Can A Macbook Air Run Fortnite?

macbook-fortnite image

The MacBook Air was designed for students and business professional and doesn’t have the processing power. It may technically work on some newer models but not in the way the game was meant to be played. There will be significant lagging as it demands more processing power than a MacBook Air can provide.

To answer the question: can a macbook air run fortnite? The answer, like always is not so simple. Of course, you can download the game and try to start playing if you want, but you will not enjoy the experience. So let’s break this down.

First, let’s discuss the MacBook Air and what it was designed for. It is ultra light and portable. It has a battery life that makes other Apple laptops swoon and it has all the computing processing you’ll need in everyday life. It can run movies, create and edit documents, play music, and it is comparatively cheap. It is everything you would expect of a modern notebook.

All of that sounds wonderful and you may be thinking, sounds good for Fortnite. Well, not exactly. You have to understand that this laptop was designed primarily for students and business people. The graphics on this laptop are great if you are streaming a movie. However, the processing power demanded by Fornite is a whole different matter.

Which brings us to Fornite and what it demands from a computer. The minimum requirements for Windows and Mac are going to be very similar. Heres what you’ll need for a Mac.

  • Intel HD 4000
  • Core i3 2.4 Ghz
  • 4 GB RAM
  • Mac OS X Sierra

One thing to keep in mind about these requirements is that they represent the bare minimum. If you’ve ever played Fornite, you know that in the middle of a battle surrounded by other players, you are going to need more processing power. The computer will have to render much more than if you were standing alone in a field. Here we come to the main problem: The MacBook Air was never designed to run graphics-heavy games.

If you were to buy a MacBook Air off the shelf today, it would technically meet most of these requirements. A Mac older than 2012 will probably be running Yosemite or El Capitan and will be incompatible with Fortnite. In more current models with a Sierra OS or newer, you will still encounter lag and computer crashes.

One thing to consider is configuring a Mac with more of the features you will need to game successfully. Like most products today, you can decide to add a bigger processor or upgrade your graphics. Some upgrades you can do when ordering a new Mac, but some modifications can only be done with aftermarket upgrades. If you are buying a MacBook Air for the price point, buying additional upgrades will defeat the point.

Another option available is the spend a bit more money and get a Mac computer that is already compatible with Fortnite. Here are some alternatives for Mac users.

  • MacBook Pro with Radeon Pro 560.
  • iMac 21.5-inch with Radeon ProPro 560
  • iMac 27-inch
  • iMac Pro
  • Mac Pro

Back to the question, can a macbook air run fortnite? The shortest answer is no, not if you plan on enjoying your gaming experience. Even on the lowest graphics settings, you will encounter problems. If you have an older MacBook, it will be impossible to even try.

If you truly enjoy playing Fornite it would be best to do some investigating and see what can work for you. It’s possible you may have to invest in a new computer or upgrade your current unit. Alternatively, you can use sheer determination to work through the lag and computer crashes to play on whatever device you want. Happy Gaming.

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Tags: Apple