Steam, is download safe on Mac?

Question

Steam, is download safe on Mac?

After finding out that Clean my Mac slows down and leaves Mac users open to code violations/attacks, I'm asking is Steam okay to download on newer Macs?

Any issues recently (2020-2023)?

Posted on Nov 6, 2023 7:31 AM

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Answer 1

Michaju

Level 1

92 points

Nov 6, 2023 8:07 AM in response to OutsideShooter

If your Mac is still supported by Apple you shouldn't replace it.

It's not about hardware but technology that supports Rosetta and Apple Silicon chips. Apple procesors are ARM (mobile) porcesorss (like found in your phone or IoT devices etc.). Rosetta allows instructions (rules how software could work) written for "normal" processors like Intel or AMD work on Apple Silicon chips. Translation (emulation) itself could be sometimes "faulty" in terms of non ARM based (x86_64 apps) application complexity.

You could find more information about Rosetta here.

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Answer 2

Nov 6, 2023 1:29 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thanks Grant and from all of that I took this as the nugget of helpful advice; "There will always be threats to your information security associated with using any Internet - connected communications tool:

You can mitigate those threats by following commonsense practices
Delegating that responsibility to software is an ineffective defense
Assuming that any product will protect you from those threats is a hazardous attitude that is likely to result in neglecting point #1 above.

macOS already includes everything it needs to protect itself from viruses and malware. Keep it that way with software updates from Apple.."

And I will say as an imperfect human, I do this to the very best of my abilities and thus far have not succumbed to, nor been affected by any problems that I am aware of

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Answer 3

Michaju

Level 1

92 points

Nov 6, 2023 7:41 AM in response to OutsideShooter

Hello,

Steam officialy supports newer Macs (with Apple Silicon) through Rosetta 2. Everything should be working fine (security wise too) but you could experience visual glitches or slow downs. Here you can check if app is Apple Silicon ready.

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Answer 4

Nov 6, 2023 7:50 AM in response to Michaju

Michaju,

So I am using the Studio M1 Max, and it appears, from your helpful link, that upgrading to the new M3 would be the best, if spendy, solution at this time?

"Steam can only run on Apple Silicon M1 and M2 Macs through Apple's Rosetta 2 translation technology. It's essential to note that while Rosetta allows the application to run, some performance limitations and inconsistencies might occur compared to running natively."

And I have no knowledge of Rosetta

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Answer 5

Nov 6, 2023 8:09 AM in response to OutsideShooter

No, the M3 will offer no technical solutions, you are reading things in that are simply not stated there.

--------

IF: the developer has produced well-behaved Intel 64-bit Mac code that works properly and does not invoke Intel Virtualization instructions directly...

(Steam is such software, Android development environments for Mac are NOT.)

THEN: the Roettas-2 Emulator will be invoked on first run on an Apple-Silicon Mac.

Rosetta-2 pre-transalates portions of the Intel code to Apple-silicon code and adds them to the Application on your disk.

The rest is emulated as it runs.

Your application will run CORRECTLY.

IF the total emulated software package is speedy enough, it MAY also run in an appropriately-responsive way. Since a lot of Steam-based Applications are games or game-like software, this stops short of "it runs fine" or "you will not notice" sort of recommendations.

https://www.computerworld.com/article/3597949/everything-you-need-to-know-about-rosetta-2-on-apple-silicon-macs.html

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Answer 6

WheelieNick

Level 8

37,679 points

Nov 6, 2023 8:09 AM in response to OutsideShooter

Steam is okay but it is not designed for the M series chips. So it uses rosetta (automatically) to run. I run steam on my M1 Mac and I don't notice anything about Rosetta running, it just works

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Answer 7

Nov 6, 2023 8:10 AM in response to OutsideShooter

<<. Clean my Mac slows down and leaves Mac users open to code violations/attacks. >>

Effective defenses against malware and other threats

.

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Answer 8

Nov 6, 2023 1:25 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Grant,

It's a bit more complicated than I ever imagined. So ultimately it works now, and it will continue to work, until it does't. Okay, at some point I'll try a game

Thanks

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Steam, is download safe on Mac?

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