What if I told you MacBook Air M3 Can it be also a console? It is not an exaggerated headline or a phrase taken from a science fiction film. For a week, I decided to test my laptop not only as a work tool, but as a videoconsola, and the results surprised me more than I expected.
It has always been said that Macs are not to play, and to some extent, that statement had foundation. His operating system, Macos, has not historically been the favorite platform of developers, and Apple has not put the focus on gaming as Microsoft has done.
Playing with a Macbook Air is possible
But with the arrival of the Apple Silicon chips, the story has begun to change. My macbook air with m3 chip and 16 GB of RAMwithout fans and with an ultrafine design, it has proven to be more than prepared to offer a game experience rather than decent.
I connected a PS5 command by Bluetooth and in a matter of seconds I was already browsing the Steam launcher. Yes, Steam. Many games are not available for macOS, it is true, but there are more and more optimized or compatible titles natively. I started with the simple: Stardew Valley, Hades and Cuphead. Games that do not need ultra graphics to be enjoyable. Everyone ran without problem, with excellent fluidity and without heating or performance falls.
Then I wanted to raise the level: Batman Arkham Citythat I already played on PS4 in his day and I loved it, Sim City 4 Deluxe (the best to relax) and Resident Evil 4. Again, everything perfect. The battery lasted more than expected and the laptop continued to function as if nothing. The absence of fans was not a problem. The m3 maintains a controlled temperature Even in long game sessions, which seemed surprising. At no time I had the feeling of being forcing the machine, which is what worried me the most.
Of course, if you are a gamer of those who need to have the graphics to the maximum4K and 120 fps in triple A titles, the Macbook Air is not your team. Baldur's Gate 3for example, run decently in average adjustments, but it shows that it is at the limit of what the system can offer without compromising fluidity. Titles like Resident Evil Villagewhich is now available in Mac, they also work with optimized adjustments, but here you have to give in resolution or graphic quality. It is not a PlayStation 5 or an RTX 4080, and it does not intend to be.
What is true is that Apple is taking important steps in this direction. The new Game Porting Toolkit has caused some studies to start looking at macOS with other eyes. And with the arrival of services such as Geforce Now, playing in the cloud with a console quality is as simple as having a good Internet connection and opening the browser. In fact, I could play Cyberpunk 2077 at maximum quality from Safari without installing anything else. Pure magic.
My conclusion is clear: the Macbook Air M3 is not a Gamer laptop in the classical sense, but it is more than valid for a vast majority of users who want to play occasionally, without complications, and With good quality. If you already have a command and you have a decent library of compatible games, you don't need anymore. The future of Gaming in Mac paints better than ever, and if Apple follows this path, it is possible that in a few years the phrase “in Mac does not play” is completely obsolete.
So if you wonder if you can use your Mac to play, the answer is yes. It is not a console, but it can behave like an without disheveled. At least, it has been for me.
