We understand that gaming on Mac is a little too basic as compared to gaming on its contenders such as Windows. The collection of games offered on a Windows PC wins in comparison to a handful of AAA games on a Mac.
In the past, you would have had to run Windows VM on your Mac to play games, however, now there are options you can avail for yourself. Now, you can also play your Xbox games on Mac similar to Windows games.
There are two ways in which you can play Xbox games on your Mac. One of them is through the use of an app called OneCast that uses the same technology as Windows to allow you to stream Xbox on Mac. The second one is by running your Xbox on your Mac through Parallels.
Quick Summary
In this post you will find:
- OneCast Review
- How to Setup OneCast
- Things you Should Know
- How you can Play Xbox Games on Mac using a HMDI Cable
Let’s get right into it!
How to Play Xbox on Mac – OneCast Review
This app is responsive to Mac for the most part and provides good value for money. It is very easy to set up and works considerably well with Mac. The high video quality closely resembles Windows quality and provides the same experience over the same network.
The controls are quite responsive and the video also looks great. However, you might experience some disruption in quality for fast-switch games such as Forza Horizon and PUBG. For PUBG, we recommend using Mac because it provides a better experience.
OneCast software allows you to run your Xbox games on macOS in 1080p and allows you to connect your Xbox controller to your Mac through a USB or Bluetooth. It also allows you to set up multiple profiles for various Xboxes.
At this point in time, the best way to play your Xbox games is on Mac since you cannot connect them to your Windows through Bluetooth that is running Parallels on Mac.
Setting up OneCast
Before starting the process to set up your Xbox games with macOS, make sure that your Xbox and Mac have been connected to the same internet router. Then you can start streaming your Xbox games on Mac.
Follow these instructions to stream games from your Xbox on Mac:
- Step 1: Download OneCast for free via its trial version.
Note: The OneCast app is available for free on a trial basis for 14-days. However, you need to pay $9.99 to buy the license key for the full version of the app.
- Step 2: A DMG file will be downloaded. Open the file.
- Step 3: Drag the application to the Applications folder and click on the OneCast icon to launch the app.
- Step 3: If your Xbox is connected to your router then OneCast will automatically detect the Xbox console on the router and will allow you to connect them. The app will ask you to log in with your Microsoft account details and you can use the same username and password for the log.
- Step 4: Activate the Bluetooth on your Mac through System Preferences and simply connect the Xbox controllers to your Mac. You can also use a USB to connect it.
Note:As an alternative, you can also use an app called Controlly which is completely free. It allows you to connect Xbox or PlayStation controllers to your Mac.
Additionally, this app also allows you to map out controls easily, control your Touchpad cursor, and launch apps.
Things to Know
OneCast allows you to stream your Xbox either in windowed or full-screen mode on your Mac. Moreover, it can keep your Mac connected to your Xbox even when you are far from your home, however, you will have to set it up through the user’s manual network configurations.
While you might experience some lag in a few games, the quality is generally quite impressive as you can steam most games on Mac in 1080p. If lagging becomes a major nuisance then you can change the video quality from “Very High” to “High, “Low”, or “Medium”.
Moreover, since OneCast is GPU intensive, therefore, we recommend you shut down all other applications while using it. This will keep your Mac from overheating quickly allowing its cooling vents to kick in easily.
Parallels Overview
Running parallels is the most convenient way to use Windows on your Mac and you can try it for free. Parallels 17, which is the latest version, allows you to run Xbox beta games on from the Windows store on Windows 10.
Note: You would need an Xbox pass that costs $1 as an introductory offer and then $5 per month after that.
Parallels also allow you to connect your Xbox controllers with your Mac via Bluetooth so that you can get the full Xbox experience. Moreover, the major benefit of installing Windows on macOS is the freedom to download PC-exclusive apps on your Mac.
Note: While Parallels allow you to install Windows on M1 Mac, the Xbox games do not work quite as well as they do for Intel Mac. This problem occurs because the Xbox does not pair properly via Bluetooth, which does not work on M1 Mac properly in Parallels.
How Can You Play Xbox Games on Macbook Pro via HDMI Cable?
You can play Xbox games via HDMI cable on your Macbook Pro in two ways:
- You can use a capture device that will give video output on your Macbook Pro; however, this method has numerous issues.
- The second method is to get a subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which allows you to stream games using the browser of your choice. This method is a lot more convenient. However, you would only be able to play games available on the Game Pass catalog.
Wrapping Things Up …
This concludes our article on how to play Xbox games on your Mac computer. The best way to integrate the two is through the use of Parallels or OneCast. Both of these platforms allow you to connect your Xbox controllers to your Mac as well.
Previously, you could only run Xbox games on Mac by installing Windows for free using Boot Camp. The use of Parallels or the app OneCast is a lot of efficient and easy since it supports Xbox games with good image quality with little lag.
Gaming on Mac is gaining popularity mostly through the NVIDIA GeForce Now because it allows Mac users to play Windows-exclusive SteamVR games on it.
However, SteamVR no longer supports VR games on Mac which means the best way to experience them is still by installing Windows on macOS.
Do let us know what you think in the comments below.