deepakvrao

I use a Mac, but was looking at a reasonably inexpensive gaming PC for my trainer room [which is just getting done]. Any suggestions for a small form factor one at say 300-500 dollars?

Would I really need one with 8gb RAM? I've seen that the Win computers at my hospital work just fine with 4gb, even for surgical video playback etc.

dvai

Not sure about the PC.

But I wonder what configuration you run on your mac and if it works well with that

redfooj

They're releasing it on smartphone platforms soon...if not already. So if that suffice then you won't need the extra PC

Athens80

You can look at https://zwiftalizer.com/benchmarks and see the cpu and gpu people are using at different graphics levels. The report is limited to the Zwifters who have voluntarily uploaded their log data at least five times -- 809 Zwifters at the moment,

WhyFi

Surgical video playback is a far cry from rendering hundreds of objects in a three-dimensional space and then displaying it on a two-dimensional screen.

That said, looking at the zwift PC requirements, I don't see any RAM recommendations other than 1gb on a dedicated GPU. I would probably do something like this; you're not going to max out the settings (but who cares?) and you'd be paying for the ultra small form factor (you could probably get something comparable for less if you are willing to put a bigger box in the room).

deepakvrao

Thanks guys. Will try it with my Mac first.

Specs of my Macbook Pro are as below.

deepakvrao

Yes, should have realised that.

rbk_3

I have the same MacBook and it works on low settings but it heats up like crazy and the fans will be going full blast.

deepakvrao

So, do you use it regularly then?

If a laptop cant handle Zwift easily how do phones?

atwl77

A lot of modern phones have capable 3D rendering hardware to handle many of the 3D games available on their respective platform's app store. It's no surprise they will be able to handle Zwift.

rbk_3

No I have a gaming PC.
The MacBook just has graphics integrated into the CPU. It's not really meant to play video games and will really make it work.

redfooj

That MacBook pro will handle it easily

A MacBook 12" retina will barely run it.

San Pedro

It's not hard to build your own PC. Just find a forum, like this, except for PCs, and ask for build suggestions with your budget. I use to be into it, but don't have the time to play on my PC so haven't kept up with prices and new hardware for a while.

I'd go with 8gb, regardless.

aplcr0331

I use my iPhone and an HDMI cable to an older TV, 720p and it works great.

deepakvrao

Dont use an iphone, and Zwift has no Android app.

I have an old iMac with following specs. Would it be better than the Macbook Pro?

Grasschopper

The Android app is coming soon actually...but I'm not sure that iMac would be any better really. The issue with the 13" MBP and the mini PC the guy linked above is no dedicated GPU. You want something with a minimum of a 1GB graphics card.

If you can affors it you'd be much better off with something like this: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/alienwa...?skuId=5714691

Or a full tower PC if you have the room. Remember that you won't need a massive processor or tons of memory just for Zwift but you WILL want the best graphics card you can get as all of that processing is done there.

redfooj

you dont need a discrete graphics card to run zwift.

any 2015 year macbook pro will serve it like butter

Athens80

It looks like a Mac / Intel Core i5-5287U @ 2.90GHz / Intel Intel Iris Graphics 6100 5th generation (Broadwell) Intel Core family processor - MacBook Pro 13" (Early 2015) will run at 1080p at around 24 frames per second. It's up to the user whether that is running like butter.

A Mac / Intel Core i5-5257U @ 2.70GHz / Intel Intel Iris Graphics 6100 5th generation (Broadwell) Intel Core family processor - MacBook Pro 13" (Early 2015) is running 720p at 34 FPS. Again, your eyes can determine whether that is buttery smooth.

Source: Zwifters with those computers posting to https://zwiftalizer.com/benchmarks .

kcjc

It's the GPU that controls the game play. I have an ASUS 15.6" Laptop PC with AMD A10 and 4 gb that does ok. Not really a small form factor but in the price range. Spring for Win 10 Pro if you have the cash, the home version really bites.

Grasschopper

Do you understand that the 15" and 17" MBPs have discrete graphics? And that the 13" does not because of the smaller chassis size?

redfooj

yes, because i have and have had multiple iterations of all these laptops

do you realize a zwift cyclist isnt looking at a screen from 18 inches away needing detailed rendering to place a crosshair on a 20 pixel tall enemy combatant running across a simulated battlefield?

Grasschopper

Yes but that doesn't mean that the computer isn't trying to render all of it. As quoted from above:

johngwheeler

FYI not all of the modern 15" MBPs have discrete GPUs, only the higher-end models.

I would think that an app like Zwift would definitely me more pleasant on a large high-res screen with a powerful GPU. Getting high frame rates at high resolution with smooth rendering takes a fair bit of graphical grunt. A modest gaming-PC would probably be my choice for this application.

San Pedro

Budget $35 for case, 70 for motherboard, 120 for CPU, 60 for memory, 70 for PSU, 200 for graphics card, and 50 for HDD (though I suggest getting an SSD). You could probably cut some of the costs there too, as that is just off the top of my head.

awesomeame

just try using your current computer first. you can download the zwift demo and see how it goes. my 1yo $300 laptop seems to run it fine, although graphics are pretty simple at this level. but I'm happy enough with it

Matt