VMware Fusion For Games?

Hawky · 06-01-2009, 05:55 AM

Hi, i have VMware Fusion on my Macbook Pro, all works fine, Vista runs fine on it, but as soon as i want to do anything GPU intensive, it just lags to hell.

I have tried a few games, lowerd the resolution, given Fusion more RAM & CPU but its still the same, i think its down to it not using one of my GPUs properly.

Anyone successfully played a game on Fusion with no lag, am i doing something wrong?

Thanks.

yellow · 06-01-2009, 10:54 AM

Does fusion REALLY use the GPU, or just pretend to use it?
For Parallels at least, modern games that use 3D graphics don't work so well. I expect fusion to be in a similar boat?
I also doubt it is able to use DX10 (or even full DX9) in Vista. Not to mention, Vista is a dog on straight PC hardware, never mind a virtual machine.

For me, I just use bootcamp (into Vista) on my MBP when I want to play games. Parallels/Fusion aren't worth the headache for anything other than work.

Cheech'i · 06-01-2009, 12:12 PM

If you need to be in OS X but still need to play games, see if your game is supported by Crossover Games. Otherwise use boot camp.

I have virtualbox vm's with hardware gpu enabled, and they can handle some older emulators (8 & 16 bit games) without issue, but I wouldn't put anything more than that to the test.

Hawky · 06-01-2009, 04:31 PM

I don't really need to play games, just the ones i have tried to get to work run slow as hell, was wondering if i was doing anything wrong or something.

When i do "dxdiag" on Vista it says the GPU is this: VMware SVGA II

I thought it would be Nvidia 9400M, oh well.

baf · 06-01-2009, 05:19 PM

In a virtual machine you will only get virtual hardware so that's why you see "VMware SVGA II"

Hawky · 06-02-2009, 01:40 AM

Ok, thanks for the replies guys

Cheech'i · 06-02-2009, 06:31 AM

It would be faster with your GPU rather than the 9400m, if you haven't tried that. Still most likely won't be fast enough to matter though.

06-01-2009, 05:55 AM	#1
Hawky Prospect Join Date: May 2009 Location: England Posts: 9	VMware Fusion For Games? Hi, i have VMware Fusion on my Macbook Pro, all works fine, Vista runs fine on it, but as soon as i want to do anything GPU intensive, it just lags to hell. I have tried a few games, lowerd the resolution, given Fusion more RAM & CPU but its still the same, i think its down to it not using one of my GPUs properly. Anyone successfully played a game on Fusion with no lag, am i doing something wrong? Thanks.

06-01-2009, 12:12 PM	#3
Cheech'i Major Leaguer Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 432	If you need to be in OS X but still need to play games, see if your game is supported by Crossover Games. Otherwise use boot camp. I have virtualbox vm's with hardware gpu enabled, and they can handle some older emulators (8 & 16 bit games) without issue, but I wouldn't put anything more than that to the test. __________________ Maybe the light at the end of the tunnel is you.

06-01-2009, 04:31 PM	#4
Hawky Prospect Join Date: May 2009 Location: England Posts: 9	I don't really need to play games, just the ones i have tried to get to work run slow as hell, was wondering if i was doing anything wrong or something. When i do "dxdiag" on Vista it says the GPU is this: VMware SVGA II I thought it would be Nvidia 9400M, oh well. __________________ Macbook Pro 15.4" OS: Mac OS X 10.6.1 \| CPU: 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo \| RAM: 4GB 1067HMz DDR3 \| GPU: nVidia 9400M 256mb & nVidia 9600M GT 512mb \| HDD: 320GB Internal & 1x 1TB 1x 500GB External HDD Other: 24" Dell S2409W FullHD 1080p 60hz LCD Monitor iPod: 80GB iPod Video

06-01-2009, 05:19 PM	#5
baf MVP Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Skellefteå, Sweden Posts: 1,173	In a virtual machine you will only get virtual hardware so that's why you see "VMware SVGA II" __________________ /Bengt-Arne Fjellner IT-Administrator Luleå university, Sweden. Some say: "You learn as long as you live". My way: "You live as long as you learn".

06-02-2009, 01:40 AM	#6
Hawky Prospect Join Date: May 2009 Location: England Posts: 9	Ok, thanks for the replies guys __________________ Macbook Pro 15.4" OS: Mac OS X 10.6.1 \| CPU: 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo \| RAM: 4GB 1067HMz DDR3 \| GPU: nVidia 9400M 256mb & nVidia 9600M GT 512mb \| HDD: 320GB Internal & 1x 1TB 1x 500GB External HDD Other: 24" Dell S2409W FullHD 1080p 60hz LCD Monitor iPod: 80GB iPod Video

06-01-2009, 10:54 AM	#2
yellow Moderator Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 10,677	Does fusion REALLY use the GPU, or just pretend to use it? For Parallels at least, modern games that use 3D graphics don't work so well. I expect fusion to be in a similar boat? I also doubt it is able to use DX10 (or even full DX9) in Vista. Not to mention, Vista is a dog on straight PC hardware, never mind a virtual machine. For me, I just use bootcamp (into Vista) on my MBP when I want to play games. Parallels/Fusion aren't worth the headache for anything other than work.

06-02-2009, 06:31 AM	#7
Cheech'i Major Leaguer Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 432	It would be faster with your GPU rather than the 9400m, if you haven't tried that. Still most likely won't be fast enough to matter though. __________________ Maybe the light at the end of the tunnel is you.

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