Playing AAA Games on Parallels MacBook Pro M1: A Mixed Bag

The recent release of Apple's new MacBook Pros with the M1 Pro and M1 Max processors has generated significant buzz in the tech community. Some enthusiasts have been eager to test these laptops' gaming capabilities, particularly with virtual machine software like Parallels. In this article, we'll explore how well AAA games perform on the 16-inch MacBook Pro M1 Max-powered laptop using Parallels.

As expected, the results are a mixed bag. While some titles loaded and ran smoothly, others failed to launch or experienced significant performance issues. We tested several popular AAA games, including Far Cry New Dawn, Metro Exodus, Grand Theft Auto V, Borderlands 3, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, DiRT 5, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and Red Dead Redemption 2.

Far Cry New Dawn, Metro Exodus, and Grand Theft Auto V all loaded and played well enough. However, Borderlands 3 loaded but failed to run, highlighting the distinction between loading a game and running it smoothly. Unfortunately, titles like Assassin's Creed Valhalla, DiRT 5, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and Red Dead Redemption 2 did not load at all.

Our goal was to put these games through their paces using our standard performance tests to gauge the results. Given the impressive specs on paper of the M1 Pro and M1 Max processors, we expected better gaming performance from these laptops. Unfortunately, our testing revealed lower-than-expected frame rate numbers.

While both MacBook Pros are significant upgrades over previous Apple notebooks and some competitive laptops, they still fall short when it comes to gaming performance. If you're considering purchasing one of these laptops for gaming purposes, you may want to look elsewhere or consider other options that cater more specifically to your gaming needs.

In conclusion, while Parallels offers a viable way to run Windows games on the new Apple laptops, the results are far from stellar. If you have any questions or concerns about this article, please don't hesitate to reach out. We're committed to delivering accurate and helpful information to support your tech-related purchasing decisions.

Parallels macbook pro m1