# Sims 2 on Mac Mini



## Kayle12 (Jun 20, 2005)

Hello,

   I am a switcher and I have just switched to a Mac Mini about 1 month ago.

I have ordered the Sims 2, and I'm curious from anyone who owns it, how does it run??

Graphics, Performance, Ect!

Thanks Everyone,

Kayle

Mac Mini, 1.42GHz, 512MB, 80GB, Superdrive, Tiger (10.4.1), iLife '05


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## JetwingX (Jun 20, 2005)

it runs ok on my G5 iMac (just got the game today)

but i think the mac mini meets the minimum requirements to play


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## mdnky (Jun 21, 2005)

I just looked at it yesterday while at the local CompUSA, said the min requirements was a 1.2GHz G4 and an Raedon 9000 or better card.  Recommended a G5.

I know a friend who ran it on a PB 15 (1.5GHz, 64MB video) wasn't happy with the performance.  Not sure how a mini would handle it, but probably not too hot.


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## Ifrit (Jun 26, 2005)

Unfortunally the mac mini isn't suited for current games (although I wouldn't call Sims 2 "the latest" anymore.)
The reason is the meager 32MB vRAM. 
I tried running UT2004 demo on my mac mini > well on bigger levels the gamplay slows down to a slideshow. To be honest, I have the feeling the mini is capable to run most games with a decent performance. UT2004 runs fine if you load only smal 1 - 1 DM maps. But it could run much better.

I don't know why Apple doesn't include more vRAM. I would be willing to spend some more money just for that feature alone. The ATI 9200 is a good choise if you don't want to run the latest and greatest. But even older games are slowed down by the lack of vRAM. (and of most core image features that require HW acceleration have to be processed by the CPU just because of this) 

Even my 1Ghz AMD with 512MB RAM + Geforce 3 can outperform the mini. A nearly over 4 year old system vs. a current gen (low spec) system. (Ok, its a bit apples - oranges - comparison - UT2004 for Win uses Direct3D). But its still sad. 32 Mbyte vRAM, thats so 1999/2000. 

Sorry for hijacking the thread and ranting, I knew of the mac mini's shortcommings before I bought the machine. I use it mainly as server. But it would be so awesome to put it in my backpack in order to carry it to a friend's house and play some rounds of UT2004.


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## donkeypuncher (Jul 15, 2005)

I would not waste my money on The Sims 2 for your mac mini. I have a hard time playing it on my 2.0 imac g5.


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## mw84 (Jul 15, 2005)

> ms 2 "the latest" anymore.)
> The reason is the meager 32MB vRAM.
> I tried running UT2004 demo on my mac mini > well on bigger levels the gamplay slows down to a slideshow. To be honest, I have the feeling the mini is capable to run most games with a decent performance. UT2004 runs fine if you load only smal 1 - 1 DM maps. But it could run much better.



UT2k4 runs perfectly fine on my emac (no noticeable lagging or other problems) which is only 1.25Ghz with a 32mb graphics card, on all the levels I've played and various ones online with multiplayer.


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## a2daj (Jul 18, 2005)

I would consider The Sims 2 one of "the latest" games.  It uses the latest OpenGL features, including ones that Apple doesn't have hardware acceleration for yet (GLSL shader programs).  Aspyr considers it's graphic engine more advanced than Doom 3 in terms of the complexity and technology used.


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## steve_bris (Jul 26, 2005)

I've got a mac mini (1.42 GHz, 512 Mb RAM) and got my copy of the Sims 2 yesterday.  It works fine, although it does slow down occasionally if there's a lot happening on the screen and you scroll around.  But apart from that it plays really well.


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