MacBook Neo Gaming Performance: Surprising Results Across 10 Popular Titles
Apple’s introduction of the MacBook Neo, powered by the A18 Pro chip, has sparked curiosity about its gaming capabilities. This budget-friendly, fanless laptop features a 6-core CPU, a 5-core GPU, and 8GB of unified memory. While these specifications may seem modest compared to traditional gaming laptops, recent tests reveal that the MacBook Neo can handle several popular games, especially when developers optimize them for macOS or when the games have lighter system requirements.
Testing Methodology
Tech reviewer Andrew Tsai conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the MacBook Neo’s gaming performance. Using a 512GB model, he tested ten different games, including some through Nintendo Switch emulation. The results provide valuable insights into how this entry-level MacBook handles various gaming scenarios.
Game Performance Breakdown
1. Cyberpunk 2077
– Settings: 720p resolution with settings adjusted below the lowest preset.
– Performance: The game was barely playable, but the fact that it launched and ran at all on this hardware was unexpected.
2. Minecraft Java Edition
– Settings: 1080p resolution with optimization mods and the Fast preset.
– Performance: Achieved 200 to 300 FPS. Adding shaders reduced performance to around 50 to 60 FPS, but gameplay remained smooth.
3. World of Warcraft
– Settings: 1080p resolution with Graphics Preset 7 in open areas; reduced to 50% resolution scale and Preset 3 in crowded zones.
– Performance: Maintained smooth gameplay, adjusting settings as needed based on in-game environments.
4. Control
– Settings: 1080p resolution with Low graphics settings and MetalFX upscaling from 540p.
– Performance: Frame rates stayed around 40 to 50 FPS, even during intense combat sequences.
5. Resident Evil Requiem
– Performance: Became unplayable due to the system quickly reaching the 8GB memory limit, leading to heavy reliance on swap storage.
6. Resident Evil 2 Remake
– Settings: Default settings with MetalFX upscaling from 540p.
– Performance: Ran smoothly, providing a stable and playable experience.
7. Counter-Strike 2
– Performance: Failed to run properly and remained completely unplayable on this configuration.
8. Elden Ring
– Settings: Attempted at a 450p window.
– Performance: Struggled heavily with memory limitations and could not reach playable frame rates.
9. Dark Souls Remastered
– Settings: 1080p resolution with lowered graphics settings.
– Performance: Delivered near 60 FPS, offering a smooth gaming experience.
10. Mewgenics
– Performance: Ran flawlessly through CrossOver, benefiting from its lightweight 2D OpenGL design.
Emulation Performance
Switch emulation using a Ryujinx fork occasionally reached 30 FPS but suffered from noticeable stuttering during shader compilation.
Conclusion
The MacBook Neo demonstrates that Apple’s entry-level laptop can handle several games when settings are adjusted appropriately and memory demands are kept in check. However, the strict 8GB unified memory limit poses challenges for more demanding modern titles. These findings suggest that while the MacBook Neo isn’t a gaming powerhouse, it offers respectable performance for casual gaming and less demanding titles.
