There are few software limitations on anyone considering a switch from Windows to Mac. Not only do all the biggest PC apps run on the platform, but there are countless examples of useful apps that are exclusive to Mac.

The one big exception is gaming. However, new tests show that Windows games run better than ever on Mac, whether that’s being done officially or unofficially …

Apple has a specific game porting toolkit intended to help developers determine how well their Windows games might perform on Mac. The idea is to encourage them to port their games to the Mac and make it easier for them to do so.

However, as Macworld’s Filipe Esposito notes, the tool has also been used by gamers to run Windows software on Mac unofficially. He’s one of them, and says that the latest beta version offers a step change in performance, giving Grand Theft Auto V as an example.

After spending several days testing Game Porting Toolkit 4 beta on my M4 Pro MacBook Pro, I found performance improvements that fundamentally change the experience of playing demanding Windows games […]

Using the same M4 Pro MacBook Pro with 24GB of RAM, the same game settings, and the same benchmark tests, GTA V jumped from roughly 106 frames per second under GPTK 3 to around 176 fps with GPTK 4 beta. That’s an increase of about 66%. The game was running smoothly on medium to high settings at 2K resolution.

He admits that not every game sees such dramatic results, but says he hopes the improvements will encourage game studios to view the Mac as a viable platform.

• Grand Theft Auto V for Windows
• Official Apple Store on Amazon
• Discounted AirPods Pro 3
• Wireless CarPlay adapter
• AirTag holders and accessories
• Mac Pro-style Mac mini casing
• NordVPN – privacy-first VPN with no logs and independent audits to verify

Framegrab: Rockstar Games