Gaming on iPad Pro vs MacBook Pro

CoachcasaCoachcasa
Posted:
in Mac Software
I typically play more casual games and I generally use my iPad Pro 11" for entertainment-reading, video, and casual games (cards, crossword puzzles, board games, etc.), and I use my MacBook Pro for work. I do play a few games on my MacBook Pro such as WGT golf of Football Manager. What I don't play are action type games. However, my young son has really gotten into Star Wars and I am thinking about giving Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic a try. Before I spend the $10 I'm trying to figure out if games like this are better played on the iPad Pro or MacBook Pro? My MacBook Pro has more horsepower (2018 2.2 GHz i7 processor-16gb RAM) and a larger screen (15"), but it's easier and more comfortable to hold the iPad Pro and play. I'm not sure which battery gives you more gameplay? What I don't know is if it's easier to control games like this with the MacBook Pro trackpad or using my fingers on the iPad? If anyone can shed some light for me on which device is best for these types of games I'd appreciate it.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 2
    Daisy25Daisy25 Posts: 3member
    I don't play any games on my MacBook Pro. It is not actually made for gaming plus I have PS4 to play my games :)

  • Reply 2 of 2
    jdb8167jdb8167 Posts: 626member
    Coachcasa said:
    I typically play more casual games and I generally use my iPad Pro 11" for entertainment-reading, video, and casual games (cards, crossword puzzles, board games, etc.), and I use my MacBook Pro for work. I do play a few games on my MacBook Pro such as WGT golf of Football Manager. What I don't play are action type games. However, my young son has really gotten into Star Wars and I am thinking about giving Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic a try. Before I spend the $10 I'm trying to figure out if games like this are better played on the iPad Pro or MacBook Pro? My MacBook Pro has more horsepower (2018 2.2 GHz i7 processor-16gb RAM) and a larger screen (15"), but it's easier and more comfortable to hold the iPad Pro and play. I'm not sure which battery gives you more gameplay? What I don't know is if it's easier to control games like this with the MacBook Pro trackpad or using my fingers on the iPad? If anyone can shed some light for me on which device is best for these types of games I'd appreciate it.
    The 2018 MacBook Pro uses a Core i7-8750H running at 2.2 GHz or a Core i7-8850H at 2.6 GHz. Alternatively it can be a Core i9-8950HK running  at 2.9 GHz. It can also be configured with a Radeon Pro 555X with 4GB of GDDR5 memory or a Radeon Pro 560X. Those will give slightly different graphics performance. The high end model can also have a Radeon Pro Vega 16 or Radeon Pro Vega 20 with 4GB of HBM2 memory. These will be faster.

    The 2018 iPad Pro uses the A12X which has an integrated GPU. This GPU is slower than the discrete     graphics found on the 15" MacBook Pro but still pretty decent and much better than the integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630 found on the MacBook Pro. 

    The iPad will almost certainly get better battery life compared to running the MacBook Pro with the discrete graphics. Performance on the Geek Bench Metal compute test for the iPad Pro is about 9000. For the MacBook Pro discrete graphics it will range from around 13000 to around 19000. In all cases considerably faster than the iPad Pro.

    So in general, the MacBook Pro will be faster but probably eat battery faster as well. As for controls, it depends on what you prefer. In general, the best gamers use a keyboard and mouse but not everyone will be at that level or need to be.
    edited June 2020
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