MacGameFPS

How many FPS does XCOM 2 get on the Mac mini M1? 1080p, 1440p and 4K performance

37FPS

1080p High

Estimate

23

1440p

12

4K

Playable

About 37 FPS at 1080p on High: XCOM 2 runs through Rosetta 2 on the Mac mini M1 (Apple M1, 8-core GPU, 8 GB). It is playable, with little headroom. For 30 FPS, use 1440p Low (about 32 FPS).

Data reviewed October 1, 2026 · how we calculate it

XCOM 2 FPS on Mac mini M1 by resolution and quality

Estimate
ResolutionLowMediumHighUltra
1080p52FPS44FPS37FPS31FPS
1440p32FPS28FPS23FPS19FPS
4K17FPS14FPS12FPS10FPS

Estimated average in normal gameplay with the game and macOS up to date. Green: 60+ · lime: 45+ · amber: 30+ · orange: 20+ · red: under 20.

Recommended settings

For 60 FPS

Not reached even on Low at 1080p, nor with MetalFX.

For 30 FPS

1440p · Low

≈ 32 FPS

Moving to 1440p High puts the Mac mini M1 at about 23 FPS. This game has no MetalFX, so resolution is the setting that matters most.

The MacGameFPS verdict

Calibrated on real Mac benchmarks, not spec sheets

Is the Mac mini M1 enough for XCOM 2?

Just about: 37 FPS at 1080p High is playable but has no headroom. Dropping to Medium steadies it.

Playable · 1440p 23 FPS · 4K 12 FPS

Mac mini M1 or MacBook Air M2 for XCOM 2?

In XCOM 2 at 1080p High, the Mac mini M1 gets 37 FPS and the MacBook Air M2 40 FPS: 8% more.

Mac mini M1 specs

Mac mini M1
Chip
Apple M1
GPU cores
8
Unified memory
8 / 16 GB
Cooling
Fan
Geekbench Metal
33,264
Tier
Entry level · 9/100

See the Mac mini M1’s FPS in every game →

Other Macs with the M1 chip

The Apple M1 also powers the MacBook Air M1, the MacBook Pro M1, and the iMac M1. In XCOM 2, the MacBook Pro M1 gets 36 FPS at 1080p High, 3% less than the Mac mini M1.

How much memory do you need?

On Apple Silicon the GPU shares memory with the system, so the RAM you picked when buying the Mac is also your video memory. XCOM 2 asks for 8 GB minimum.

Memory1080p High1440p High
8 GB37FPS23FPS
16 GB38FPS24FPS

Other Macs for XCOM 2

1080p · High

XCOM 2 on every Mac →

Shopping for an all-round gaming Mac? Mac ranking by real FPS →

Other games on the Mac mini M1

Every game on the Mac mini M1 →

Official Mac requirements

Minimum
macOS 10.13.6 · Intel Core i5 2.5 GHz or better · 8 GB memory · 1 GB GPU · 45 GB storage · Intel build, runs on Apple silicon through Rosetta 2

Source: store.steampowered.com

FAQ

Can the 8 GB Mac mini M1 run XCOM 2?

Yes. With 8 GB we estimate 37 FPS at 1080p High.

Can XCOM 2 hit 60 FPS on the Mac mini M1?

Not consistently. For 30 FPS, use 1440p Low (about 32 FPS).

What about 1440p and 4K?

On High, the Mac mini M1 gets about 23 FPS at 1440p and about 12 FPS at 4K in XCOM 2. These are native figures.

Do these figures include MetalFX or ray tracing?

No. The headline figure is native resolution, no MetalFX and no ray tracing. XCOM 2 has no MetalFX on Mac. Ray tracing, where a game offers it, costs a lot of FPS on any Mac.

Is XCOM 2 native on Apple Silicon?

Not quite: it has an official macOS version ported by Feral Interactive, but built for Intel. On Apple Silicon it runs through Rosetta 2, built into macOS, with nothing else to install. Our figures already include that overhead.