Originally Posted by malcolm347
What is that Intel hardware thing coming out for Mac computers ?
Malcolm - in an attempt to offer some straight information.
The Intel based Macs should be available from 2006. Intel have announced that production of it's next generation of chips (the ones likely to be the basis of the new Macs) has been moved forward, so I would expect them sooner rather than later. Apple have said that they would switch the bottom level Macs (Mini and iBook) over first, and the more powerful machines later.
However, just because the machines are Intel based does not mean they will be able to run 'Intel' programs. Most Linux machines are Intel based but cannot run Windows games. There are a number of reasons for this, but it is mostly because the O/S - Tiger, Windows or Linux - allows programmers to develop games without needing to know what hardware your machine is using. In addition, Windows provides the Microsoft specific DirectX 'standard' for accessing 3D cards and soundcards and this is popular with many games programmers.
In short, the move to Intel will not make it much easier for developers to make games work on a Mac. What it will allow you to do is also install Windows on your Mac, and then run the games under Windows. You will have to buy (or steal) a copy of Windows, and you can probably get a new Dell for the same price as a standalone copy of Windows.
The other thing you should know is that Macs in general, and iBooks in particular, are always less 'powerful' than Windows PCs - i.e. the iBook and MacMini have graphics cards that are 'bottom of the range' in PC terms. I don't think this is going to change with the move to Intel based Macs. This isn't because Macs are rip-offs, but because they have a different design philosophy. The Mac is designed for efficiency wheras gaming PCs are designed for power.
My MacMini is silent (unless I fire up a 3D game) - my wife is sat playing games on her top-spec Windows laptop and I can hear the fan over the music.
With the exception of the PowerMac, Apple's preference has always been to wait for the second, low-power version of each generation of graphics cards (i.e. like the slimline Sony PS2 which didn't need a fan).
I don't think that will change with the move to Intel. The iBook of 2006 will have the graphics of a Windows desktop PC from 2003. (Then again a cheap Dell with on-board Intel Extreme graphics won't even be that good. At least the Mac Mini HAS a graphics card).
In summary - if gaming is your passion, I don't think I could honestly advise any Mac except the PowerMac. And if you have that money, get a gaming setup and an iBook. But I'd still go with the iBook and sacrifice the gaming - or change your gaming habits to what's available on the Mac.
Most of the recent Star Wars games have ended up coming out on the Mac - we just have to wait 6 months later for everything.
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