How good is Virtual PC for playing modern pc games?

[Sabertj]

IM thinking of buying a 17 inch powerbook, but I wanted to know how good VPC is for using it modern pc games...??? And how much of it slows down the machine.

 

[gsaldivar]

Nearly all "modern" games will be unplayable running under VPC.

On the plus side, SOME "modern" games are also dual platform, eliminating the need for VPC to play them on a Mac.

Edit: Fixed. 🙂

 

[jiffylube1024]

Originally posted by: gsaldivar
Nearly all "modern" games will be unplayable running under VPC.

On the plus side, most "modern" games are also dual platform, eliminating the need for VPC to play them on a Mac.

Replace "most modern games" with "Warcraft 3" and you've got it about right 😉 . That plus a couple of 6-months late ports (ie Max Payne).

Very few modern games are dual platform.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: jiffylube1024

Originally posted by: gsaldivar
Nearly all "modern" games will be unplayable running under VPC.

On the plus side, most "modern" games are also dual platform, eliminating the need for VPC to play them on a Mac.

Replace "most modern games" with "Warcraft 3" and you've got it about right 😉 . That plus a couple of 6-months late ports (ie Max Payne).

Very few modern games are dual platform.

Winner. If you're planning to play a lot of games, don't buy a Mac. End of discussion.

- M4H

 

[oog]

i think virtual pc emulates an S3 video card. if that can handle the game, you might be in good shape 🙂

 

[XZeroII]

If by 'modern game', you mean Duke Nukem 3d, then yea. It will probably be a bit shakey, but it should work.

 

[Brian23]

I don't know about the MAC version of VPC, but the PC version WILL NOT emulate DirectX.

 

[helpme]

I have a PB 17" and use VPC for only VS and PSPICE. There is no way it would be fast enough to play any 'moden' game. It doesn't even have 3D Accleration.

I play my games on my PC.

 

[TheLonelyPhoenix]

Allow me to second everything else that's been said. 🙂 VPC is useless with modern games. It's not even that good with non-game applications.

Unless you're only interested in Blizzard games or the Unreal Tournament series, don't expect to do much gaming on a Mac.

 

[tRaptor]

Speaking as a dual user here.

1. You dont want a mac.
2. You dont want a portable.

 

[DaveSimmons]

If you want to know what PC laptop to get once you give up on Mac gaming, try using Search or Advanced Search (for archived threads) in the General Hardware forum, and/or click the "Mobile" tag at the top of this page to see which mobile graphics chipsets (in PC laptops) offer decent gaming.

Expect to pay twice as much as for a desktop with the same gaming ability. But if you're thinking Mac then money is no object, right?

 

[Sabertj]

Well PC laptop it is..lol Thanks for the help guys

 

[JackMDS]

VPC is a great product, but it was not conceived for games.

It emulates a specific computer regardless of which actual computer it is installed on.

Thee current version is an Intel BX chipset (the chipset that gave us great boards like the BH6).

The Video card is S3Trio (that is it you can Not change it).

Network Card is Intel 10/100 pro.

It can use the Host computer?s Floppy and CD-ROM.

It Can Not use.

USB ports, CD Burner, Modem.

So Games that run well on a BX computer with S3Trio will run well on VPC (that is taking us back 5 years)

More about VPC here: Link to: Microsoft Virtual PC 2004-A Network Perspective.

:sun: