Even if MacBooks are not the first choice for a gaming platform among video game enthusiasts, they should not be discarded as a possibility.
Sometimes, a video game is dropping frames or causes random crashes because the computer is not optimized, not because you are trying to play on a MacBook.
If you want to have a better experience gaming on a MacBook, then this article should come in quite handy. Use the tips below and improve your Mac’s performance, which should translate into fewer gaming-related issues.
Check the Settings
The first thing you want to do is to check the settings of your computer. There might be some performance faults related to software malfunctions.
A simple idea of changing the Mac’s date can be quite effective. To restore Mac to previous date, you can use Time Machine—a built-in backup tool for macOS.
Another example of settings you could tinker with is startup items. If there are too many applications that launch each time you boot the computer, they slow down the loading speed and consume system resources while remaining in the background.
Some MacBook users simply forget to quit applications running in the background, or they do not bother checking Activity Monitor, which is also a good piece of advice. Keep an eye on background processes so that you can disable redundant apps and free up system resources.
Scan the System for Malware
MacBooks are not as prone to malware as other operating systems, but it is still better to be safe than sorry.
Use reliable antivirus software and scan the MacBook. If the scan shows that the computer is clean, you have one less problem to worry about and can move on to the next step of optimizing the device.
However, if the antivirus detects corrupted data or other potential threats, make sure that they are removed from the system permanently.
To avoid malware and other threats in the future, you should have antivirus running in the background all the time.
Take Care of the Dust Inside
Those who have an older MacBook have likely never bothered cleaning the dust inside it. The accumulation of the filth over the years will lead to significant performance issues.
When you are playing video games, you notice that the internal hardware is overheating, and the internal fans are barely able to keep up with the hardware’s demands.
The odds are that too much dust inside the laptop is one of the biggest reasons why the MacBook’s hardware is struggling so much.
Some users try to circumvent the problem by getting a cooling pad. It is a solid choice, but solving the root of the cause is a better choice.
You might be reluctant to clean the dust yourself because of no experience with taking a MacBook apart for thorough cleaning. In such cases, it is common to find someone who specializes in cleaning the dust inside MacBooks.
The goal is to have the device dust-free. Or, at the very least, keep the amount of dust to a minimum. You need to get in the habit of cleaning the dust inside your Mac at least a few times a year.
Consider Hardware Upgrades
It is no secret that professional gamers use the best available hardware and gaming accessories to get better at video games.
Better hardware equals better performance and results. Unfortunately, in the case of MacBooks, you have limited options when it comes to hardware modifications.
Most Mac models do not have the flexibility for hardware changes, period. However, if yours has room for hardware improvement, consider adding more RAM, using an SSD instead of an HDD, or even getting an external graphics processing unit.
Free Up Disk Storage
Do not expect to have an optimally performing computer if the drive’s storage is all over the place. At least 20 percent of the total space should be free. If not, the performance will be suboptimal, to say the least.
Look through the files you can remove from the MacBook and do it. If you encounter data that can be transferred to external storage, such as iCloud or a USB flash drive, take care of that as well.
The goal is to free up as much disk space as you can, which becomes even more important when you consider how much storage modern video games require.
Conclusion
All in all, if you want to improve your gaming experience on a MacBook, prepare to have some patience, particularly when you are dealing with a relatively old Mac model.
Make the most out of the tips mentioned in this article. And if the efforts are still not proving to be quite there, you still have the option to tinker with the game graphics or stick to low-demanding titles, such as indie video games.