be some exceptions, such as antivirus software, but even that is not mandatory if you game on reliable platforms, such as Steam.
The Activity Monitor allows you to sort processes by resource usage and see which of the apps require the most memory or GPU.
Keep in mind that some apps may cause more problems than just consuming system resources while running idly in the background. Spotlight might start to index all of a sudden, or you may get notifications from apps about new updates or features, asking you to install them.
Tip #6 – Change In-Game Settings
Most video games should have a settings tab where users can change resolution, shadow quality, water reflection, and other elements that can increase or decrease the overall graphics quality.
You need to tinker with the settings and find a balance between good in-game looks and performance.
Tip #7 – Try Full-Screen Mode
The full-screen mode should be the default option for running video games. If you are stuck with window mode, you will not have an optimally-performing computer since the system has to process not just a video game but other backgrounds, such as the desktop.
Tip #8 – Run the Latest OS Version
Make sure that the operating system is up to date. In addition to the latest features and security patches, new OS updates also introduce stability and performance improvements.
Even if an update takes a while to download and install, you should still prioritize it. Otherwise, the computer will not be up to speed, and you will not have as much enjoyment playing video games as you would otherwise.
Conclusion
To conclude, you have several options to improve the gaming experience on a Macbook. Make the most out of the tips in this article. The more of them you use, the smoother video games on the Macbook will run.