Ethical Hacking News
Cyberpunk 2077 has finally arrived on Mac, but the experience is far from seamless. In this article, we'll delve into the world of PC gaming on Apple's M-series laptops, exploring the challenges and triumphs that come with playing a graphically intense game like Cyberpunk 2077.
Cyberpunk 2077 is available on Mac and runs relatively smoothly even on lower-end machines. The default graphics settings often push resolutions down, resulting in a loss of visual fidelity. Adjusting graphics settings manually can achieve smoother performance and optimal visuals. A more powerful machine (e.g., M4 MacBook Pro or Air with 16-core GPU) is recommended for a smooth experience.
Apple has been touting its Mac ecosystem as a viable option for gamers, but the arrival of CD Projekt Red's Cyberpunk 2077 puts this claim to the test. In our latest review, we put the game through its paces on various Apple M-series laptops, from budget-friendly MacBook Airs to high-end MacBook Pros.
For those who may have missed it, Cyberpunk 2077 is now available on Mac, and while it's not a native console port, it's still a remarkable achievement given the challenges of adapting a PC game for Apple's proprietary hardware. The good news is that it runs relatively smoothly, even on lower-end machines.
However, the bad news lies in the graphics settings. CD Projekt Red has opted to default to the "For this Mac" preset, which adjusts resolution and other visual settings based on the specific machine running the game. While this might seem like a convenient solution for Apple fans, it's actually a recipe for frustration.
On our test machines, the default settings consistently pushed resolutions down, even on more powerful laptops. The result was a loss of visual fidelity, with textures and details appearing muddled or missing altogether. It wasn't until we manually adjusted graphics settings that we were able to achieve smoother performance.
One notable exception is the MacBook Pro 16 with M4 Pro, which allows for ray tracing at higher resolutions without sacrificing too much frame rate. This level of performance is still impressive, especially considering the power constraints of most MacBooks.
Our review highlights the importance of understanding your machine's capabilities and adjusting graphics settings accordingly. While Apple has made significant strides in adapting PC games for its ecosystem, there's still work to be done before the experience feels truly console-like.
For now, Cyberpunk 2077 on Mac is a mixed bag of promises and challenges. With careful tuning and an understanding of your machine's limitations, you can still enjoy this graphically intense game on Apple's M-series laptops. However, don't expect it to feel like playing on the console – that's still the domain of PC gaming.
In terms of specific hardware recommendations, we've outlined our findings below. If you're looking to play Cyberpunk 2077 on your Mac, here are a few key takeaways:
* For a smooth experience, aim for at least an M4 MacBook Pro or Air with a 16-core GPU.
* Be prepared to adjust graphics settings manually to achieve optimal performance.
* Ray tracing and higher resolutions can still be achieved with more powerful machines.
In the world of PC gaming on Macs, Cyberpunk 2077 marks an important milestone. As the ecosystem continues to evolve, we'll need to find ways to balance power consumption with visual fidelity. For now, though, our review provides a detailed look at what you can expect from this incredible game on Apple's M-series laptops.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/Cyberpunk-2077-on-Mac-A-Mixed-Bag-of-Promises-and-Challenges-ehn.shtml
https://gizmodo.com/cyberpunk-2077-makes-the-future-of-mac-gaming-look-a-lot-like-a-pc-2000632203
Published: Wed Jul 23 07:05:25 2025 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
