will this MacBook play WOW and Overwatch?

[Peepo]

purchasing a macbook for my kid to use primarily for school but will he be able to play wow and ow on it as well (numbers below)? he currently uses the playstation for OW, i'm hoping I can drag my feet on purchasing the PS5 for him and he can use the laptop till xmas 2021

1.1GHz dual-core 10th-generation Intel Core i3 processor, Turbo Boost up to 3.2GHz
8GB 3733MHz LPDDR4X memory
256GB SSD storage
Intel Iris Plus Graphics

[Temp name]

For WoW: Play it? Sure. Play it well? No. He's not going to be raiding on that, I'm not even sure he'll be doing mythic+.
As for OW? I'm honestly not sure. I don't have enough experience with OW on low-spec machines to be able to tell you if it'll even be playable, but it won't run well.

And that's ignoring that it's going to be practically impossible to multi task on since it's only a dual-core and 8gb of RAM..
I'd honestly recommend getting 16gb of RAM and a quad-core, just to make it smoother to use.

Also, assuming it's a MacBook Air? You'll want to get something to cool it down, since the heatsink *SUCKS* on them. That's fine for their intended use, but really, really bad for sustained loads, even light or medium loads like gaming. I believe they're limited to ~10W for the CPU and GPU total, which is.. Bad.

[Babadoo]

Who the fuck buys macbooks honestly.

[Jonnusthegreat]

A macbook won't even play a shitty free steam game well. Macs are built for productivity, not gaming. Laptops in general are not good for gaming unless you pay at least $1200, and not mac.

[yomammyass]

WoW bfa will run, but it will have terrible performance. WOW Classic will run fine though.
Overwatch needs windows OS and also this will have bad performance issues.
You will need a laptop with a dedicated graphic card, which all of the 15 inch macbooks have.
Or you can buy that 13 macbook and then purchase an external graphic card to make those run better.

Overall I would recommend for you to go for the 15 inch model if you are notoriously staying with Apple

[seamnstr]

Low end macbooks are a rip off. You could get this for the same price:
https://www.microcenter.com/product/...mputer---black

8 core processor instead of 2. 2 cores are plainly just outdated and has been outdated for a few years.
Twice as big SSD 512 instead of 256. 256 gb is quite small if you consider just putting WoW and overwatch on it requires almost 100gb.
Dedicated graphic card that actually lets you play not only overwatch and wow but modern demanding games.
144 hz refresh rate display, awesome for gaming, though the apple probably is better display if you are a graphical designer.

[Nevarosx]

purchasing a macbook for my kid to use primarily for school but will he be able to play wow and ow on it as well (numbers below)? he currently uses the playstation for OW, i'm hoping I can drag my feet on purchasing the PS5 for him and he can use the laptop till xmas 2021

1.1GHz dual-core 10th-generation Intel Core i3 processor, Turbo Boost up to 3.2GHz
8GB 3733MHz LPDDR4X memory
256GB SSD storage
Intel Iris Plus Graphics

OP Sorry there's so many unhelpful replies. I currently play on a 2013 MacBook Pro Retina and run both classic wow & BFA at 30-40FPS (sometimes up to 50fps), and it has been very playable for the lifetime of this computer that I bought 7 years ago, and still use today. The way that MacOS handles processes as they relate to storage allows for peak performance while completing one task, and when combined with an SSD, I haven't lost any speed since I've owned this MacBook. Overwatch is another story; it was simply not made to run on MacOS -- for that, a PC is needed or a Switch/Xbox/PS4; I have it on Switch, PC, and Xbox & it's really all about preference as to what platform you would prefer. Your kid will enjoy having a MacBook for multiple functions; if they don't know how to build a computer on their own and deal with the hassle of windows updates and random things not working on a custom desktop, a MacBook is one of your best choices.
Please ignore the people that hate apple and think that their products are too expensive and "sHoULD haVE GoT ANDROId"; because this 2013 MacBook Pro Retina has lasted the test of time, and this comes from someone who has a Desktop that can mine bitcoin.

[Temp name]

Who the fuck buys macbooks honestly.

OP, clearly.

Macbooks aren’t good at gaming in my experience. Add in their piss poor design in recent years and I’d avoid them like the plague.

Piss poor from a heat management point of view at least. They really need better heat sinks and be willing to actually turn on the fan

A macbook won't even play a shitty free steam game well. Macs are built for productivity, not gaming. Laptops in general are not good for gaming unless you pay at least $1200, and not mac.

Just saying, but "productivity" is way too broad of a thing to say. Word docs and movie rendering are both productivity, but one can run on a Raspberry pi, and the other requires server farms.
Macbooks are designed with form over function, even their high end products.

[NineSpine]

OP, clearly.

Piss poor from a heat management point of view at least. They really need better heat sinks and be willing to actually turn on the fan

Just saying, but "productivity" is way too broad of a thing to say. Word docs and movie rendering are both productivity, but one can run on a Raspberry pi, and the other requires server farms.
Macbooks are designed with form over function, even their high end products.

That’s bullshit. The problem here is the assumption that horsepower = function and everything else = form. MacBooks have amazing trackpads, and with the exception of the recent keyboard debacle, have amazing keyboards. The screens are great, the OS is integrated with trackpad use in a way windows can’t touch, I could go on and on.

I’ve worked as a video editor and as a software engineer, and in both cases I used a MacBook as my primary tool and it was phenomenal in both cases.

Also, wow will run fine on low settings on that computer. Everyone here saying it won’t is full of shit.

[chazus]

I currently play on a 2013 MacBook Pro Retina and run both classic wow & BFA at 30-40FPS (sometimes up to 50fps)

It's a bit difficult to compare a 4th gen i7 that goes from 2.3.-3.5ghz with 4 cores, 8 threads.. to a 10th gen i3 that goes from 1.1-3.2ghz with 2 cores, 4 threads. These are two completely different systems so saying "My macbook does this" is not really any indication if the new one can, considering it's significantly weaker specs. Not saying it can't, but comparing the two is a further stretch than comparing current competing hardware.

That said, OP. As some have indicated, will it play games? Yes. Will it play them well? Not really. I guess the biggest question is, is there something that requires a macbook? If you're going to be dropping $1200-1400 on a laptop, are you doing that because of a requirement, or because something like "People say macs are easier to use"

[lloose]

I love my MacBook. I know it’s strengths and weaknesses though. Gaming is not one of its strengths but it’s fine for random dailies while traveling and bored in a hotel room. For things like school, travel, or personal computing needs, I prefer MacBooks over pc based laptops.

I’ve said this before but comparing pc to Mac is like comparing a Porsche and a John Deere tractor because they both have 4 wheels.

[Peepo]

so this would be a "not recommended"... thanks, all!

it's really for him to do school work, was just curious if it was at all capable of playing blizz games. he has alternatives to play the those games already this wouldn't be the primary way for him to play either of them.

[Kagthul]

Who the fuck buys macbooks honestly.

More people than buy any other single brand of computer.

[lloose]

so this would be a "not recommended"... thanks, all!

it's really for him to do school work, was just curious if it was at all capable of playing blizz games. he has alternatives to play the those games already this wouldn't be the primary way for him to play either of them.

This is how I use my computers. Photos, music, videos, personal documents, etc stay on my MacBook. Anything gaming or work related is on my desktop. Works great.

[Kagthul]

Macbooks are designed with form over function, even their high end products.

This is not remotely true.

Theyre designed for the function they are used for, which is not gaming.

Theyre no thinner or more "form over function" than a Razer Blade (in fact if you put the two next to each other, they are a LOT alike), except Razer uses gaming-capable GPUs, because theyre a gaming company.

People on this forum, by and large, are EXTREMELY bad (nearly incapable, sometimes) of removing their own use-cases/personal experience/personal "needs" out of their mind when looking at things.

The fact is, few to none of the people who post here are the target audience for a MacBook (though i use a 2014 MacBook Pro as my daily driver because Windows for daily driving is asstastic).

MOST people dont do anything on their computers, particularly their laptops, that couldn't be handled by a 200$ Chromebook fairly well.

Im not saying Apple doesnt misfire - they do. As a lifelong Apple user, there are lots of their products that have left me doing the Jackie-Chan "?" Meme IRL.

The second MacBook (not the old White Ones that were CoreDuos when they first swapped to Intel - the new super slim one) was a definite misfire. It was basically the Apple version of a Chromebook but it cost too damn much.

Thats why they cut it and replaced it with the revived MacBook Air.

But the entire concept of "its all form over function" is just bunk.

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Insert the /Asciipicardfacepalm here.

This is exactly the shit im talking about. You're pretending that that machine is spec-comparable to a MacBook Pro. It is not. You're seizing on a single spec (or maybe 2) and trying to say the rest is all the same.

Low end macbooks are a rip off. You could get this for the same price:
https://www.microcenter.com/product/...mputer---black

8 core processor instead of 2.

The base MacBook Pro model is 4 cores/8 threads. Yeah, the Macbook Air is only 2/4 at the base config.... but its also literally ONE THIRD of the weight of that Asus brick. The entire point of carrying something like the Air is BECAUSE it is super thin and light.

2 cores are plainly just outdated and has been outdated for a few years.

... .funny, the LG Gram still comes with a 2/4 CPU. Its almost like different form factors are different.

Twice as big SSD 512 instead of 256. 256 gb is quite small if you consider just putting WoW and overwatch on it requires almost 100gb.

Which you're not going to be doing if you own a MacBook Air... since its an ultraportable, not a gaming machine.

Dedicated graphic card that actually lets you play not only overwatch and wow but modern demanding games.
144 hz refresh rate display, awesome for gaming, though the apple probably is better display if you are a graphical designer.

"Is probably better"?

Its LIGHT YEARS better. Full color accuracy. Better resolution. Better external display support. Thunderbolt.

Your problem here is you're comparing a plastic brick gaming laptop with an ultraportable.

Lets compare the MBA with an ultraportable from a PC manufacturer.

Here's the cheapest LG Gram config (though this is actually 15", the 13" is actually more expensive...):

https://www.lg.com/us/laptops/lg-15z...ra-slim-laptop

Thats 1200$.

They dont even offer a 1000$ option.

Now, the Gram was JUST refreshed with 10th gen CPUs, and the MBA was released earlier; when the MBA was released, LG DID offer a 2-core Gram on 9th gen chips.

However, you can kick the MBA up to the exact same CPU as the Gram for 1299. So.. a 100$ "Apple Tax" (and not really, as there are other features where the MBA is better - like the additional Thunderbolt port, etc).

Its almost like you cant realistically compare a giant plastic brick with an ultraportable without looking like a clown.

[lloose]

This is not remotely true.

Theyre designed for the function they are used for, which is not gaming.

Theyre no thinner or more "form over function" than a Razer Blade (in fact if you put the two next to each other, they are a LOT alike), except Razer uses gaming-capable GPUs, because theyre a gaming company.

People on this forum, by and large, are EXTREMELY bad (nearly incapable, sometimes) of removing their own use-cases/personal experience/personal "needs" out of their mind when looking at things.

The fact is, few to none of the people who post here are the target audience for a MacBook (though i use a 2014 MacBook Pro as my daily driver because Windows for daily driving is asstastic).

MOST people dont do anything on their computers, particularly their laptops, that couldn't be handled by a 200$ Chromebook fairly well.

Im not saying Apple doesnt misfire - they do. As a lifelong Apple user, there are lots of their products that have left me doing the Jackie-Chan "?" Meme IRL.

The second MacBook (not the old White Ones that were CoreDuos when they first swapped to Intel - the new super slim one) was a definite misfire. It was basically the Apple version of a Chromebook but it cost too damn much.

Thats why they cut it and replaced it with the revived MacBook Air.

But the entire concept of "its all form over function" is just bunk.

I agree with everything here. My MacBook syncs all of the pictures, documents, videos, music, and other documents perfectly with my iPhone and iPad. I can easily edit photos and videos on it. AirDrop is a feature that once you use it, it’s really hard to go without. Mine is a 2016 13” with touch bar. The form factor and build quality are legendary. The display is the nicest display on any laptop I’ve ever seen even compared to the 4K oled display on my work XPS 15.

Not everything has to be gaming oriented to be good. Like Kagthul mentioned even Chromebooks are great for certain people. My nephews use chromebook and love it.

[Kathranis]

WoW can run on a pretty wide array of machines since it's intentionally low spec, but Overwatch isn't available on Mac. Blizzard's support for Mac has generally become a bit spotty in recent years.

If gaming is a priority, laptop + Mac is pretty much the worst possible combo. Not that gaming is impossible, it'll just be severely limited.

[Kagthul]

I agree with everything here. My MacBook syncs all of the pictures, documents, videos, music, and other documents perfectly with my iPhone and iPad. I can easily edit photos and videos on it. AirDrop is a feature that once you use it, it’s really hard to go without. Mine is a 2016 13” with touch bar. The form factor and build quality are legendary. The display is the nicest display on any laptop I’ve ever seen even compared to the 4K oled display on my work XPS 15.

Not everything has to be gaming oriented to be good. Like Kagthul mentioned even Chromebooks are great for certain people. My nephews use chromebook and love it.

Im not plugged into Apple's cloud ecosystem (since while i do use an iPad as my tablet/eReader, i do not use an iPhone), but use Google's stuff instead, and its fairly comparable to me.

And CHromebooks can do just about everything these days, especially now that Crostini (Linux support) is baked in and fairly easy to use (there's a Linux "App Store" that searches compatible respositories and installs Linux apps with one click), and Android apps are supported as well.

It isn't always optimal, but its totally usable.

My Mac stays docked in my office, and when i travel, or out in the living room, i use a Chromebook to do casual non-tablet-friendly computing without needing to get up and hit my office. I can do... 85% of my daily-driving on this thing, and its fast as hell (mind, i have an expensive Chromebook - the Pixel Slate (grabbed on FB Market for cheap AF), but there are very good, fast Chromebooks in the 250-400$ range; the just-released LG Chromebook Duet is really making waves, as a detachable 10" tablet Chromebook + Keyboard Cover + Stylus for 300$, and its actually got decent specs).

And when i travel it will go with me because it weighs like 2lbs or less even with the keyboard cover and stylus and i can Remote Desktop into my MBP at home if i need to do one of the few tasks i cant just do on my Chromebook.

And i stand by my argument about comparing Apples to Apples (.. egads, the bad non-intentional pun) when you're criticizing a Mac.

Yeah, you can get a 1000$ chonk of plastic that is probably "better" (in terms of the most basic meaning of "better", I.E. horsepower only) than the MacBook Air.

But you cant get a spec-equivalent ultraportable (including size, weight, portability, battery life, and connectivity) much cheaper at all.

Apple isn't even IN that space, which i think frustrates/annoys a lot of people (they dont make big chonky plastic things). Even their pro machines (laptops) are lighter, etc - because thats what the people who want to use them want/need. I know.. about a dozen pro-level photographers (4 or 5 who actually do it for a living, and another 7 or so that have degrees and the skills, and do something else for a living) and not a one of them would buy that big plastic chonk.

They might not buy a Mac (most would, but not all) - but theyll be buying something LIKE a Mac.... that is light, portable, and gets a lot of battery life. (The guy i know that does weddings has a Razer Blade Pro, which, when you set it next to my MBP.. looks nearly identical except its black aluminum & magnesium instead of steel colored aluminum & magnesium).

So yeah, Macs aren't for everyone. In other news, water is wet, the sun comes up in the East, and the 'Rona is bad.

[Temp name]

That’s bullshit. The problem here is the assumption that horsepower = function and everything else = form. MacBooks have amazing trackpads, and with the exception of the recent keyboard debacle, have amazing keyboards. The screens are great, the OS is integrated with trackpad use in a way windows can’t touch, I could go on and on.

This is not remotely true.

Theyre designed for the function they are used for, which is not gaming.

Theyre no thinner or more "form over function" than a Razer Blade (in fact if you put the two next to each other, they are a LOT alike), except Razer uses gaming-capable GPUs, because theyre a gaming company.

People on this forum, by and large, are EXTREMELY bad (nearly incapable, sometimes) of removing their own use-cases/personal experience/personal "needs" out of their mind when looking at things.

The fact is, few to none of the people who post here are the target audience for a MacBook (though i use a 2014 MacBook Pro as my daily driver because Windows for daily driving is asstastic).

MOST people dont do anything on their computers, particularly their laptops, that couldn't be handled by a 200$ Chromebook fairly well.

Im not saying Apple doesnt misfire - they do. As a lifelong Apple user, there are lots of their products that have left me doing the Jackie-Chan "?" Meme IRL.

The second MacBook (not the old White Ones that were CoreDuos when they first swapped to Intel - the new super slim one) was a definite misfire. It was basically the Apple version of a Chromebook but it cost too damn much.

Thats why they cut it and replaced it with the revived MacBook Air.

But the entire concept of "its all form over function" is just bunk.

I'm going to answer both of these are the same time:
MacBooks have their place. That place is not in the high-end workplace outside of very, very niche uses due to their low performance per dollar. Are they enough for most people? Yes. But that doesn't mean they aren't form over function. As Kagthul says, most people could make do with a 200 dollar Chromebook, so why pay 5-10x that for a MacBook? Looks and to use it as a status symbol.
People need low-cost, low power laptops, and that's not what Apple produces. They're a luxury brand, and that's fine, but luxury brands are, by definition, form over function. They still work, of course they do, but there's a lot of money wasted on the design that doesn't need to be.

The ecosystem is great too, and there is definite value in having both an iPhone and Apple computer, but unless you're already in the ecosystem, I'd argue it's not worth it.

I’ve worked as a video editor and as a software engineer, and in both cases I used a MacBook as my primary tool and it was phenomenal in both cases.

But was that more because of the programs, or the hardware? Because the hardware is severely lacking for what you pay. Not to mention the lack of easy macroing with multiple keyboards or input devices (from what I know at least). I'd trade the trackpad and final cut pro for more powerful hardware and easy macro support any time, even if it means I have to swap to Adobe products for editing.

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I’ve said this before but comparing pc to Mac is like comparing a Porsche and a John Deere tractor because they both have 4 wheels.

But there is a clear advantage to either. In your example you'd use the Porsche for driving around town, and the tractor for actual work.
Don't get me wrong, as I said above, there is value in Macs, but they aren't the right product for everyone.

[Linkedblade]

purchasing a macbook for my kid to use primarily for school but will he be able to play wow and ow on it as well (numbers below)? he currently uses the playstation for OW, i'm hoping I can drag my feet on purchasing the PS5 for him and he can use the laptop till xmas 2021

1.1GHz dual-core 10th-generation Intel Core i3 processor, Turbo Boost up to 3.2GHz
8GB 3733MHz LPDDR4X memory
256GB SSD storage
Intel Iris Plus Graphics

If you can modify the macbook so that it had a dedicated gpu, then it would be in a better position. Wouldn't hurt to get a laptop cooling pad, too.

Craziest thing you could do, if you're dead set on a macbook, is get an external graphics card dock