how does the base MacBook Air M4 perform in gaming? for example, in the game Teardown.
iPhone 15, iOS 18
Teardown from Tuxedo Labs is not supported on macOS.
I would not typically choose to game on a Windows Arm guest running within a virtual machine on macOS.
For other specific games, check with the game vendor for their hardware requirements and recommendations.
The M4 MacBook Air has a plain M4 chip, and thus a fairly entry-level GPU.
The GPUs in plain M-series chips are probably stronger than most Intel integrated GPUs, and suitable for casual Mac gaming, but if you were running a program that was really demanding (like X-Plane with settings turned up), you might want the stronger GPU in a M4 Pro chip or even a M4 Max chip.
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As far as running Windows games, you cannot run Intel versions of Windows natively on a M4 MacBook Air. You can only run Windows 11 for ARM within a virtual machine. If your game is built only for Windows/Intel – and not Windows/ARM – there will be an extra layer of Intel emulation.
If you drill down to the Windows for ARM FAQ, you find this: "Certain games don't work. Games and apps might not work if they rely on "anti-cheat" drivers that aren't made for Windows 11 Arm-based PCs."
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If you want to run native Mac games, or iPad games that are available for Macs with Apple Silicon, then I'd suggest deciding on which chip you need (M4, M4 Pro, M4 Max) based on the game's requirements.
If your main goal in getting a notebook is to run Windows games, then you might be better off buying a high-end Windows notebook that has been designed for the purpose of being a gaming PC.
ligr wrote:
in general, how is the MacBook for gaming?
More than adequate for the Apple Arcade games and for the other available games in the Mac App Store, and less than adequate for those games requiring Microsoft Windows and/or discrete graphics.
Some discussions:
Geforce Now works well on my M4 Air. I get 60 fps in Assassin's Creed Shadows using it. Your internet connection needs to be fast otherwise it works on pretty modest hardware.
Marko1965 wrote:
• Can the New MBA M4 play resident evil 4 remake ?
Apple M4 chip with 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
There is a game called Resident Evil 4 (no "Remake") in the App Store. There are versions for Macs, iPads, and iPhones. It appears to be yet another game that is chock full of "in-app purchases."
in general, how is the MacBook for gaming?
but I'd like to use the ecosystem. although, yeah—I think a windows laptop would be better for gaming.
thanks everyone for your replies, i'll think about whether to buy it or not.
Can the New MBA M4 play resident evil 4 remake ?
how does the base MacBook Air M4 perform in gaming?
