windows with bootcamp

defiantly would do this. I did this, only thing I recommend is be aware of how much space you partion, especially if you dont have alot

There have been at least 3 threads about playing tf2 on an Apple computer.

All of them ended with the consensus that installing windows via bootcamp is the absolute best option to get the maximum performance of your hardware to play tf2.

It's very simple. In OSX, go to applications - bootcamp assistant. Run the program, and it will walk you through the steps to install a windows partition. The only thing you need is a windows installation copy, and you can use a disk (the most reliable method) or you use an ISO on a usb stick or external storage device. So basically, if you have some sort of windows installation file available, you already have everything you need to do this, and boot camp assitant virtually does everything for you.

best choice is windows with bootcamp.

Just a heads up if for some reason you can't use bootcamp like myself use the old Chris' Maxframes config and you can get 80-150fps normally with a few drops from time to time. My macbook is about as old as yours and was given to me by my school and I am not allowed to download bootcamp (fml) but ya the old chris' maxframes works and I can give you the video and config I use/used if you need.

What's the difference between said "old" and "new" cfgs? I run Bootcamp on the same gen MBP under Windows and performance seems to keep getting worse even with current MaxFrames cfg in DX8. I ran DX9 Frames for a long time and prefer DX9 but as I said my rig's performance is steadily going down the tubes. Would be interested in what other MBP Bootcamp Windows 7 are using.

I personally have no idea the difference between the old and new cfg's all Ik is the one that I use works fine and I have used it for 4 or 5 months and have had pretty nice performance.

I'd be willing to bet that you're having the same exact issues that I was before I fixed my MBP.

MBP's come from the factory with a piss-poor application of thermal paste on the gpu and cpu cores. It's a common fact. If you want more documentation on this, simply search google using the keywords "2011 mbp thermal paste." You'll find several videos, discussions, forums etc all showing evidence of what over heating directly correlated to cpu and gpu temps.

My MBP's performance was steadily going down the tubes after a year of using it. For a while I though it was because of tf2 updates, but it was just a coincidence that the updates were happening around the time my performance was really starting to sink.

After a lot of research, trial and error, and much frustration, I finally noticed that my cpu was bottlenecking the shit out of itself every time I had tf2 running. I could alt+tab out of tf2, and my cpu's multiplier would jump back up to x31. As soon as I alt+tab back into tf2, the load of hl2.exe would force my cpu to go down to x8 to avoid overheating.

[TL;DR] This is a common issue and you have to apply a new coat of grease to your cpu and gpu core. See the thread I made a while back.

http://teamfortress.tv/forum/thread/8399/

and again, search google with the keywords: "2011 mbp thermal paste"

If you've never opened up your macbook pro and performed repairs like this before, feel free to add me on steam and I'll help you.

When I did this repair on my own MBP, I was nervous, as I had never done something like this on an Apple portable. With the right tools, research, patience, and caution, I fixed my MBP and made it run better than it did when it was new.

ifixit has great guides for disassembling MPBs. You can also order the required tools if you don't have them, like the torx drivers
http://www.ifixit.com/Device/MacBook_Pro
If your MBP is the late 2011 15" model, then this would be the correct guide
http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Replacing+MacBook+Pro+15-Inch+Unibody+Late+2011+Heat+Sink/7515/1

The ifixit guides are what pop up when you google what I said in my previous post.

But KAMO probably has no idea that this is the problem yet. He may or may not have ever done a computer repair like this before. That's why I gave him so much context and offered my help on steam if he chooses to go that path.

But going straight to an ifixit page with all these tools, schematics, and videos about doing surgery on an apple laptop can be overwhelming if you've never done something like this before :)

This could very well be an issue, I think I remember your original thread about this. I have a late 2011 MBP, bought in December 2011. Thanks for everyone's sound advice, it seems like I should take it apart and re-do the thermal paste. I don't have the tools, but used to build my own PCs back in the day, so I should be able to figure this out. I'll add you regardless!