1. The MacBook Neo, powered by the Apple A18 Pro SoC, demonstrates surprisingly strong performance in both macOS and Windows 11 gaming tasks.
2. Virtualization with Parallels Desktop allows for effective gaming on Windows 11 ARM, especially for games without native macOS versions.
3. The system can handle demanding games like Dirt 3, Portal 2, and Skyrim at reasonable framerates, though more resource-intensive titles like GTA V may require additional tools such as Crossover for better performance.
Introduction to the MacBook Neo
The MacBook Neo is a new kind of budget-friendly laptop from Apple, which is quite different because it comes with a mobile processor. This device runs on the Apple A18 Pro chip, the same one that powers the iPhone 16 Pro series. Many assumed that this processor might be a bottleneck, especially since it runs on MacOS, but real-world tests and benchmarks show it’s quite capable.
Performance in MacOS and Windows
Playing MacOS games on the Neo, the A18 SoC does better than what many expected. The device’s performance isn’t just limited to MacOS, as ETA Prime tested Windows 11 through virtualization software. Surprisingly, the Windows experience was quite impressive considering the hardware limitations.
Using Virtualization for Windows 11
ETA Prime used Parallels Desktop to run Windows 11 on the MacBook Neo. Other free options like UTM and VMware Fusion were tried, but they didn’t perform as well. It’s important to note that Windows 11 was tested via ARM version, without any x86 emulation, which helps keep performance smoother. The laptop’s RAM was allocated to 5 GB, which is tight since the device only has 8 GB total.
Gaming Performance and Tests
The focus of the gaming tests was on titles that don’t have native macOS versions, making virtualization a suitable option. Games like Marvel Cosmic Invasion ran at about 60 FPS at max settings. Dirt 3 was tested at 1200p resolution on high settings and managed around 75 FPS. Portal 2 at medium settings stayed above 100 FPS, and Skyrim kept steady at about 60 FPS at 1200p with medium visuals.
Running Demanding Games Like GTA V
GTA V didn’t hit a playable frame rate on the MacBook Neo using Parallels, but with special software like Crossover, which relies on Wine and Proton layers, it’s possible to play smoothly. Overall, the performance of Parallels on this setup is quite notable, considering the limited RAM. For more detailed insights, check out the video linked below.
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