I remember when I got my first MacBook Pro, almost ten years ago now. I was so jazzed by the idea of having a higher-powered laptop, and one that could even play games. But my excitement was dashed soon after installing Steam, when realising just how few games actually supported Mac. Even with all that power under the hood, I clicked on game after game, to find ‘Windows Only’ on most homepages. It’s why playing Cyberpunk 2077 on my MacBook Pro M4 (2024) feels so good.
It feels like the answer to a promise made years ago. It’s also a revelation about the capacity of modern Mac laptops, and just how well they perform.
Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the newer AAA game releases for the device, following swiftly on from Assassin’s Creed Shadows, which performs excellently. Likewise, Cyberpunk 2077 runs solidly and smoothly on MacBook Pro, maintaining a steady frame rate (around 50FPS on ‘For My Mac’ settings) with minimal disruptions.
Now, that does come with a caveat. The game kicks up the device’s fans quite a bit, so I got a forceful hum as I roamed. The laptop also heated up fairly quickly, and it was clear the device was putting in work to get Cyberpunk 2077 running so cleanly. As you play, you’ll be hyper-aware of how much you’re pushing your laptop, depending on how high-spec it is. For reference, my laptop has an M4 and 48GB of memory to play with, so it’s no pushover. It’s just that Cyberpunk 2077 is a demanding game.
On PC, the recommended power is a Core i7 / Ryzen 7 with a GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER and 16GB RAM or above, so you can see how the MacBook Pro M4 stacks up.
Cyberpunk 2077 is just the latest AAA game to hit Apple devices
Even blasting through Night City in my beaten up car, chased by police (I was briefly using touchpad controls before sense got to me, and I may have run something over that I shouldn’t have), the game maintained a steady frame rate. Even with pedestrians populating crowded areas, it maintained its commitment.
Read: Cyberpunk 2077 feels fantastic on Nintendo Switch 2
I was particularly impressed that it looked so clean while I was running through the opening skirmish that kicks off Cyberpunk 2077‘s Phantom Liberty expansion. In a gunfight, you really need reliable aim with little shake or fuss, and this version of the game delivered just that, allowing me to reach Songbird and embark on a reprisal of Phantom Liberty‘s first steps.
With crisp UI, snappy movement and loading, the entire experience was a buttery-smooth dream.
As I explored elsewhere, charting neon city streets and observing cool, well-shaded sunsets, I couldn’t help but think about how far Apple has come, in its gaming ambitions. I remember well how few games had Mac compatibility, just ten years ago.
Checking out my games library recently, I was surprised to find most of my recent purchases (made largely for my beloved Steam Deck) were compatible with Mac, as well. That included everything from new AAA games, to smaller indies that might previously have skipped Mac for reasons of resourcing. While there are still notable exceptions (I think Final Fantasy XVI might completely boggle a Mac laptop), it feels like Apple has finally turned a corner.
With new gen processors on board, and an improved focus on compact performance and power, new MacBooks are steadily approaching parity with gaming PCs, becoming an important facet in the world of ‘PC Gaming.’ Where previously, the laptops weren’t even in the gaming conversation, now, they’re playing blockbuster games like Cyberpunk 2077, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, and Resident Evil 4 with relative ease.
It feels like a whole new era. One specifically where those who prefer a clean working interface and streamlined apps can easily pair work needs and gaming wants in a singular device. In fact, the idea of having two laptops for dual needs has begun to look passé.
We’re not quite at one-to-one parity yet, and a well-built gaming PC absolutely still trumps the Apple MacBook ecosystem on performance capacity and customisation. But for those looking for a solid gaming companion, who also need a sleek laptop for work, the latest MacBook Pro models are incredibly handy companions. Playing Cyberpunk 2077 on my device only cemented this fact for me.
A copy of Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate for Apple/iOS devices was provided for the purposes of this review.
