Apple’s Mac machines and gaming don’t quite fit in the same equation, even though the recent trajectory of its Metal architecture has pulled off a few surprises. But it looks like the upcoming M4-tier machines won’t pull any punches, including the Mac mini.
In the latest edition of his Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman writes that for the first time, Apple’s entry-level desktop computer will offer ray-tracing support. For the unaware, it’s a lighting system that adds a whole new level of visual realism to games.
On the flip side, ray tracing is also quite taxing on the local hardware, and needs a capable CPU as well as GPU to deliver the desired results in AAA games. Or to put it in simpler terms, you need a discrete GPU on a computing platform to achieve a meaningful ray-tracing output for shadows and reflections.
Ever since Apple shifted to the M-series silicon, the doors for a discrete GPU have been closed to the Mac lineup. Apple looks set to make a shift, and it could happen starting next week as the new slate of M4-powered Macs is announced.
Now, adding support for ray-tracing would automatically get any gaming enthusiast excited. But the challenge ahead would still be monumental, because all that firepower would be wasted if there simply aren’t enough games to play.
“That should be a boon for gamers, especially if Apple ever gets the Mac’s…
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