Apple Expands High Power Mode to MacBook Pro and Mac Mini Models With M4 Pro Chip

[MacRumors]

High Power Mode is available on the 14-inch MacBook Pro, 16-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini models with the M4 Pro chip, according to Ars Technica's Andrew Cunningham. The feature was previously limited to Macs with Apple's highest-end "Max" chip, so this is the first time it is available on Macs with a "Pro" chip.

This is the second time that Apple has expanded availability of High Power Mode in as many years. The feature was initially limited to 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M1 Max and M2 Max chips, but Apple made it available on both the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 Max chip later last year. Now, the feature is available on even more MacBook Pro models, and on the higher-end Mac mini for the first time.

Apple says High Power Mode allows a Mac's fans to run at higher speeds, and this additional cooling allows the system to deliver higher performance for graphics-intensive sustained workloads, such as 8K video color grading. On supported Macs, the feature can be used when the computer is running on battery power or connected to a power source.

In his Mac mini review, Cunningham said High Power Mode performance gains were "essentially negligible" despite "considerably increased" fan noise. However, he acknowledged that his tests were short and that High Power Mode could be more beneficial "over many hours of activity." As mentioned, Apple said the feature is for "sustained" workloads.

From his review:

In our tests on the Mac mini, any performance gain from using High Power mode was essentially negligible, so small that we haven't bothered to make charts showing the difference—there are signs of a very small upward nudge in a couple of GPU tests, but all the CPU tests and many of the GPU tests show differences that are essentially within the margin of error.

While performance is a bit of a wash, fan noise is considerably increased under High Power mode. The Mac mini is mostly inaudible most of the time, the same way most Apple Silicon Macs have been, but under sustained CPU or GPU load, the mini emits a louder whoosh that you'll definitely hear unless you're wearing headphones. That could be a sign that, over many hours of activity, High Power mode will produce better or more consistent results than most of our tests, which generally take no more than a few minutes to run. But from where I sit, the benefits of High Power mode in the M4 Pro Mac mini are negligible, and the downside is noticeable. I would generally leave it turned off.

On recent macOS versions, High Power Mode can be enabled in the System Settings app under "Battery" or "Energy" by clicking on the dropdown menus next to "On battery" or "On power adapter" and selecting the "High Power" option.

Article Link: Apple Expands High Power Mode to MacBook Pro and Mac Mini Models With M4 Pro Chip

 

[SamRyouji]

What a lovely progress. I personally cannot wait the time this High Power Mode available on the vanilla M8 by the time I have to retire my M1 MacBook Air.

 

[entropys]

No doubt a factor in battery life for the new machines. The amazing hours aren’t in high power mode, but you can bet benchmarking performance is.

 

[MrGimper]

No doubt a factor in battery life for the new machines. The amazing hours aren’t in high power mode, but you can bet benchmarking performance is.

But mac mini doesn't have a battery....

 

[now i see it]

M4 Mac Mini render farm anyone?

 

[dugbug]

wonder if enabling this on the mini would show up in some of the longer running benchmarks by some small amount.

 

[AAPLGeek]

While performance is a bit of a wash, fan noise is considerably increased under High Power mode.

Sounds more like High Fan Noise mode to me. No thanks.

 

[zapmymac]

Kinda shocked, but Apple seems to be much more enthralled with the M4! People buying M4 machines that could be the sweet spot

 

[nathansz]

this should be great for rpcs3 and cities: skylines 2

Looking forward to getting mine home tomorrow

 

[Slix]

Old timers may remember the "Better Performance" and "Better Conservation" options in the Control Strip.

Time is a flat circle.

 

[kamyk35]

High Power Mode is available on the 14-inch MacBook Pro, 16-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini models with the M4 Pro chip, according to Ars Technica's Andrew Cunningham. The feature was previously limited to Macs with Apple's highest-end "Max" chip, so this is the first time it is available on Macs with a "Pro" chip.

This is the second time that Apple has expanded availability of High Power Mode in as many years. The feature was initially limited to 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M1 Max and M2 Max chips, but Apple made it available on both the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M3 Max chip later last year. Now, the feature is available on even more MacBook Pro models, and on the higher-end Mac mini for the first time.

Apple says High Power Mode allows a Mac's fans to run at higher speeds, and this additional cooling allows the system to deliver higher performance for graphics-intensive sustained workloads, such as 8K video color grading. On supported Macs, the feature can be used when the computer is running on battery power or connected to a power source.

In his Mac mini review, Cunningham said High Power Mode performance gains were "essentially negligible" despite "considerably increased" fan noise. However, he acknowledged that his tests were short and that High Power Mode could be more beneficial "over many hours of activity." As mentioned, Apple said the feature is for "sustained" workloads.

From his review:On recent macOS versions, High Power Mode can be enabled in the System Settings app under "Battery" or "Energy" by clicking on the dropdown menus next to "On battery" or "On power adapter" and selecting the "High Power" option.

Article Link: Apple Expands High Power Mode to MacBook Pro and Mac Mini Models With M4 Pro Chip

If you need more power, than get a more powerful Machine, these theoretical shortcuts, never end well

 

[mdriftmeyer]

You might want to show the Mac mini layout in Settings as it doesn't have the battery option as it only has On Power.

 

[fromgophonetoiphone]

Does this mean the max performance and max fan speed is higher or does it mean the default fan runs higher? MacBooks run fanless for the most part unless doing processing right? And Mac Mini should have some default fan speed. Does it make the idle speed faster/louder?

 

[maerz001]

Now apple it would have been your chance to reintroduce the TURBO button

 

[hoodafoo]

M1 Max 14" owners don't even have this option... needs to be 16"!

 

[kalafalas]

I use high power mode on my m3 max MacBook Pro to squeeze a couple extra frames out of extended baulders gate 3 sessions. I notice more fan noise when in game, but leaving it on high power mode otherwise and it’s still silent.

 

[vegetassj4]

I have my macbooks power set to over 9,000

 

[SirROM]

 

[scrapesleon]

a feature that I will not be using

 

[Allen_Wentz]

If you need more power, than get a more powerful Machine, these theoretical shortcuts, never end well

?? Why do you say "theoretical?" It is and has been a working feature.

 

[apparatchik]

Now apple it would have been your chance to reintroduce the TURBO button

View attachment 2448143

...and place it on the bottom lol, missed opportunity!

 

[63W]

Windows did it years ago. 😂

 

[MichaelDroste]

Can’t wait!!! I’m going to get an aluminum stand to raise up the mini an inch to increase air flow - when they make the new version on Amazon…

 

[sunny5]

About Power Modes on your Mac - Apple Support

Power Modes allow you to tailor your Mac's performance to your workload.

support.apple.com

This high power mode only control the fan speed based on the temperature, nothing else. Yes, you might be shocked but that's an official info from Apple themselves. Calling this high power mode is a joke itself. If it's really a high power mode, then they supposed to support overclocking mode by consuming more power.

Such a stupid way to branding the fan speed control as high power mode, lol.

 

[hoodafoo]

I have my macbooks power set to over 9,000

You expect ppl in this forum to get that?? 😄