Windows Gaming On An M1 Mac?

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Level 1

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Windows Gaming On An M1 Mac?

Hello,

I'm contemplating the purchase of a new M1 studio. I know that Windows does not run on an M1 chip. I also know the anti-cheat software used by Ubisoft (Ghost Recon Breakpoint) will NOT work in a virtual environment like Parallels.

My question is this. With the new M1, M2 chips has Apple just said to Windows gamers who were running Bootcamp on their Intel macs that we're just out of luck?

It may be that I've seriously overestimated the size of the Bootcamp Windows gamers audience but this just doesn't seem like something Apple would do to its customers.

Any insights would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Jeff

Mac Studio

Posted on Jul 29, 2022 3:03 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

BobTheFisherman

Level 10

81,625 points

Jul 29, 2022 3:07 PM in response to gronesy

Maybe your ire is misdirected. Microsoft has not released a production version of Windows that will run on an M1/M2 Mac. So even if Apple Boot Camp ran on M1/M2 Macs, there is no production version of Windows that will run on those Macs.

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Answer 2

weeowey

Level 1

10 points

Jul 29, 2022 3:41 PM in response to gronesy

Microsoft Windows cannot run on any of the Apple M chips, due to the vast difference in architecture. Even if these Mac could support bootcamp, they would not be able to run any current versions of Microsoft Windows. It is entirely possible that Microsoft may, in fact eventually release a version of Windows that is compatible with the ARM architecture of these chips, but since Apple has it so locked down your only option in the future could be an ARM compatible version of linux and qemu, which is a much more advanced and in-depth virtual machine software as compared to Parallels, which can be configured to hide the fact that the virtual machine is running on a host.

so, for simplicity sake, macOS can only be run on these M based Mac and you will have to wait for the world to catch up as it is still quite early on in the transition process to the new architecture.

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Answer 3

WheelieNick

Level 8

40,389 points

Jul 30, 2022 2:26 AM in response to gronesy

you cannot run windows on apple silicon. Bootcamp is not working anymore, and there is no ARM (the architecture M1 runs on) version of windows available to the general public to install in virtualization. If you want to run windows on a Mac, steer clear of apple silicon chips

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Answer 4

gronesy Author

Level 1

13 points

Jul 30, 2022 8:51 AM in response to BobTheFisherman

Thank you, Bob, for your quick response. I'm not really looking to have anger towards anybody. I'm really just trying to get the full scoop on this from people like yourself who know what they're talking about.

I watched the MacGamingWiki video where he showed how to get a preview version. Is this ONLY for developers? He claims it will run Windows 11 and does not even require a licenses to do so.

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Answer 5

gronesy Author

Level 1

13 points

Jul 30, 2022 8:55 AM in response to weeowey

Thank you weeowey for your thorough and snappy response!

I was brought up using linux before OSX came around. I'm assuming with it being more advanced than Parallels it's also way harder to install and configure?

Do you believe the world will be catching up anytime soon? I'm at a mark where I need a new Mac and the thought of buying an i9 chip machine that will cost probably1000-1500 USD more just to get immediate compatibility does not move me.

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Answer 6

gronesy Author

Level 1

13 points

Jul 30, 2022 8:57 AM in response to WheelieNick

Thanks, WheelieNick for your help here! I appreciate it.

Looks like I'll just have to suffer through my i5 iMac a little bit longer.

Have you run any preview versions of Windows 11 for ARM?

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Windows Gaming On An M1 Mac?

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