Everybody knows Macs don’t set the gaming world on fire, though Apple silicon has made some inroads. So while plenty of Mac users enjoy Apple Arcade and use Apple hardware to play games, many turn to other means. We’ve seen plenty a hybrid Mac – PC computer setups out there.
But today’s featured setup takes another course to gaming satisfaction. It’s owner, who describes himself as an “old gamer,” divides his time between work via an M1 MacBook Pro and gaming on a Valve Steam Deck.
This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.
14-inch M1 Pro MacBook for work, Valve Steam Deck for gaming
Redditor DefinitionStrong (“DS”) showcased the setup in a post entitled, “Macbook for work, Steamdeck for gaming.”
DS uses a 14-inch M1 Pro MacBook for work with a rather nice 27-inch LG 5K IPS display. Its key features are 5120 x 2880 pixel resolution, 99% coverage of the DCI-P3 color spectrum, 500 nits of brightness, 94W power delivery through a Thunderbolt 3 port plus three USB-C ports.
But he turns to another machine for gaming.
Valve Steam Deck for AAA gaming
In his case, it’s a Steam Deck from Valve Corp., a somewhat new handheld 256GB console that interacts with a PC gamer’s Steam library.
Released in February, the machine features a 7-inch touchscreen, two trackpads under its control sticks, 256GB SSD NVMe internal storage, a micro SD slot for expanded storage and a carrying case. You can dock it to a monitor or a TV and use it as a PC.
A commenter asked about the Steam Deck’s performance.
“Very satisfied with it,” DS replied, referring to some key stats. “I played Eldenring for over 160 hours and got all achievements. It delivered 40fps with 2-2.5 hours of battery time.”
Another person zeroed in on what is most likely a sticking point for some Stream Deck users. “Isn’t it annoying playing on such a small screen?” they asked.
“It can be, but as an old gamer who has two kids, it is a just blessing to be able to play AAA PC games anytime, anywhere!” DS replied.
Paired HomePod minis
While DS gets his gaming fix via a form of PC, he’s all-Apple in the audio department. He plays his tunes in stereo via paired HomePod minis or on AirPods Pro or AirPods Max.
A commenter expressed some doubt about DS’s paired HomePod minis.
“Do you use the home pod minis as computer speakers?” they asked. “I thought about doing that but read that they are annoying to set up.”
“Yes, it is hard for me to use actual PC speakers,” DS replied. “It is not a problem to listen to music and watch movies, YouTube, but as PC speakers for work and Zoom calls, it is not good due to some delays. So I use the speaker of my monitor then.”
And by the way, if you like the desktop wallpaper on the display, you can find it here.
Shop these items now:
Computers and dock:
Display:
Input devices:
Audio:
If you would like to see your setup featured on Cult of Mac, send some high-res pictures to info+setups@cultofmac.com. Please provide a detailed list of your equipment. Tell us what you like or dislike about your setup, and fill us in on any special touches or challenges.
