Hello, all. I am considering buying a new iMac this fall. I've set my eyes on the iMac described second right on this page. Since the new iMacs can run Windows or the Mac operating system, I'll be buying Windows 7 for it. Anyway, I was wondering if TS2010 would work with the graphics card provided (ATI Radeon HD 4670 graphics with 256MB) and how well it would work. I have no idea if it is equal to or better/worse than the recommended graphics card for TS2010 since I don't know anything about graphics cards, and none of the reviews I've read seem conclusive. Will the mentioned graphics card, or the iMac itself run TS2010? Thanks in advance for your help.
TS2010 on the new iMac?
- Thread starter trainut
- Start date
Hi Trainut,
I recently purchased a 21.5" iMac which is slightly more powerful than the one your are planning to buy (3.33 Ghz instead of 3.06 Ghz) with the same videocard and 8 Gb of RAM instead of 4 Gb. I have installed Win 7 64 bit Home Premium using Bootcamp and I must say I was very disappointed with the performance of TS2010. I think the problem lies with the Radeon HD4670 with 256 VRAM. The processor is powerful enough but the videocard lacks in the power department and the amount of VRAM is pathetic. Furthermore, I observed that, when running TS2010 and even TRS2006, the temperature of the casing rises considerably when compared to less cpu or graphics intensive programs. I have decided to run MSTS Train Simulator instead as performance is very good as it is much less demanding on the graphics side (unfortunately less eye appealing than TS2010).
Sorry to disappoint you with my findings. As one would say : "Use at your own risk".
Cheers
Gilles
Note: I should add that TRS2006 runs very well as it is less graphically demanding. I notice you have TRS2004 so I suppose that should also run well.
I recently purchased a 21.5" iMac which is slightly more powerful than the one your are planning to buy (3.33 Ghz instead of 3.06 Ghz) with the same videocard and 8 Gb of RAM instead of 4 Gb. I have installed Win 7 64 bit Home Premium using Bootcamp and I must say I was very disappointed with the performance of TS2010. I think the problem lies with the Radeon HD4670 with 256 VRAM. The processor is powerful enough but the videocard lacks in the power department and the amount of VRAM is pathetic. Furthermore, I observed that, when running TS2010 and even TRS2006, the temperature of the casing rises considerably when compared to less cpu or graphics intensive programs. I have decided to run MSTS Train Simulator instead as performance is very good as it is much less demanding on the graphics side (unfortunately less eye appealing than TS2010).
Sorry to disappoint you with my findings. As one would say : "Use at your own risk".
Cheers
Gilles
Note: I should add that TRS2006 runs very well as it is less graphically demanding. I notice you have TRS2004 so I suppose that should also run well.
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I too think you would be disappointed with a 4670 512Vram card. Go for the newer 58 series card with 1Gb vram. I am using a 5870 with 1Gb vram and consistently get 125fps.
Cheers,
Bill69.
That's too bad; I was looking forward to buy TS2010 and an iMac. And I also have TS2009; it's just registered on a different account. Anyway, thanks for your help!
Do you mean you are using that video card in an iMac or a different computer? I have heard that the graphics card in an iMac is non-upgradeable, like laptops. Thanks for your help, though!
Hi Bill69,
You must have a MacPro and not an iMac. The iMac is very limited as far as upgradability is concerned, it is more like a giant laptop as opposed to a MacPro which is like a PC Desktop (Windows PC) and thus, easily upgradable. I would say the iMac is far from being a Gamer's PC.
Regards
Gilles
You must have a MacPro and not an iMac. The iMac is very limited as far as upgradability is concerned, it is more like a giant laptop as opposed to a MacPro which is like a PC Desktop (Windows PC) and thus, easily upgradable. I would say the iMac is far from being a Gamer's PC.
Regards
Gilles
The video card upgrade options are still quite limited though for the Macs even though there are other models available.
I could never figure out why Apple always finds a way to chince out some major component on a system. In the old days it was video cards and hard drives. Today it seems to be video cards.
John
hi John,
I don't think Apple ever considered their hardware as serious contenders in the gaming world and consequently, they did not feel the need for more powerful graphics cards.
This may change in the near term as Steam is now providing games for the Mac and they are pushing Apple for better drivers and possibly more powerful video cards. It seems they are talking with Apple, Nvidia and ATI on this subject. But lets face it Apple does not have the power of Microsoft (it is called market share).
Cheers
Gilles
I don't think Apple ever considered their hardware as serious contenders in the gaming world and consequently, they did not feel the need for more powerful graphics cards.
This may change in the near term as Steam is now providing games for the Mac and they are pushing Apple for better drivers and possibly more powerful video cards. It seems they are talking with Apple, Nvidia and ATI on this subject. But lets face it Apple does not have the power of Microsoft (it is called market share).
Cheers
Gilles
Hot_Box_Detector
Member
Depends on what floats your boat...
I have an early 2009 iMac and run TS2010, also '04 & 06... OK for my use. Furthermore...I am running Trainz from an external drive thru a USB port. I don't see that much difference between this setup and any of the other half-dozen, Windows only, computers I've owned in the last 7-8 years on which I have run Trainz.
I didn't pay much attention to the specs as I was purchasing it anyway for use with audio/video editing on the "Mac" side. I feel the Bootcamp / Windows XP use is just an extra bonus freebie...
I think the fact that it is dual core with 4gb RAM helps. I also think that running the OS on the main HD and Trainz from the external drive may help but, I haven't compared or tried to do any benchmarking as I don't have enough room on the windows partition to install Trainz on the main drive.
I don't own any other computer "games" so I can't compare there...
Yes, it will take a performance hit in congested areas, just like most other computers.
Will it run TS2010 ? YES. Will it be the best performer? Probably not.
If you are buying the iMac for other use and Trainz/Windows is secondary, I say go for it. If Trainz is your primary concern, I would not recommend it.
PS: I don't seem to have the flickering and a lot of the other problems I see folks complaining about either...
I have an early 2009 iMac and run TS2010, also '04 & 06... OK for my use. Furthermore...I am running Trainz from an external drive thru a USB port. I don't see that much difference between this setup and any of the other half-dozen, Windows only, computers I've owned in the last 7-8 years on which I have run Trainz.
I didn't pay much attention to the specs as I was purchasing it anyway for use with audio/video editing on the "Mac" side. I feel the Bootcamp / Windows XP use is just an extra bonus freebie...
I think the fact that it is dual core with 4gb RAM helps. I also think that running the OS on the main HD and Trainz from the external drive may help but, I haven't compared or tried to do any benchmarking as I don't have enough room on the windows partition to install Trainz on the main drive.
I don't own any other computer "games" so I can't compare there...
Yes, it will take a performance hit in congested areas, just like most other computers.
Will it run TS2010 ? YES. Will it be the best performer? Probably not.
If you are buying the iMac for other use and Trainz/Windows is secondary, I say go for it. If Trainz is your primary concern, I would not recommend it.
PS: I don't seem to have the flickering and a lot of the other problems I see folks complaining about either...
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Thanks, everybody, for helping me on this subject. After reading everybody's response, I think I'll go ahead and buy an iMac. I knew I wanted one from the moment I saw one; and apparently it'll run TS2010 and my existing copies of TRS2004 and TS2009 (again, my '09 is registered on a different account). And, I just like Macs! 
:wave: (The main purpose I'm going to be using this for is school, by the way).
:wave: (The main purpose I'm going to be using this for is school, by the way).
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Hi trainut,
I am glad you have decided to go ahead with your original choice, I don't think you will regret it. This is my third Mac (second iMac) and I am most satisfied with it. I also have a PC and it will be the last one. With Win 7 running on the iMac, I have all bases covered. I would not say I have the best of both worlds because I am not particularly a Windows fanboy.
"And, I just like Macs" too.
Cheers
Gilles
I am glad you have decided to go ahead with your original choice, I don't think you will regret it. This is my third Mac (second iMac) and I am most satisfied with it. I also have a PC and it will be the last one. With Win 7 running on the iMac, I have all bases covered. I would not say I have the best of both worlds because I am not particularly a Windows fanboy.
"And, I just like Macs" too.
Cheers
Gilles
amigacooke
Well-known member
Model Name: iMac
Model Identifier: iMac8,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 3.06 GHz
Chipset Model: NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GS
Bus: PCIe
PCIe Lane Width: x16
VRAM (Total): 512 MB
As there's a bit of a Mac user group going on here, I've got a last generation iMac (specs above) and it seems to run TS2010 OK in Bootcamp. I did make sure it was the 512MB VRAM option though.
Model Identifier: iMac8,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 3.06 GHz
Chipset Model: NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GS
Bus: PCIe
PCIe Lane Width: x16
VRAM (Total): 512 MB
As there's a bit of a Mac user group going on here, I've got a last generation iMac (specs above) and it seems to run TS2010 OK in Bootcamp. I did make sure it was the 512MB VRAM option though.
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Trainz 2010 working well on iMac
Hi Trainut,
I read with interest your concerns about buying an iMac not knowing whether Trainz would perform well on it. I went through the same anguish a year ago. I was fortunate to get a chance to try Trainz 2009 on the current Intel iMac before I bought it. It worked well, I bought and have been using it since almost exclusively for Trainz. I already own an iMac G5, but of course it doesn’t have the Intel chip and therefore cannot run as a PC.
I have since upgraded to Trainz 2010 SP 3 (version 42203) and all is running well. I previously used Trainz 2009 on an older Hewlett-Packard PC. It is running much better (faster) on the iMac. I have no way of comparing, but it is hard to imaging that it could run any better.
My Intel iMac configuration is:
Model Name: iMac
Model Identifier: iMac9,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Dual
Processor Speed: 2.93 GHz
Chipset Model: NVIDIA GeForce GT 130
Bus: PCIe
PCIe Lane Width: x16
VRAM (Total): 512
(I don’t know how important it is to mention some of this data. I just put in the same specs as amigocooke did in this blog.)
Software: Windows XP SP3 running in Bootcamp.
I did have some issues initially with video card drivers. It turned out to be important that I have the latest drivers. I ran Uniblue’s PowerSuite to make sure my drivers were up-to-date. I have no problems with temperature, even after I have run for hours.
It would be nice if you could try Trainz out on the computer you are interested in purchasing before you purchase it as I did. Failing that, I would tend to agree with the consensus that the new iMac can run Trainz if you get the 512 VRAM.
Of course, like me, you will always wonder if Auran might upgrade their program (Trainz 2011 etc.) and it turns out not be compatible with the Mac. Auran does not (yet) support the Mac. Perhaps, if the Mac users group grows and from this blog there seem to be a number of us out there, they will reconsider.
Cayden
Hi Trainut,
I read with interest your concerns about buying an iMac not knowing whether Trainz would perform well on it. I went through the same anguish a year ago. I was fortunate to get a chance to try Trainz 2009 on the current Intel iMac before I bought it. It worked well, I bought and have been using it since almost exclusively for Trainz. I already own an iMac G5, but of course it doesn’t have the Intel chip and therefore cannot run as a PC.
I have since upgraded to Trainz 2010 SP 3 (version 42203) and all is running well. I previously used Trainz 2009 on an older Hewlett-Packard PC. It is running much better (faster) on the iMac. I have no way of comparing, but it is hard to imaging that it could run any better.
My Intel iMac configuration is:
Model Name: iMac
Model Identifier: iMac9,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Dual
Processor Speed: 2.93 GHz
Chipset Model: NVIDIA GeForce GT 130
Bus: PCIe
PCIe Lane Width: x16
VRAM (Total): 512
(I don’t know how important it is to mention some of this data. I just put in the same specs as amigocooke did in this blog.)
Software: Windows XP SP3 running in Bootcamp.
I did have some issues initially with video card drivers. It turned out to be important that I have the latest drivers. I ran Uniblue’s PowerSuite to make sure my drivers were up-to-date. I have no problems with temperature, even after I have run for hours.
It would be nice if you could try Trainz out on the computer you are interested in purchasing before you purchase it as I did. Failing that, I would tend to agree with the consensus that the new iMac can run Trainz if you get the 512 VRAM.
Of course, like me, you will always wonder if Auran might upgrade their program (Trainz 2011 etc.) and it turns out not be compatible with the Mac. Auran does not (yet) support the Mac. Perhaps, if the Mac users group grows and from this blog there seem to be a number of us out there, they will reconsider.
Cayden
Sorry it took so long to respond; I thought this thread was dead and didn't come back to check. Anyway, you have the 27-inch iMac, if I'm not mistaken (which I probably am). I can only afford the 21.5-inch version, and apparently that can't come with a 512 MB graphics card, so running TS2010 on it will be like running TS2009 on a rather low-spec Pentium IV (which I am currently doing with great results, by the way). Thanks for the help, though! :wave:
robbiehanson
K27K27K27K27K27K27K27K27
I run TRS2006 in Win7 Pro x86 on a aluminum unibody Macbook (256mb Nvidia 9400m) and it does fine.